Habitat for Humanity Armenia
Cholakyan street, No. 38, Yerevan 0037
Tel: (+ 374 10) 24 60 23
Email: [email protected]
Gohar Palyan
Building on Faith project manager
Habitat for Humanity Armenia
His Holiness Karekin II Work Project April special builds in Khor Virap
YEREVAN, Armenia, (April 16)- Many hands make the load lighter and
volunteers lightened the load and spirits of one family in the village
of Khor Virap on Friday, April 13, when they joined with Habitat for
Humanity Armenia in the second annual "His Holiness Karekin II Work
Project." Nearly 40 volunteers from the Armenian Apostolic Church, as
well as people representing Armenian and United States organizations
participated.
10 employees of "Ameria" consulting company spent the working day in the
building site. Investment in the community is an expression of corporate
social responsibility for the company. "We encourage the private sector
to involve more actively in the community development process in
Armenia. Financial assistance and volunteering are the milestones of our
company’s philosophy. Moreover, participating in the Habitat project as
volunteers is also an opportunity for Ameria staff to have an individual
input in the well-being of Armenian families." said Ara Hayrapetyan,
Financial Director of "Ameria" CJSC.
"This is a way to touch somebody personally," said Gregory Avedissian.
He and his son, Alex, 17, are from the city of Alpharetta, near to
Atlanta, U.S. state of Georgia. It was the first time in Armenia for
the Avedissians.
We’re contributing our sweat equity to someone directly and we’re doing
it together. It’s been a great experience," Avedissian said. "What
better way to experience and connect with Armenia than through the local
people," said the younger Avedissian "After all, it’s all about the
people."
That’s exactly what His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of all
Armenians, and Habitat for Humanity Armenia want to see happen this
construction season. About 40,000 families across Armenia lack permanent
shelter. His Holiness has called on the all the Dioceses of the Armenian
Apostolic Church to support Habitat for Humanity Armenia in assisting 37
families to help lift them out of poverty housing. Their homes are
remnants of the economic collapse Armenia experienced in the early 1990s
in the wake of a devastating earthquake, a war and the collapse of the
Soviet Union. The 37 homes represent the 36 dioceses of the church
worldwide, as well as the Holy See of Mother Etchmiadzin in Armenia.
Taleen Ghazarian knew about Habitat for Humanity’s work near her
Waltham home in the state of Massachusetts. Then during her first visit
to Armenia two years ago, she toured a home built through Habitat for
Humanity and was impressed. It convinced her that a second trip to her
fatherland had to include more than just tours.
"I decided that was too distant for me and that I wanted to come back in
a grassroots fashion. It’s important for me to directly help people in
this country help themselves, and Habitat for Humanity fosters that kind
of thinking," she explained.
Others joining the homeowners in the Friday efforts that completed the
home’s concrete floors were Nani Oskanyan, president of the Diplomatic
Spouse Association; Lilit Asatryan, president of the Armenian Young
Women Association; other members of both organizations; the Right
Reverend Archbishop Vicken Aykazian who is a member of the board of
directors of Habitat for Humanity International; monks from the Armenian
Apostolic Church, employees of "Ameria" consulting company which is
also one of the His Holiness Karekin II Work Project local donors, Khor
Virap Village Mayor Norayr Voskanyan, Habitat partner families and their
neighbors.
During four days of special building events of the project opening, more
than 100 volunteers joined, sharing the happiness of the Misakyan and
Haroyan families to moving their construction work towards completion.
With the will of God, the homes will be completed by August dedication
by the end of the August month. This can be done only by the help of
more people in terms of donations and helping hands.
The largest local corporate donor to date in this year’s initiative by
the Catholicos is K-Telecom CJSC, which operates VivaCell in Armenia.
About Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is a nondenominational Christian charity dedicated
to eliminating poverty housing. It has built more than 200,000 houses;
more than one million people are living in Habitat homes they helped
build and own through low-cost, no-profit mortgages. We have positively
affected lives in nearly 100 countries around the globe.
For more information about Habitat for Humanity in Armenia, please
visit: