PRESS RELEASE
Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR)
Press Office
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 889-5150; Fax: (212) 889-4849
email: press@farusa.org
web:
Delivering the hope of Christmas
THANKS TO THE FAR FAMILY, WE ARE IMPROVING THE LIVES OF ARMENIA’S
AT-RISK CHILDREN
Christmas is a time for family, for giving, and for remembering the
power of love. It is a time to remember the good news of life, and to
reflect on the opportunities ahead.
For Armenia’s most at-risk children, the Christmas tale of magic is a
reminder of the value of gifts from afar; a reminder that even today
thousands of individuals far away are moved by love to help the less
fortunate in Armenia through the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR).
Below are just three of the many stories of young Armenians who are
celebrating this Christmas with a renewed sense of hope and love
thanks to the ever expanding FAR family.
GOD-GIVEN TALENT
Born in 1984 in the town of Charentsavan, Alexander Nefedov never knew
his parents and he lived at the Gavar Orphanage until he was 17.
Through a visit to the orphanage by a group of artists, Alexander
almost accidentally found his God-given talent as an artist and began
drawing and painting. Inspired by the stories of the Bible, he began
to hone his skills at crafting delicate depictions of Christ.
When he left the orphanage, Alexander wanted to attend the Yerevan
State Academy of Fine Arts, but tuition is almost impossibly expensive
for an orphan. That is when FAR stepped in, helping provide financial
aid to Alexander through its Gulamerian Vocational Training &
Education Program, designed to help orphans get the education they
need to make the transition from institutional living to independence.
With FAR’s help, Alexander graduated and his career has blossomed.
His depiction of Biblical themes has been exhibited around the region
and in April 2008 his work was featured in an exhibit in Yerevan
titled "Awakening of Belief."
Through his success, Alexander is now able to buy a small home in the
village of Nerkin Khatunarkh in Etchmiadzin Province. He is sharing
his gift by teaching art to children there. "Without FAR support I
would never become an artist," said Alexander.
CONNECTING TO LOVE
Ani was 12 years old as her father abandoned her and told the
authorities "do whatever you like with her." She was brought to the
FAR Homeless Children Center in Yerevan. Understandably, she recoiled
from the center’s professional staff and refused to play with the
other children. Slowly, and with great care and patience, FAR’s
dedicated team of educators worked to build trust and love with Ani.
She eventually began expressing her feelings and later shared her life
story. She told them of her mother dying when she was 5, and being
raised by her loving grandparents before her father returned and took
custody of her.
Since Ani did not know her grandparents’ full names or their address,
it seemed there was little hope she would see them again. But the
dedicated team of the Children Center spent more than three months
tracking them down.
Today, thanks to the unending devotion of FAR’s professional staff,
Ani has been reunited with her grandparents, who are raising her in
the loving environment every child deserves. She is finally going to
have the joyful Christmas every child dreams of.
A NEW LIFE
FAR has been working with the government in Armenia to develop a
modern, family-centered foster care system to help keep children out
of institutional orphanages when possible. FAR does not only place
the children but provides an ongoing monitoring service to
continuously secure the welfare of the foster kids.
Siblings Kostas and Nadya Lazaridis were abandoned by their parents
and raised by their grandparents, before the elderly couple became too
sick to care for them.
That is how they found their way to FAR’s Homeless Children’s Center
in 2006.
FAR’s team met with the grandparents and together decided that a
foster family could offer the hope of a new life for the two children.
Kostas and Nadya are now living with their foster parents who already
had an adopted 10-year-old son. The children found a new world with
caring and loving family. Kostas has taken up football while the Nadya
is working on perfecting her sewing. The new family is also busy with
and carpet making. The children are already a great help to their
family. Nadya is very attached to the youngest brother; their biggest
joy is to perform funny theatrical skits for the rest of their family.
These young Armenians have hope this Christmas because of the caring
members who have made FAR one of the preeminent humanitarian agencies
working in Armenia. For 20 years, Armenian-Americans have invested in
the people of Armenia by choosing to support the work of FAR.
"We’re heartened to see such prime examples of success as these three
stories," said FAR Chairman Randy Sapah-Gulian. "Imagine all the
future possibilities these children have thanks to FAR and the
programs supported by our donors. It truly is life changing."
# # #
About FAR
Since its founding in response to the 1988 earthquake, FAR has served
hundreds of thousands of people through more than 220 relief and
development programs in Armenia and Karabagh. It has channeled more
than $265 million in humanitarian assistance by implementing a wide
range of projects including emergency relief, construction, education,
medical aid, and economic development.
For more information on FAR or to send donations, contact us at 630
Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016; telephone (212) 889-5150; fax (212)
889-4849; ; e-mail press@farusa.org.
Downloadable Photographs [ oZtoPmLpKa5jOCU4dfKygMnw9MOGUfmXlsjM1jrw1FIt6SKf7t VtyQ5Tqwd9V2IlLWmYRmLUcmi9LMGw-UYQEm1tj1CeOqE4dcUJ 5f7r32S-DQUV1e2QLLNjncqLHrGWRBlGVmmFRho21BmXqa5Ade TuxjBeM57agWLjsosDih]
Painting by Aleksander Nefedov [ oZtoPmLpKa5jOCU4dfKygMnw9MOGUfmXlsjM1jrw1FIt6SKf7t VtyQ5Tqwd9V2IlLWmYRmLUcmi9LMGw-UYQEm1tj1CeOqE4dcUJ 5f7r32S-DQUV1e2QLLNjncqLHrGWRBlGVmmFRho21BmXqa5Ade TuxjBeM57agWLjsosDih]
Painting by Aleksander Nefedov [ oZtoPmLpKa5jOCU4dfKygMnw9MOGUfmXlsjM1jrw1FIt6SKf7t VtyQ5Tqwd9V2IlLWmYRmLUcmi9LMGw-UYQEm1tj1CeOqE4dcUJ 5f7r32S-DQUV1e2QLLNjncqLHrGWRBlGVmmFRho21BmXqa5Ade TuxjBeM57agWLjsosDih]
Painting by Aleksander Nefedov [ oZtoPmLpKa5jOCU4dfKygMnw9MOGUfmXlsjM1jrw1FIt6SKf7t VtyQ5Tqwd9V2IlLWmYRmLUcmi9LMGw-UYQEm1tj1CeOqE4dcUJ 5f7r32S-DQUV1e2QLLNjncqLHrGWRBlGVmmFRho21BmXqa5Ade TuxjBeM57agWLjsosDih]
Painting by Aleksander Nefedov [ oZtoPmLpKa5jOCU4dfKygMnw9MOGUfmXlsjM1jrw1FIt6SKf7t VtyQ5Tqwd9V2IlLWmYRmLUcmi9LMGw-UYQEm1tj1CeOqE4dcUJ 5f7r32S-DQUV1e2QLLNjncqLHrGWRBlGVmmFRho21BmXqa5Ade TuxjBeM57agWLjsosDih]
— December 15th, 2008
Fund for Armenian Relief | 630 Second Avenue | New York | NY | 10016
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress