12-year-old boys help animal shelters with invention to protect memories

Two 12-year-old boys from Connecticut devised an ingenious way to protect Christmas memories and, in the process, discovered a way to provide tens of thousands of dollars to help abandoned pets.

Brothers Ayaan and Mickey Naqvi lost a favorite Christmas decoration in 2019 when it fell to the floor and shattered. That inspired the young entrepreneurs to take action. They devised a way to keep ornaments secured to the tree, even against the ferocious wagging of a happy dog’s tail.

Using a loop and toggle system, Ayaan created the prototype and presented it for a school project. The reception was overwhelmingly favorable, so they opted to turn their invention into a money-making proposition.

“My brother and I worked together to design the product, patent it, create an awesome website, calculate profit margins and did our own market analysis,” Ayaan told CNN. “We did everything to the point where every month was Christmas.”

They sold $1,000 worth of ornaments in the first six hours at a local Christmas fair. Then it was featured on Good Morning America and the QVC network. In one year, they made $250,000.

Then, they made the decision to donate 10% of the profits to local animal shelters.

Paying it forward is a great way to make an impact on others and the local community.

The full story can be found at CNN.com.