Fuller Center for Housing Armenia
Contact: Haykuhi Khachatryan
Yerevan 0033, Baghramyan str. 3rd lane, house 10a
Tel: (+374 10) 271 499
17 FamiliesRegain Their Happiness After More Than 20 Years In
Temporary Shelters
May 15 the Catholicos of All Armenians His Holiness Karekin II, RA
Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan, as well as the president of
ARDA charitable foundation American Armenian philanthropist Mr. Steve
Lazarian with his family and other honorable guests participated in
the official ceremony of dedication of 17 houses in Taron 3rd district
of Vanadzor, built in the framework of cooperation between ARDA
charitable foundation, Vanadzor city municipality and Fuller Center
for Housing Armenia for families living in `domik’ district.
In June 2009 thanks to the trilateral partnership 16 families shifted
from metal containers to ecologically safe houses from Styrofoam
blocks. This year that number increased with more 17 happy families.
The idea of eliminating homelessness brought together ARDA foundation,
the Municipality of Vanadzor and Fuller Center for Housing Armenia. As
the result of this partnership the 33 families (almost 70 people) of
145 from Vanadzor metal containers’ district have already new built
homes.
The idea of this joint project belongs to the president of ARDA
foundation Steve Lazarian, who sees his mission and goal in supporting
families, who were forced to be homeless even before the earthquake of
1988 and since then, are living in metal containers without any
facilities. `I want this project to eradicate metal containers from
all the communities of Armenia. And I want all the Armenian families
could have simple and decent conditions where to raise their
children.’ said Mr. Lazarian.
Almost a year these families were working hard to build their own
homes for their children could move to the new homes as soon as
possible. `It is hard to believe that we are going to live under a
safe roof at last, we will have separate bedrooms and living room,
kitchen, bathroom….all this we use to see in the films only…so many
years of a life full of deprivations that sometimes I can’t believe
that it’s over’- said Marine Sarukhanyan one of the homeowners.
Many guests shared the happiness with the families who were waiting
for their home already more than 20 years, wishing that no more
disasters take the childhood of our children, the joy of our youth and
the peace of our elders.
Project description:
ARDA invested 50% and provided innovative technology and expertise;
Municipality of Vanadzor invested 35%, donated land, installed
infrastructure and landscaped the area;
Fuller Center for Housing Armenia invested 15% and provided volunteers
for construction of the houses.
Technology:
The homes are built using new for Armenia technology of polystyrene
foam block, which makes possible to complete construction in a month.
Such homes are ecologically clean, reasonably priced and, earthquake
resistant.
Armenian Relief and Development Association (ARDA), established in
1999 by the Armenian Gospel Mission to deliver humanitarian programs
to poor families, at
Vanadzor municipality involved in many home improvement projects in
cooperation with many organizations, at
The Fuller Center for Housing Armenia, 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, at
From: Baghdasarian