PRESS RELEASE
Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) – Yerevan Office
53-55 Pavstos Buzand Street, 0010
Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Inessa Grigoryan
Tel: (+374 10) 522076; 562068
Fax: (+374 10) 522076
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
Children of Armenia Fund – New York Office
162 Fifth Avenue, Suite 900,
New York, NY 10010, USA
Contact: Erin A. Hagopian
Tel: 212 – 994 – 8234
Fax: 212 – 994 – 8299
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
First Aid and Safe Behavior Trainings Completed in Armavir
The partnership of the Children of Armenia Fund with the Armenian Red
Cross Society
Benefits 152 volunteers
Armavir District, Republic of Armenia, November 5, 2007 ¾ Today, the
Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) in partnership with the Armenian Red
Cross Society (ARCS) awarded certificates of completion of the intensive
course in Promotion of Safe Behavior and Preparedness to Respond to
Emergencies in the communities of the Model Cluster ¾ Argina, Dalarik,
Lernagog, Karakert, Myasnikyan and Shenik.
Attending the event on behalf of COAF partners in this activity were Mr.
Movses Poghosyan, National Coordinator, ARCS First Aid Training
Methodological Center, and Pastor Karl Heinz Scheide of the German Red
Cross. COAF was represented by the Country Director and Dr. Naira
Gharakhanyan, Community Development Program Manager. The event was also
attended by members of the local community. Speaking on behalf of COAF,
Dr. Arpie Balian praised the results and positive impact of this unique
partnership with ARCS emphasizing the sustainability of the project and
the degree to which rural children and communities will benefit from the
skills that the participants have acquired. Similarly, Mr. Poghosyan
encouraged the graduates to use their knowledge and skills in training
the next generation of volunteers.
Launched in June 2007, the first aid and emergency trainings form an
important constituent of COAF’s Participatory Integrated Rural
Development Program and its health component in particular, implemented
in the cluster of six villages of Armavir. On a larger scale, besides
its community health education initiative, COAF’s Health Program also
focuses on the modernization of rural primary healthcare units, local
capacity building, increasing access to health care and upgrading the
quality of services.
The specific objectives of COAF-ARCS project were to a) increase the
level of awareness of the ways to respond correctly to emergencies, b)
conduct first aid and safe behavior trainings for the staff of rural
educational institutions, c) provide the above noted facilities with
first aid kits, literature and educational games. As a result, out of
74 pre-school and school teachers in all six communities, 59 trainees
were qualified as emergency respondents and awarded certificates of
professional course completion.
As part of this project, 28 trainees were also certified as trainers and
will continue to prepare other community volunteers in first aid and
safe behavior. Parallel to the trainings, ARCS also conducted public
seminars throughout the villages of the Model Cluster.
# # #
Founded in 1920, the Armenian Red Cross Society (ARCS) seeks to reduce
vulnerability of the population through mobilization of the power of
humanity. It also prepares people to cope with situations, which may
cause vulnerability and provide essential support to vulnerable people
in harsh socioeconomic conditions. Throughout the country, the
organization has 11 regional and 2 territorial branches, 52 community
branches, one international rehabilitation center and one first aid
training methodological center, which has been COAF’s main counterpart
in implementing the Promotion of Safe Behavior and Preparedness to
Respond to Emergencies project in six communities of Armavir District of
Armenia.