ARDA FOUNDATION PLANS TO OPEN FOAM PLASTIC BLOCK MANUFACTURING PLANT IN ARMENIA

NOYAN TAPAN
OCTOBER 22, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The ARDA
Foundation was establsihed in 1999 in Pasadena, California. It has
carried out various charitable projects in Armenia and has more than
2,000 donors. Its Founder and Chairman Stephen Lazarian told Hayern
Aysor’s correspondent that the Armenian Gospel Mission organization
is a major donor of their Foundation. In his words, ARDA launches
fund-raising activities by presenting some charitable programs to
its donors for consideration.

S. Lazarian said ARDA is a legal successor to another foundation
that he set up as long ago as 1991. He began realizing the idea of
establishing a fund to assist Armenia after he visited the Homeland
and saw the consequences of the earthquake, the war, and the fall
of the USSR. The first charitable program of S. Lazarian was the
creation of an orphanage for 23 children, followed by the provision
of assistance to kindergartens, which has been continuing until now.

During the meeting of RA Minister of Diaspora Ms. Hranush Hakobian,
ARDA Program Director Hrach Hakobian and ARDA Foundation’s CEO Hrahat
Stepanian, H. Stepanian said ARDA sponsors 15 kindergartens with a
total of 2.5 thousand children in Yerevan, Vanadzor, as well as in
Shirak and Ararat Marzes. Low-income families whose children attend
these kindergartens also receive aid from ARDA.

In the words of H. Stepanian, ARDA built a Healthcare and Assistance
Center in Gyumri and has been running it for 5 years. The Foundation
will complete the construction of a training center in Zeytun
administrative district of Yerevan in November 2009. The center will
prepare (free of charge) specialists for professions currently in
demand in the market. It is expected that within the framework of
the center’s activities, its graduates will receive money in order
to start a business. Besides, two years ago the Foundation repaired a
kindergarten in the indicated administrative district, thanks to which
132 children now attend the kindergarten – as compared to the previous
number of 32 kindergarteners. The Foundation cooperates with the RA
Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. As part of its social programs
in Armenia, ARDA provides aid to another 100 low-income families,
helps them with food, clothes, and municipal payments.

H. Stepanian said that in June this year, 16 families who lived in
temporary small houses in Vanadzor moved to the foam plastic block
houses built under the joint project of the ARDA Foundation, Vanadzor
Municipality and Habitat Organization. The construction of one square
meter of such a house, including decoration and conveniencies, takes
a month and costs 0. These houses are earthquake-proof, heat-resistant
and noninflammable. The Foundation supplied these families with kitchen
furniture and gas appliances as well. It is envisaged building more
than 100 such houses in Vanadzor.

The CEO of ARDA explained that foam blocks are imported from Iran,
and now ARDA plans to organize their production in Armenia with the
aim of implementing large-scale foam block house construction projects.

Investments in the purchase and import of equipment alone will
amount to 500 thousand dollars. The Minister of Diaspora informed
those present that another company also has plans regarding foam
block house construction in Armenia. During the meeting, she ensured
communication between ARDA and the head of that company so that they
could discuss the opportunities of their cooperation.