IN THIS ISSUE:
*** HEALTHY LIFESTYLE IN NGO PROGRAMS
*** YEREVAN ECOLOGICAL PUBLIC ALLIANCE AGAINST ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF GREEN
ZONES
*** SEXUAL EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS
*** FOR INTEGRATION OF BOARDING HOUSE CHILDREN INTO THE SOCIETY
*** SECOND EDITION OF CAUCASUS ENVIRONMENTAL NGOs DIRECTORY IS PUBLISHED
*** ARMENIAN NGO SUCCESS STORIES
*** NGOs SIGNED AN AGREEMENT
*** THE PROCESSION-MARATHON OF WHEELCHAIR DISABLED
*** GRANTS PROGRAM CARRIED OUT IN SECURITY AND PRIMARY HEALTH CARE
*** HEALTHY LIFESTYLE IN NGO PROGRAMS
On May 26, the Armenian Assembly of America’s NGO Training and Resource
Center hosted its regular Thematic NGO/Media devoted to Healthy Lifestyle.
The goal of similar encounters, initiated by the AAA NGOC, is to introduce
the problems of vulnerable groups to the public-at-large, NGOs activities
directed at solving those problems, and obstacles encountered. Healthcare
NGOs and representatives of media, international organizations and state
structures participated. Mary Khachikyan of the For Family and Health
Armenian Association NGO, Narek Zeinalyan of the Adam Youth Health NGO and
Karine Manukyan of the Women for Green Ways for Generations NGO made
presentations on Sexual Culture, Smoking Hazards and Prevention, and Food
Safety and Nutrition Culture, respectively. The spokespersons presented
their activities, shared success stories, disseminated samples of their
publications, and answered questions. They also emphasized critical problems
in their field and made significant suggestions for their solution.
Contact:
Mary Khachikyan of the For Family and Health” Armenian Association NGO
E-mail: armfha@netsys.am
Narek Zeinalyan of the Adam Youth Health NGO
E-mail: zeinalian_narek@yahoo.com
Karine Manoukyan of the Women for Green Ways for Generations NGO
E-mail: wgwg@wgwg.am
*** YEREVAN ECOLOGICAL PUBLIC ALLIANCE AGAINST ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF GREEN
ZONES
On May 22, members of the Yerevan Ecological Public Alliance, (uniting 37
NGOs), together with human rights and youth organizations and the local
population organized a picket against destroying a territory known as “Mkoyi
Antar.” Located in Yerevan’s Zeytun community, this wooded area has been
recently partially destroyed by construction activities. The construction
has damaged the upper layer of soil and almost 3,000 trees and plants.
Alliance members had contacted, via letter, relevant state structures but
received no response. Through the May 22 picket, they made the issue public
and demanded the illegal construction be stopped, reviewing ROA Government’s
decree regarding provision of the territory and restoring the green zone. In
the event that their demands are not met, the Alliance plans to apply to
juridical bodies.
Contact: Silva Adamyan
Coalition of Green Zones of the Yerevan Ecological Public Alliance
Tel.: (374-1) 28-11-82
E-mail: birdlovers@rambler.ru
Arman Vermishyan
Tel.: (374-1) 25-06-71
E-mail: burg@freenet.am; burg@xter.net
*** SEXUAL EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS
During the 2003-2004 academic school year, with the assistance of Medicins
Sans Frontiers – Belgium and on the initiative of Hope and Help NGO, the
Healthy Lifestyle and Sexual Education pilot extra curricular course was
introduced in seven schools of Noyemberyan region. Initially teachers of
biology underwent training through seminars, and the course was taught to
650 schoolchildren of 8th and 9th grades. On April 29, the Sexual Education
in Schools conference was held in Noyemberyan school #1. School directors,
teachers, representatives of regional government, NGOs and Mass Media
participated. The spokespersons introduced the results and discussed
positive and negative aspects of the activities. Within the conference
working groups, issues of course topics and methodology were discussed.
Contact: Yenok Shatvoryan
Hope and Help NGO
23 Mashtots St., #31
Tel.: (374-1) 53-17-70
E-mail: hopehelp@ngoc.am
Tavush Branch of Hope and Help NGO
13 Noyemberi 29 St.
Tel.: (374-66) 2-24-53
*** FOR INTEGRATION OF BOARDING HOUSE CHILDREN INTO THE SOCIETY
The Future is Yours Charitable, Social NGO’s project, aimed at integrating
boarding house children into society, especially into their peer group, is
currently underway. For this purpose, a series of events were held to
encourage communication among children from various groups. The May 21
event, organized in Yerevan School #5 after Mushegh Ishkhan, was one event
in the series. At this event, 17 children of Zeytun community boarding house
were hosted. They prepared a performance on the occasion of the 135th
anniversary of the Armenian poet and writer Hovhanness Tumanyan. During the
event, Narine Sargsyan, the NGO Chairwoman, emphasized the smooth
integration of boarding house children into regular secondary schools. The
activity is carried out with the assistance of Project Harmony and World
Vision organizations.
Contact: Narine Sargsyan
The Future is Yours Charitable, Social NGO
Tel.: (374-1) 58-23-68
E-mail: ftr_n@mail.ru
*** SECOND EDITION OF CAUCASUS ENVIRONMENTAL NGOs DIRECTORY IS PUBLISHED
The Regional Environmental Center (REC) has published the second edition of
the Environment and NGO Community, Directory of Environmental
Non-Governmental organisations in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, the
presentation of which was held on May 14. The last edition was published in
2002. This new publication, covering 374 environmental NGOs in Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia, provides more accurate, updated and additional
information: contact data, activity areas and directions, implemented
programs, etc. The directory, available in English and Russian, was
published with financial assistance received from the European Union. The
publication will be beneficial not only for NGOs, but also for donors, state
structures, private and academic sector. The electronic version of the
directory will soon be available at The
publication is available from the Armenian Office of the REC Caucasus
Information Point.
Contact: Hovhanness Ghazaryan
REC Caucasus Information Point, Armenia
1 Charents St., 2nd floor
Tel/Fax: (374-1) 57-47-43
E-Mail: hovik.ghazaryan@rec-caucasus.org
Website:
*** ARMENIAN NGO SUCCESS STORIES
On May 6, presentation of the Armenian NGO Success Stories book, initiated
by the World Learning organization, was held. Ten of 66 stories presented
for the competition announced by the World Learning organization have been
announced winners and are included in the book. As stated during the
presentation by Yan Karpovich, World Learning Organization Chief of Party,
“The book is a powerful tool to educate the public on the role and
implemented activities of the NGOs.”
Contact: Yan Karpovich
World Learning Organization
24 Moscovian St., #1
Tel.: (374-1) 52-08-51, 58-26-20
E-mail: office@worldlearning.am
*** NGOs SIGNED AN AGREEMENT
To better represent the public-at-large in the process of policy
implementation and decision-making in the public services regulation field,
on May 31, 11 NGOs signed a cooperation agreement on creating an NGO Council
on Public Participation in the Field of Public Services Regulation. Its
objectives are to promote dialogue and cooperation between state structures
and beneficiaries of civil society constituencies and ensure transparency of
activities of the ROA Public Services Regulatory Commission. Members of the
NGO Council bring valuable experience in the following areas to this
council: consumers rights protection, condominium development, legal
assistance, environmental protection and human rights. The main directions
of the Council activities are legislative improvements, raising public
awareness, legal consultancies, follow up of consumers’ appeals and
suggestions and research. Any NGO, whose mission is consistent with the
Council goal and objectives, can become a member of the Council.
Contact:
Secretariat of the NGO Council on Public Participation in the Field of
Public Services Regulation
Tel.: (374-1) 53-27-25
E-mail: cua@freenet.am
*** THE PROCESSION-MARATHON OF WHEELCHAIR DISABLED
On May 28, the annual procession-marathon of wheelchair disabled of Pyunic
Union of Armenian Disabled began its trek from near Yerevan’s Aram
Khachatryan Concert Hall and continued to Etchmiadzin. The marathon was
devoted to the Armenian Statehood Day. The goal of the marathon was to draw
public attention to the problems of the disabled and their full integration
into society. Disabled people from Yerevan, Gyumri, Spitak, Vanadzor,
Stepanavan, Etchmiadzin, guests from local and international organizations
and Mass Media participated. Marathon participants were greeted by Pyunic
Chairman Hakob Abrahamyan, Chairwoman of the Department of Disabled and
Elderly of the ROA Ministry of Labor and Social Issues Jemma Baghdasaryan
and ROA National Assembly Deputy Artak Arakelyan. The marathon-procession
ended in Holy Etchmiadzin where participants were greeted by priests.
Arminco CJSC was the primary sponsor of the marathon and Antares Media
Holding sponsored the marathon.
Contact: Hakob Abrahamyan
Pyunic Union of Armenian Disabled
16 Tsitsernakaberd St.
Tel.: (374-1) 56-07-07
E-mail: pyunic@arminco.com
Website:
*** GRANTS PROGRAM CARRIED OUT IN SECURITY AND PRIMARY HEALTH CARE
Yerevan Municipality and AAA NGO Training and Resource Center (NGOC)
announce the results of the competition of Grants Program Carried Out in the
Spheres of Social Security and Primary Health Care. The winning NGOs are:
Maternity Fund of Armenia Charitable NGO; Haghartsin Youth Health NGO; Paros
Disabled Center for Development of Education and Culture; and Fund
Shirakatsi Lycee. Within the framework of the program, the activity form and
directions of the NGOs are: supporting lonely invalids, the elderly, and
beggars; providing care for women during the pre-natal period; arts and
crafts training for mothers with many children, lonely mothers and refugees;
personal services for lonely disabled and elderly; preparatory education for
preschool children; advocacy for healthy lifestyle; and basic, first-aid
training for families of the disabled. Beneficiaries of the program are
lonely disabled; mothers with many children; young families; preschool and
schoolchildren; disabled with mobility difficulties; families with disabled.
Projects will be carried out in Yerevan. The grants program is funded by
USAID.
Contact: AAA NGO Center
39 Koghbatsi St.
Tel.: (374-1) 54-40-12; 54-40-13
E-mail: ngoc@ngoc.am
Website:
__________________________________________________________________________
Armenian NGO News in Brief is a publication of the NGO Training and Resource
Center (NGOC) issued in the Armenian, English and Russian languages for
electronic dissemination inside and outside Armenia. Primary funding for
the NGOC, which is a project of the Armenian Assembly of America, is
provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Individual NGOs are welcome to submit information for publication to the
NGOC. The NGO Center is not responsible for the clarity of information
provided by individual NGOs.
Dear Readers,
The not-for-profit, non-governmental sector of Armenia is rich with diverse
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from covering all activities of the sector per any given period of time, is
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Your comments and feedback about this electronic publication are greatly
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Thank you.
NGOC staff.
Contact Information:
In Armenia:
Armenian Assembly of America
NGO Training and Resource Center
39 Yeznik Koghbatsi St., Yerevan 375010
Tel.: (3-741) 54-40-12; 54-40-13; 53-92-04
Fax: (3-741) 54-40-15
E-mail: ngoc@ngoc.am
Website:
In the United States:
Armenian Assembly of America
NGO Training and Resource Center
122 C Street NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001 USA
Tel: (202) 393-3434
Fax: (202) 638-4904
E-mail: ngoc@aaainc.org
Website: