Fuller Center for Housing Armenia
Contact: Gohar Palyan, Manager of Programs
Yerevan 0033, Baghramyan str. 3rd lane, house 10a
Tel: (+374 10) 271 499
Email: fcarmenia@fullercenterarmenia.org,
Web:

Despite the economic situation volunteers from USA still visit Armenia
to build homes with families in need

3 July, 2009, Yerevan – The first Global Builders team in 2009 with
Diaspora Armenians from New Jersey works in Haytagh village of Armavir
region to build with the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia beneficiary
family of Arshakyans.

Arshakyan family has 2 teenage children who don’t know what it feels like to
have their own house. The half-built construction that the family owns was
started 10 years before and is still incomplete. "It is hard to complete a
construction of a home and at the same time feed and clothe a growing
family", said Ashot, the father of the family. Now the children, son
Gevorg, 17, and daughter Arpine, 15, are building their house with the team
members, where some of them are around their age. The Fuller Center for
Housing construction manager supervises and monitors the construction work.

One of team members, Nelly visited Armenia first time after 20 years of
living in USA. Originally from Armenia, she has a special reason to be back:
to bring her 17 years old daughter for the first time. Just after the first
day in Armenia Nelly and Gabriella are looking forward to be back next year.

The team has a great mixture of first team comers and experienced members.
All of them visit their homeland to help the families build their homes. But
there is more in it than just the construction. It is the moral support for
the families, making more friends and bridges.

As the team leader Suzanne Daghlian mentioned, "My family grows every time I
visit Armenia". She was back for the 3rd time, so was her team member Minas.
Our veteran builder, young teacher Lori has been coming since 2002 every
single year. While Fenerjian sisters are here for the first time, they
already feel as if they belong in here. "The blood is calling", our
ancestors would say.

While the Fuller Center for Housing provides long term, interest and
zero-interest loans to families to complete or renovate their homes, local
and international volunteering helps avoid from paying for labor. In future
these people return again as volunteers, or become donors and ambassadors.

This year the organization aims to support 100 families. The need is far
more immense than this aim. Though we cannot help everyone at the same time,
we can make a difference by serving one family at a time.

Fuller Center for Housing Armenia will host 3 more Global Builders teams
this summer and fall.

The Fuller Center for Housing Armenia is working to eliminate poverty
housing by providing long term, interest free loans and by assisting with
the volunteer work helping low-income families to build simple, sustainable,
affordable houses and renovate their houses. For more information, please
visit

For more details, please contact to Gohar Palyan Fuller Center for
Housing Armenia by phone (37410 271499) or visit our website

Fuller Center for Housing Armenia assists low- income families to build or
renovate safe, simple, comfortable homes,by offering them long-term,
interest free loans, Their monthly repayments flow into the Revolving Fund
and are used to help more families, thereby providing the financial
foundation for a sustainable community development effort.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress