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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.

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Bridging the Digital Divide in Varanda

Description

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, schools around the world have been closing and classes have been moving online. For Varanda, a small Armenian village in the Republic of Artsakh on the Azeri border, this is not an option. The village has limited internet access and lacks the appropriate technology to enable online learning. The village school has resorted to holding classes outside, exposed to the elements, to try to reduce the spread of coronavirus. Varanda School has only two dozen students. Its small size has made instructional modernization challenging. Providing schools like these with the proper technology will not only significantly lower the risk of the virus spreading today, but also connect them to the online learning infrastructure for the future.

Support of this project will help obtain 33 tablets for the Varanda School, enough for 20 students, 9 teachers and four extra, should any break. Training on how to properly use the tablets will be provided by the Ohanyan School in Yerevan, Armenia free of charge. The students and their teachers then will be able to connect with online classes at Ohanyan School and an expanding network of other schools, which will be conducting online classes this coming Fall.

Once enough funding is raised to equip the Varanda School with their tablets, this project will expand to include aid to five more projected border villages, which also lack the needed technology to support online learning. All six schools will eventually join remote classes courtesy of the Ohanyan School in Yerevan.

Region

Republic of Artsakh

City / Village

Varanda

Start Date

July 2020

End Date

May 2021

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

The Need

Technology is urgently needed to enable safe online education for students of the primary school in the village of Varanda in Artsakh. These pupils are currently forced to hold classes outside, in order to reduce the coronavirus risk.

Short Term Impact

The funds raised will be used to acquire 33 tablets to implement online education at the Varanda school.

Long Term Impact

The Varanda school will work in partnership with Ohanyan School in Yerevan, to access online classes remotely. This would help prevent the further spread of the virus and establish a safer learning environment. In addition, the Veranda school will be connected to an online learning infrastructure for the future.

Sponsors Benefits

All sponsors of this project will be listed on the The Paros Foundation website and in all appropriate press related to this important project.

Anonymous User
AO

Anonymous

Armenia July 21, 2020
Anonymous User
AT

Anonymous

United States July 13, 2020
Anonymous User
DO

Dr. Aram Adourian & Dr. Anna Ohanyan

Concord, MA July 12, 2020

Updates: Images & Information

August 12, 2020

30 tablets and other related software and covers were purchased and delivered to the children of Varanda.