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The Paros Foundation underwrites all administrative and overhead costs allowing 100% of all donor contributions to go directly towards projects and supported organizations.

Donations to The Paros Foundation Projects for Prosperity are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. To sponsor a project through The Paros Foundation, a 501 (c) 3 organization (Tax ID 20-5094630), or learn more about specific projects in need of funding, please contact us using the information below.

Contacts

2217 5th Street

Berkeley CA 94710

info@parosfoundation.org

(310) 400 9061

Artisan Outreach and Business Training Seminars

Description

This project builds on the Sevan Youth Club’s current involvement with Homeland Handicrafts and addresses the need to recruit more artisans and offer them better education and information.

The Sevan Youth Club will hold three types of seminars: Recruiting, product themes and business seminars.

Recruiting seminars: Three times a year, the Sevan Youth Club will hold recruitment and training seminars for new
artisans. These artisans will be taught the Homeland Handicrafts product-creation methodology and basic business model.

Product theme seminars: Seminars discussing product designs and themes will be held 6 weeks before each Homeland Handicrafts holiday bazaar to coordinate products and establish a strategy used by Sevan Youth Club artisans. Approximately five holiday bazaars will be held in the year.

Business seminars: Sevan Youth Club artisans will be invited to attend 3-4 seminars each year, teaching basic
business, marketing and accounting techniques. The timing of these seminars will be determined by timing of other seminars and artisan availability. Seminar topics will be determined by the immediate needs of the artisans.

This project will address two important issues in the Sevan community:

Alleviating unemployment:
Artisan recruitment targets those who are most in need of changing their financial situation. The recruitment seminars will be held in Sevan, specifically for Sevan-area artisans, giving them opportunities for employment.

Improving wages:
Empowering local artisans through education and trainings gives artisans the knowledge and avenues to be self-sufficient entrepreneurs, helping them to escape the shackles of low-wage labor markets and exploitation.

Region

Gegharkunik

City / Village

Sevan

Start Date

2011

End Date

2012

Thank you to all our donors, we have met our fundraising goal.

The Need
Sevan Youth Club NGO is in need of recruiting and training local artisans for projects in connection with Homeland Handicrafts to promote employment and financial livelihood among Sevan residents. While the exact unemployment rate is unknown, it is very clear that a lack of work affects a large portion of Sevan residents. In every apartment complex, dozens of families rely on remittance payments from abroad, meager government assistance and finding odd jobs around Sevan just to scrape by. Many of these people have artisan skills in which they could use to be financially independent but do not have an avenue to become self-sufficient entrepreneurs.
Short Term Impact

An estimated 6 to 16 artisans will be recruited within one year. – All artisans will be trained in the Homeland Handicrafts product-creation methodology and basic business model. – Up to 20 artisans will be given additional business training. – Sevan Youth Club business and marketing practices will improve as the artisans’ strategies and product themes become unified before each holiday bazaar.

Long Term Impact
Alleviating poverty for several families – All artisans will have business experience and skills to utilize beyond the project’ s duration – More artisans can be assisted as the NGO’ s abilities and capacity grow – Sevan Youth Club will be a stronger NGO and capable of meeting more community needs, beyond just those of the artisans
Sponsors Benefits
Your donation to the Sevan Youth’s Club will be recognized with a plate on both the computer and projector, your name listed as a sponsor on the Paros Foundation website and in appropriate press related to this important project including at all Artisan Seminars. The Paros Foundation stands ready to help you arrange a visit to the Sevan Youth Club when you are in Armenia.
Anonymous User
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Mr. Roger Strauch

Berkeley, CA December 1, 2011

Updates: Images & Information

May 10, 2012

Letter of gratitude received by the peace corps volunteer stationed at the Sevan Youth Club NGO: Hi Pete, The laptop....is working great. I'll be able to put a few programs on it this week...and when it's ready, I'll surprise my NGO with it. I'll try and cat it on video again so you can see it, too. This week we just finished up our Green Camp in Sevan. It's an environmental leadership camp for teenagers. We were able to use the projector to show the kids some great environmental documentaries. It worked out great and we're talking about having movie night with the NGO to show the rest of the documentaries for the community. Thanks again! This is really so helpful for Sevan Youth Club! Hayley

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