PRESS RELEASE
The Armenia Fund
Governmental Buiding 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Hasmik Grigoryan
Tel: +(3741) 56 01 06 ext. 105
Fax: +(3741) 52 15 05
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
18 March, 2008
The Armenia Fund Ororots Project Continues Support to Tavush Marz
Yerevan, March 18, 2008 – On March 13, within the Armenia Fund Ororots
Project, packages containing first necessity items were distributed to
socially vulnerable families with up to one-year-old children in Ijevan,
Noyemberyan and Berd communities of Tavush marz. The project is carried out
jointly with the Coordinating Board of Women NGOs.
The presenting ceremonies were organized in the administrative center of
Tavush marz and in the municipalities of Noyemberyan and Berd.
Beneficiaries – young parents, grandparents, sisters and brothers of the
newborns arrived at the centers on buses allocated by the community
administration. The included items – clothes and shoes, as well as care
accessories – were welcomed gifts for young parents. Their tired faces
looked very pleased on receiving the packages.
These families live in dire need – many are single mothers, refugees or have
no homes. Saroyan Amalia with her oldest grandson had arrived from the
Aigehovit village to receive the fifth package for her 27 year-old daughter’s
fifth son: "Every child receives something from the packages we are
given," – she said in an emotional tone. Father of three daughters Sevak
Pirumyan from the Achajur village was receiving packages for his twin
daughters. "I have no job, we depend on our land," he said. Ashkhen, mother
of three, lives on monthly benefits. Five-year-old Mariam who had come to
get a package for her sister went through the package and "convinced" that
the content is as bright and nice as the bag itself, gave out an unexpected
"God bless you".
The organizers – Ms. Jemma Hasratyan, Chairperson of the Coordinating Board
of Women NGOs, members of the Board Ms. Anahit Harutyunyan, Ms. Gayane
Armaghyan and Ms. Hasmik Aslanyan who have been committed to the project on
a voluntary basis were present at the event. Ms. Aida Khachikyan represents
the Armenia Fund in the Board.
Ms. Hasratyan said that special attention was paid to disallow inaccuracies
on the list of the beneficiaries, so that the most vulnerable families were
included. "We must do our best to support and encourage young families to
have children. We all need care and attention and so do young parents," she
added.
During these years the project was a great moral and material support for
young families in the bordering villages. People do appreciate the attention
they receive. It is very important for young families to know that they are
not left alone with their problems. To some extent, this project solves
integration of these families into the society," said Armen Ghularyan,
Governor of Tavush Marz, "We should do our best in the future to increase
involvement of communities in this truly helpful project," the Governor
said.
Most of the funding of the project has been thanks to the generous donations
of Diasporans from Brazil, New York, Toronto (Canada) and Cyprus through
their local Armenia Fund affiliates. Benefactors from Armenia also
participated in financing the project.
The project was launched in 2003. Socially vulnerable families from Sisian,
Goris, Kapan and Meghri of Syunik marz became the first beneficiaries.
Starting from 2004, the project has been targeting underprivileged families
in Tavush. In 2006 190 children from Dilijan, Ijevan, Noyemberyan and Berd
received packages. In the years of 2007-2008 another 234 children from these
areas benefited from the Ororots project.
The data on families in need is collected through the Nork
Information-analytical Centre under the Ministry of Labor and Social
Security. The choice of the area of project implementation is based and
priority is given to areas most affected by war, border villages and towns
with low birth rate.
"In these challenging days for Armenia we prioritize the sustainability of
border villages, which greatly depends on the living conditions of local
inhabitants and the belief young families have for the future," said the
Armenia Fund Executive Director Vahe Aghabegians.