IN THIS ISSUE:
*** NGO INVOLVEMENT IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ISSUES
*** LAND AND CULTURE NGOs’ 2004 SUMMER ACTIVITIES
*** ARMENIAN NGO SECTOR ASSESSMENT
*** NEW PUBLICATION: DEMOCRATIZATION OF ARMENIAN SOCIETY
*** INTEGRATION OF DEAF CHILDREN
*** SUPPORTING VULNERABLE GROUPS OF THE COMMUNITY
*** NEW DRAFT LAW ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY DEVELOPED
*** NGO INVOLVEMENT IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ISSUES
On September 29, the Armenian Assembly of America’s NGO Training and
Resource Center hosted its regular Thematic NGO/Media encounter. Similar
events, initiated by the AAA NGOC, are aimed at introducing and discussing
problems of vulnerable groups to the public-at-large, NGO activities
directed at solving those problems, and obstacles encountered. This
particular event, devoted to the involvement of NGOs in community
development issues, was the sixth among a series of Thematic NGO/Media
encounters. The goal was to direct public attention to NGO activities
carried out in communities throughout Armenia. During the discussions,
representatives of the Support to Communities, Armenian Committee of
Helsinki Citizens Assembly, All Armenian Women’s Union and Community Support
Center NGOs made presentations on Health Issues in Communities. Poverty
Reduction, Working Together – Building Community Connections, Women
Participation in Water Resources Management and Pilot Community Projects in
Charentsavan projects, respectively. Community development NGOs and
representatives of media, foundations, international organizations and state
structures attended the roundtable.
Contact: Anahit Lazarian
AAA NGO Center
39 Y. Koghbatsi St.
Tel.: (374-1) 54-40-12, 54-40-13
E-mail: anahit@ngoc.am
*** LAND AND CULTURE NGOs’ 2004 SUMMER ACTIVITIES
Following its mission of restoring and preserving Armenian historical
monuments, this year, the Land and Culture NGO united more than 80
volunteers from Armenia, Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, France, Georgia,
India, Iran, Lebanon and the USA. Program activities took place in the
village of Shatvan, on the shore of Lake Sevan (Armenia), in Shushi (Nagorno
Karabakh) and the Armenian village of Kessab (Syria.) In July and August,
volunteers renovated the Shatvan community school, which had been left
neglected. The roof and windows were replaced and the foundation was
reinforced. As a result, on September 1, the school welcomed 126 students of
Shatvan. Volunteers renovated the surgical department of Shushi hospital:
they painted the walls, covered the floor with new ceramic tiles and
renovated the doors and windows. In Kessab, volunteers helped restore old
Armenian houses to encourage Armenian families to remain on their ancestral
land.
Contact: Gevorg Yaghjyan
Land and Culture Organization
5 Vardanants St.
Tel.: (374-1) 52-91-71
E-mail: gevorg@landandculture.org
Website:
*** ARMENIAN NGO SECTOR ASSESSMENT
On September 7, the World Learning NGO Strengthening Program released the
results of its Armenian NGO Sector Assessment (2004), illustrating changes
since and comparing with 2001 data. The survey included 347 NGOs in the
republic and 61 experts from Yerevan and six regions. Progress is displayed
with reference to the formal organizational development dimension: formerly
1%, the number of advanced NGOs now is 10%; intermediate-level NGOs jumped
from 22% to 49%. Compared with 2001, considerable changes are noted
regarding organizational effectiveness, protection of interests,
co-operation, trust and financial viability dimensions. The report also
contains conclusions and suggestions aimed at eliminating obstacles
hindering further advancement of NGOs. Representatives of NGOs working
throughout Armenia, international organizations operating in the country and
mass media, as well as Members of Parliament, state officials, academia and
business people were invited to the presentation.
Contact: World Learning for International Development NGO Strengthening
Program, Armenia
Tel: (374-1) 54-35-76, 52-08-51, 58-26-20
E-mail: office@worldlearning.am
Website:
*** NEW PUBLICATION: DEMOCRATIZATION OF ARMENIAN SOCIETY
The Association of Women with University Education NGO has published
Democratization of the Armenian Society: Realities and Tendencies
collection, the presentation of which was held on September 9. Leaders of
the Association, other NGOs and political parties, representatives of
scientific institutions, international organizations and media, ROA National
Assembly deputies, and state authority system officials attended the
presentation. In the collection, the NGO’s Democracy and Peace Center
experts present research carried out in the republic at the end of 2003 and
early 2004. The authors discuss issues of civic and political rights,
legitimacy of basic democratic institutions and trust towards them in
conditions of social transition, dynamics of gender relations, economic
bases of democratic changes, obstacles in the democratization processes of
the Armenian society in post-election period. The publication is intended
for NGOs, political parties, state structures and local self-governing
bodies, as well as for all those interested in the democratization process
of Armenian society.
Contact: Jemma Hasratyan
Association of Women with University Education NGO
Tel.: (374-1) 58-15-83
E-mail: aawue@arminco.com; aawue@freenet.am
*** INTEGRATION OF DEAF CHILDREN
On September 7, the Public Organization of Hard Hearing Children’s Mothers
Havat convened a roundtable with the participation of interested NGOs, state
structures, international organizations and mass media to present its
Creating An Integration Center For Deaf Children project. In the center,
deaf-and-dumb pedagogues worked on developing the oral speech of 24
pre-school aged children. Rhythm classes, accompanied by music, were
conducted. As a result, five children were able to begin attending secondary
school and two were able to go on to a special school in this new school
year. Twelve hard of hearing children attending secondary school, have
completed computer classes in the center and will have the opportunity to
advance their knowledge in the academic system. Within the framework of the
project, speech therapists from various regions of Armenia underwent
vocational training and will work as deaf-and-dumb pedagogues on sites. As
stated by the Project Coordinator S. Zhamkochyan, “Ensuring relevant
assistance in response to the needs of deaf children is one of the
achievements of the center, that raised their education on a qualitatively
new level.” The project was implemented with funding support received from
the Eurasia Foundation Armenia office.
Contact: Tamara Manukyan
Public Organization of Hard Hearing Children’s Mothers Havat
17 Shirvanzade St.
Tel.: (374-1) 23-19-53; 25-78-26
E-mail: surdoam@yahoo.com; manoukyan@netsys.am
Website:
*** SUPPORTING VULNERABLE GROUPS OF THE COMMUNITY
The Gyumri based Ozone Young Men’s Christian Association NGO’s Supporting
The Community project is currently underway. The project is aimed at raising
the quality of life of families living in Yerevanian Highway district and
Voghji village. Leisure time of lonely aged refugees is filled with various
events. Five days a week they are provided with quality food. Computer and
Armenian language classes are also organized for refugees aged 25-50.
Another group of project beneficiaries are children of vulnerable and
refugee families. Project staff helps them prepare homework, organizes games
and cultural events, and provides foods rich with vitamins. As stated by the
Project Coordinator, “The activity ensures considerable assistance to the
refugee and vulnerable families in Yerevanian Khchughi district and Voghji
village both from social and educational perspectives.” The Voghji Mayority
and the Gyumri Municipality are the NGO’s partners within the framework of
the project. The latter is implemented within the framework of the AAA NGO
Center’s Social Partnership Grants Program to Meet the Needs of the Needy.
Contact: Martin Petrossyan
Ozone Young Men’s Christian Association NGO
Gyumri, 11 Paruir Sevak St.
Tel.: (374-41) 3-29-94
E-mail: ymcaoz@gyumri.am; ozone@ymca.am
*** NEW DRAFT LAW ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY DEVELOPED
On September 30, Armenia’s draft law on Environmental Expertise was
unveiled. This was developed by the Center for Regional
Development/Transparency International Armenia within the framework of the
Developing Legislation on Environmental Impact Assessment project, funded by
government of Great Britain. Representatives of the ROA Ministry of
Environment, other ministries and NGOs participated in the development of
the draft law. Several open discussions among interested parties were held
and their opinions considered in creating the documents.
Contact: Sona Ayvazyan
Center for Regional Development/Transparency International Armenia
Tel.: (374-1) 58-55-78; 52-69-14
E-mail: sona@transparency.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
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Center is not responsible for the clarity of information provided by
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Contact Information:
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NGO Training and Resource Center
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E-mail: ngoc@ngoc.am
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NGO Training and Resource Center
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Washington, DC 20001 USA
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