Hari Ravichandran Donates $250,000 to Artists for Peace and Justice

BOSTON, Sept. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hari Ravichandran, the CEO and Founder of Jump Ventures, a scalability infusion firm, today announced the Ravichandran Foundation donation of $250,000 USD ($330,000 CAD) to benefit Artists for Peace and Justice (APJ) and their mission to encourage peace and social justice, working to alleviate poverty around the world. The organization's immediate efforts serve the poorest communities in Haiti with programs in education and training in creative industries, while expanding the reach globally by partnering with effective local organizations to give young women access to quality education.

The Ravichandran grant will directly fund the Science laboratory at the Academy for Peace and Justice, which was established after the devastating 2010 earthquake that affected Haiti. The Academy is the only middle and secondary school of its kind in Haiti, providing an education to the poorest and most deserving youth in the city of Port-au-Prince, most of whom can't afford to attend school after the 5th grade. The 3,700 capacity Academy, where all students receive a scholarship, will have a state of the art science facility where students will be able to study biology, physics, chemistry and geology.

"This grant is an investment in the future leaders of Haiti," said Hari Ravichandran. "It is my sincere hope that the ability to embrace education, particularly the study of science, will empower these students to achieve all their dreams and goals."

"This is an extraordinary gift from Hari and the Ravichandran Foundation that affords our students a real hands-on opportunity to really explore and dig and find their personal passion within science. We have budding doctors and engineers in our student body who will embrace this lab as their own private sanctuary and never want to leave," said Artists for Peace and Justice CEO, Marchelle L. Sellers.

The Ravichandran gift was announced at the 2018 APJ Festival Gala held during the Toronto International Film Festival where individuals who are committed to making a difference in their own communities and abroad are recognized. A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Harry Belafonte via video conference for his lifetime of activism and commitment to peace and social justice around the world. Drew Scott and Jonathon Scott received the 2018 Peace and Justice Award for their global work.

ABOUT THE RAVICHANDRAN FOUNDATION
Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the Ravichandran Foundation is a philanthropic organization founded by Hari Ravichandran, a technology entrepreneur and the CEO and Founder of Jump Ventures, a scalability infusion firm. The foundation is committed to improving health, promoting education and empowering youth locally and globally. For more information visit: www.ravichandranfoundation.org.

ABOUT ARTISTS FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
Artists for Peace and Justice (APJ) is a non-profit organization that encourages peace and social justice and addresses issues of poverty around the world. APJ's immediate goal is to serve the poorest communities in Haiti with programs in education, healthcare, and dignity through the arts. The organization is committed to long-term, sustainable development in direct partnership with the Haitian people. The model is simple: APJ believes in empowering local communities, fostering economic growth, and the power of education to change a nation. APJ is based in New York; Marchelle Sellers serves as its CEO. To learn more, visit www.apjnow.org or follow @artistsforpeace on Instagram and Twitter.

SOURCE The Ravichandran Foundation

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http://www.ravichandranfoundation.org