Tag: Available

January 28, 2025

Debi Arach Children’s Center 2025 Operating Budget

Debi Arach Children's Center 2025 Operating Budget

Description

The Paros Foundation launched the Debi Arach Children’s Center in Gyumri, Armenia on April 15, 2015 with the help of generous donors. The center, which provides 185 children each week the necessary academic, psychological, social and humanitarian support, has since been a source of positivity in this city. The residents of Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city have endured very devastating realities since the tragic 1988 Spitak Earthquake. More than 100,000 residents were left homeless, and plagued with unemployment and rampant poverty for years to come. In turn, the fate of children in Gyumri has also been affected. Dealing with the difficulty of finding means to feed and care for their families, many parents are unable to provide their children with the proper guidance, supervision, educational aid and the financial resources for them to excel in school and have successful futures. The Debi Arach Children’s Center, which in Armenian means “moving forward,” helps these socially vulnerable children through a holistic approach providing them with both humanitarian and educational support. The center provides counseling and group therapy with a psychologist on staff, homework help and tutoring for almost every subject the children learn in school including English, Math, Art/Design, and Computer classes. Additionally, they are served a nutritious meal everyday, helping them receive the calories and/or nutrients they would otherwise not have. Furthermore, the Center addresses a very important hygienic need by providing the children in attendance with supervised bathing facilities. The goal is to help hundreds of children develop a vision for a successful future, and to give them the skills they need to reach these goals. This project is impacting the lives of hundreds of socially vulnerable children by helping them gain the guidance and support they need in order to create greater future opportunities, and become successful individuals and good citizens.

To date, the center has already had several important successes. At least nine children have been taken out of boarding schools, attend our center and now live back at home with their families. Many of the children who were receiving poor grades in school are now achieving top scores. The children have become socially well adjusted and much more healthier than before with the continued consumption of multi-vitamins and a daily well-balanced meal. Staff trainings take place with an academic counsel of professionals from the United States and Armenia to ensure that the children are receiving the best care, treatment and methods for their development.

The center is working on funding year ten and raising additional funds in order to develop and add to the programs and classes offered with the ability to hire more educators, and get more supplies, and equipment. Funds will also be used to supplement daily activities, hold forums for guest speakers and provide educational and career planning opportunities. $92,000 is needed to cover operating costs for the Center. In January of 2017, Debi Arach successfully launched its first program within its Vocational Training Center, teaching children computer programming, 3d printing and robotics curriculum. The goal of this newest component is to provide these children with marketable job skills in order to help them work themselves out of poverty. In 2019, with the long term commitment by Dr. & Mrs. Gary and Linda Assarian (MI) the vocational training program was renamed the Assarian Vocational Training Program.

Region

Shirak / Շիրակ

City / Village

Gyumri / Գյումրի

Start Date

April 2025

End Date

March 2026

$47,533 of $98,500 raised

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The Need

Thousands of children in Gyumri are living in extreme poverty, with no hope for a decent future. These socially vulnerable children are in need of a safe and enriching environment where they can receive additional guidance through social, psychological and academic support giving them a chance to break their cycle of poverty. The children’s center will continue to provide these children with the opportunity to attend afterschool and summer school programs providing them with the additional skills necessary for a successful future. Additionally, these children suffer from malnutrition and related illnesses due to a lack of well-balanced meals. The center will continue to provide each child with a nutritious meal everyday, helping them receive the calories and/or nutrients they need. Furthermore, many families were forced to take refuge in overseas shipping containers (domiks), or in condemned buildings after the devastating 1988 Spitak Earthquake or due to their poor socioeconomic status. An entire generation of children has grown up in deplorable conditions, often times with no running water and little or no heat to take showers. The Center will address this very important hygienic need by continuing to provide the children in attendance with supervised new bathing facilities.

Short Term Impact

The short-term 185 children will receive immediate support and guidance to help them succeed for the second year. The Center will continue offer nutritious meals, bathing facilities, counseling opportunities, homework aid and tutoring and core classes including English, Computer, Art/Design, and Math.

Long Term Impact

In the long term, with the success of the Center’s current offerings, additional classes and programs will be added and attendance will rise. The number of children growing up in poverty in the future will decrease as the number of children successfully graduating from our program and continuing onto college or successful vocations increases. The number of “social orphans” and children temporarily residing in boarding schools in Gyumri will be reduced as parents become increasingly able to keep their children at home given the humanitarian support they receive at the center. Through ongoing employment opportunities created, several families will continue to receive a fair wage, hence improving Gyumri’s economy.

Sponsors Benefits

Your donation to sponsor the operating cost for 2025 of the Debi Arach Children’s Center in Gyumri will be recognized with a plaque at the Center and on the Center’s website and in their printed materials. Your name will also be listed as a sponsor on The Paros Foundation website and in appropriate press related to this important project. The Paros Foundation will proudly arrange a visit to the new Center when you are in Armenia.

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Updates: Images & Information

May 21, 2025

Due to an increase of children attending the center, Debi Arach is in need of an additional $4,500 to obtain six new computers to add to their computer lab.

July 30, 2025

Today SERVICE Armenia 2025 visited Debi Arach spending time with the children and distributing backpacks.

By Narine

January 8, 2025

Mobile Dental Clinic 2024/2025

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Description

The Armenian Dental Society of California has partnered with The Paros Foundation in order to help revive its mobile dental clinic and help bring dental care for poverty stricken communities in Armenia. Dental hygiene is commonly overlooked in many of these communities due to several reasons. Dental supplies and dental care are either very hard to find or too expensive for residents in these villages to afford.

To date, the Mobile Dental Clinic has served over 100,000 patients. Drs. Gary Kevorkian and Jack Bayramyan have taken the lead to help secure funding for the clinic. Sponsorship of this project will help raise the funds needed to keep the mobile clinic in operation. The clinic has two dentists, a nurse, a driver on staff who travel along with the mobile clinic and provide dental care for village residents. Dentists from the US have the opportunity to join the two local dentists on a volunteer basis. $3,000 will help keep the mobile clinic working for one month. Dental care provided by the mobile clinic will include basic child oral care and education, cleanings, fillings and other basic care.

Region

Throughout Armenia

City / Village

Throughout Armenia

Start Date

January 2024

End Date

December 2025

$50,495 of $72,000 raised

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Gallery Images

Mobile Clinic Dental Staff.

Children also receive new dental hygiene products during their visit.

The Need

Dental supplies and dental clinics are very hard to find or too expensive for residents living in Armenia’s remote and/or poverty stricken villages. This can cause a lifetime of dental problems and oral disease. Residents living in these areas are in need of dental care in order to be able to prevent serious dental issues in the future.

Short Term Impact

Residents of remote and poverty stricken villages will be visited by the mobile dental clinic and receive basic dental care. In addition, two dentists from Armenia will be hired to work alongside volunteer dentists from the United States.

Long Term Impact

Residents of remote and poverty stricken villages will have a decreased chance of tooth decay and serious oral issues in their future.

Sponsors Benefits

Your donation to sponsor the Mobile Dental Clinic will be recognized on The Paros Foundation website and in all appropriate press related to this important project.

By Narine

November 4, 2024

Nourishing Armenia!

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Description

Nourishing Armenia aims to create a lasting impact on the health and well-being of children and families in Armenia.

Armenia stands at a crossroads of opportunity and need. Rates of childhood malnutrition and obesity are both rising. Many families face limited access to fresh, nutrient-rich foods due to economic barriers or lack of agricultural infrastructure. At the same time, nutrition education and clinical dietetics remain largely absent from the country’s educational and healthcare systems.

Food insecurity and poor nutrition fuel chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and anemia — all of which threaten the nation’s long-term wellbeing. Without intervention, these patterns will continue to weaken families, communities, and the economy.

But Armenia’s potential is immense. The country has a strong agricultural heritage, a growing youth population, and a deep sense of community — the perfect foundation for a national movement in food literacy and health. To build a healthier future requires action on multiple fronts: schools, farms, universities, and the health system.

Nourishing Armenia brings together education, agriculture, and healthcare to create lasting, community-led change. We aim to build a culture where every child understands what healthy food means, every healthcare provider can prescribe nutrition as part of healing, and every school can feed both minds and bodies.

In the short time since Nourishing Armenia’s launch in the spring of 2025, several successes have already been realized including:

The successful development and launch of the Nourishing Armenia Summer curriculum and activity schedule for 180 at the Debi Arach Children’s Center.
The construction and launch of a greenhouse, serving as a living classroom at the Debi Arach Children’s Center.
The successful development and launch of the Nourishing Armenia curriculum for the 25/26 academic year at the Debi Arach Children’s Center.

This effort has been met with tremendous enthusiasm by the children at the Center and prove that nutrition has a welcomed place in a child’s education if presented correctly.

Our work and future plans are in consultation with both the Ministries of Health and Education, and tie into their goals of promoting nutrition and healthy eating as a tool in the fight against chronic diseases.

Our next phase includes developing and implementing the following programs:

Nourishing Armenia at Debi Arach. For $150 we can feed, educate and engage students at the Center for an entire year! This amount includes nutritious daily meals, cooking workshops and mentorship.
Hamov Hub Clubs as extracurricular activities as a pilot project in 10 schools throughout Armenia serving 15 students per club.
Hamov Hub cooking show at Debi Arach engaging 180 students in designing, filming and posting healthy cooking recipes via YouTube to educate children everywhere.
Sustainable Food Systems through the construction of additional greenhouses and chicken coops in appropriate village settings.
Undergraduate and graduate university programs in Clinical Dietetics to train future nutrition leaders including dietitians, clinical nutritionists, educators and public health specialists.
CME courses for doctors and nurses in coordination with the Armenian National Institutes of Health, which will provide healthcare workers valuable tools on how to incorporate nutrition into healthcare.

Funding is immediately needed to continue supporting Nourishing Armenia’s programming. Please consider supporting the following:

$150 feeds one child for a full year at Debi Arach’s after-school program.
$2,500 supports one Hamov Hub Club including supplies, ingredients and educator trainings.
$5,000 supports the startup trainings and set creation of Hamov Hub YouTube cooking show at Debi Arach
$7,500 establishes a chicken coop at the community living center for elderly Artsakh refugees in Verishen.
$10,000 develops and delivers CME nutrition courses for 50 healthcare professionals
$20,000 builds and equips one greenhouse
$50,000 supports the creation and accreditation of Undergraduate and graduate university programs in Clinical Dietetics.

Region

All

City / Village

All

Start Date

Immediately

End Date

One Year From Start

$39,607 of $200,000 raised

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Gallery Images

Students at Debi Arach preparing their healthy pizzas!

Meeting with the Ministry of Education to discuss Nourishing Armenia.

Students at Debi Arach harvesting food for their daily meals.

Students at Debi Arach working in their new greenhouse, learning about growing healthy food.

The Need

Thousands of children in Armenia face the harsh reality of malnutrition, which affects their growth, development, future health outcomes and overall quality of life. With 34% of the population living in poverty, this is an area of immense need. Many families struggle to provide basic non-perishable food staples due to economic, housing, and health-related constraints. Through education, the establishment of meaningful and engaging curriculum, greenhouses and chicken coops, Nourishing Armenia will positively impact Armenia’s overall health.

Short Term Impact

In the short term, we expect to directly benefit more than 300 children through access to fresh produce and nutrition education while simultaneously providing hands-on experience in the areas of cooking, teaching, agriculture, and homesteading. These experiences are designed to expose children to different opportunities for career paths in the future. The initiative will also create local job opportunities for community members to teach homesteading practices like drying fruit and pickling vegetables and farming practices like harvesting crops and tending to chicken coops through engaging activities with the children.

Long Term Impact

In the long run, we anticipate taking the first steps toward a reduction in pediatric malnutrition rates in these regions. We aim to break the cycle of poverty and malnutrition and to provide tools to help fight Armenia’s chronic disease through healthy nutrition.

Sponsors Benefits

Your generous contribution to the Nourishing Armenia project will be recognized in various ways:

Your name will be displayed on a plaque at the greenhouse site.
Recognition on our website and in printed materials related to the project.
Regular updates on the project’s progress and impact.

Visits to these communities can be arranged for sponsors visiting Armenia.

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Updates: Images & Information

March 10, 2025

Construction on the Nourishing Armenia Gyumri Greenhouse has begun.

March 25, 2025

Nutritionist, Stephanie Sudjian, who is spearheaded the Nourishing Armenia! project spent the day at Debi Arach teaching the children how to make nutritious smoothies. She was also able to check in on the progress of the Nourishing Armenia Gyumri Greenhouse. The greenhouse will serve as a sustainable food option to promote healthy eating, which aims to create a lasting impact on the health & well-being of children and families in Armenia.

June 4, 2025

The Nourishing Armenia Summer program began today at Debi Arach! The children are very excited for this new and fun activity based program.

June 21, 2025

Construction on the new greenhouse and living classroom at Debi Arach is completed. The team completed running the drip irrigation system today!

September 17, 2025

Because of the overwhelming success of Nourishing Armenia's summer programming, we have decided to continue this important program as a year-round curriculum! Today was the first day!

October 4, 2025

With Nourishing Armenia Founder and Chair visiting Armenia, we officially cut the ribbon on the Greenhouse at Debi Arach!

October 29, 2025

With weekly Nourishing Armenia classes in full swing and students now working in the greenhouse, the excitement level at class time is over the top!

By Peter Abajian

May 17, 2024

Community Living for Older Refugees

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Description

The town of Goris is located in Armenia’s Syunik Region with a population of 17,113. Following the mass exodus from Artsakh in September 2023, many refugees have settled in this border community.

One particularly vulnerable group in Armenia are older Artsakh refugees. Most of them do not have families to look after them and they are left to fend for themselves. The Paros Foundation is excited to launch a new effort to provide permanent housing for older Artsakh refugees with the purchase of a home in Verishen, Armenia which is adjacent to Goris.

It will serve as a group home for older refugees to offer them a clean, safe, and comfortable environment to live dignified lives. Ten residents will be selected from older refugees currently living in Goris. The project will be administered in coordination with the local Goris government and renovations on the home will be starting in the coming weeks.

The home has a large footprint that will provide both communal and private living spaces in addition to a large plot of land with fruit trees and garden spaces. The home even has a chicken coop should the future residents care to keep chickens! It is envisioned that the home will be equipped with both solar hot water systems and solar panels to keep utility costs low.

While the home has already been purchased, complete renovations, furniture and appliances will cost an additional $60,000.

This is the newest housing project in a series of successful permanent housing that The Paros Foundation has purchased and renovated for Artsakh refugees including three in Geghamasar, two in Meds Masrik, two in Vardenis, one in Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur, four in Kajaran, and 10 new homes that are being built in the village of Qeti. With this addition, The Paros Foundation continues to assist refugees of every age, building not just homes, but communities where they can restart their lives.

Region

Syunik

City / Village

Goris

Start Date

Immediately

End Date

$24,245 of $60,000 raised

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Gallery Images

As a part of The Paros Foundation’s relief efforts, new and lightly worn winter coats and boots were distributed earlier this year to Artsakh refugees.

An older refugee receiving new winter boot through our relief efforts.

After renovations, this home will serve as community living for older Artsakh refugees.

The Need

Many older refugees are struggling to make a living and afford safe housing. Older refugees need clean, safe, and comfortable housing to live dignified lives.

Short Term Impact

In the short term, work will be done to renovate this home. The local economy will benefit as materials and labor will be secured locally whenever possible.

Long Term Impact

In the long term, refugees will not have to worry about how they will afford to live. They will be able to live comfortably with other older refugees.

Sponsors Benefits

All sponsors of this important project will be listed on The Paros Foundation’s website and in all press related to this project. Visits to these communities can be arranged for sponsors visiting Armenia.

View More Sponsors

Updates: Images & Information

August 30, 2024

Our Paros team visited Verishen, the site where the Community Living Home will be built. During the visit, they successfully planned and finalized the construction layout. Once completed, this home will accommodate 10 elderly Artsakh refugees, offering them a sense of community and belonging.

November 13, 2024

So excited to announce that the work is ongoing on the "Community Living for Older Refugees" Home in Verishen settlement of Goris community in Syunik province of Armenia. Thank you, UNHCR Armenia and European Union for your generous and timely support and Action Against Hunger South Caucasus for ensuring sound technical assistance in the renovation of a new home for refugees and local older people in Goris community.

January 31, 2025

Construction on the home is complete! A ribbon cutting was held to celebrate the end of production. Soon the residents will move in and have permanent and stable housing.

By Annie Dilsizian

March 27, 2024

Shgharshik School Gymnasium Renovation

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Description

Shgharshik is a village in the Talin Municipality of the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia, and has a population of about 600 residents.

Established in 1975, the Shgharshik Secondary School has been educating the town’s children for many years and currently services 60 students. The gymnasium at the school has heating, but is run down and is in need of renovations. Currently, students cannot utilize the gym in its entirety because of the fact that the existing wood flooring is rotten and unsafe to walk on in many areas. To make the gym safe and usable again, we will add two new windows that open to improve ventilation, install new electrical and lighting, replace the rotting wooden flooring with vinyl, add new basketball backboards, install new netting over the windows, add new benches, and repair the walls by fixing the moisture problems from outside and then painting and sealing the walls.

Region

Aragatsotn

City / Village

Shgharshik

Start Date

Immediately

End Date

Shgharshik School Gymnasium Renovation

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

Gallery Images

The current state of the interior of the gymnasium.

The wooden flooring in the gymnasium is rotting and breaking.

The basketball nets in the gym are rundown and will be replaced.

These windows will be replaced with windows that open to improve ventilation.

The Need

60 students that attend the Shgharshik Secondary School cannot use the school’s gym because it is in need of a full renovation. The school’s modest annual budget does not allow it to renovate this facility.

Short Term Impact

In the short term, the village will receive a modest economic benefits of construction related costs as construction materials will be purchased locally and the work will be completed with local labor crews. Once completed, 60 students at the school will receive the benefits of having a fully functioning gym at the school.

Long Term Impact

Over the useful life of the school’s gym renovation, an estimated 2,000 children will receive the benefits of sports at their school. This will promote both a healthier lifestyle and help them focus on their studies.

Sponsors Benefits

All sponsors of this important project will be listed on The Paros Foundation’s website and in all press related to this project. Sponsor names will also be listed on a plaque at the school. Visits to these communities can be arranged for sponsors visiting Armenia.

View More Sponsors

By Annie Dilsizian

March 8, 2024

Assarian Vocational Training Program

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Description

In 2016, the Debi Arach Children’s Center in Gyumri launched their vocational training program at the center in order to provide young adults with a set of skills and tools they will need to secure gainful employment and help break their family’s cycle of poverty. For years, students have participated in their choice of several programs including computer programming classes using a curriculum developed by the Union of Information Technology Enterprises, 3D printing and related software and programming, and computer repairs – both hardware and software. Since 2019, additional vocational options were added to the program including instruction for cosmetologists, hair stylists, make-up artists and manicurists. In 2021, the Hianali Beauty Center was launched as a salon that offers training classes for students, as well as public services. Furthermore, vocational courses are also offered at Digital Pomegranate and the Lentex Textile Factory, both located in Gyumri.

In 2019, the vocational training program was renamed Assarian Vocational Training Program in honor of the Dr. Gary and Linda Assarian Family Foundation, whose generous donations underwrite the vocational training programs.

Sponsorship towards this project will help run the vocational programs in Gyumri, including staff wages and supplies. The goal is to help hundreds of people develop a vision for a successful future, and to give them the skills they need to reach these goals.

Region

Shirak

City / Village

Gyumri

Start Date

January 2024

End Date

$17,300 of $50,000 raised

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Donation Total: $100 One Time

Gallery Images

A training class at Lentex Textile Factory.

Students in gel manicure training at the Hianali Beauty Center.

Participants take computer computer courses at Digital Pomegranate.

The Need

Young adults living in extreme poverty in Gyumri, who are not interested or able to continue their higher education, have very bleak prospects for a successful future. To combat this reality, the Debi Arach Vocation Center provides job skills and aid in job placement in order to help these young adults change their lives towards a successful future by gaining real skills and securing real employment.

Short Term Impact

In the short term, students, both current and new, will participate in one of several training programs offered for the duration of a year. Four trainers will be employed and facilitate classes.

Long Term Impact

In the long term, the cycle of poverty will be broken for the newer generations in Gyumri. The new skills these young adults will gain through vocational courses will help secure great jobs and provide opportunities to change their lives. In addition, Gyumri’s economy will also benefit from additional skills being introduced to the job market.

Sponsors Benefits

Your donation to sponsor the Debi Arach Vocational Center will be recognized on a plaque, on The Paros Foundation website and in appropriate press related to this important project. The Paros Foundation will happily arrange a visit to the vocational center when you are in Armenia.

Updates: Images & Information

August 29, 2024

Congratulations to the latest Lentex class of 15 women, including several Artsakh refugees, who have successfully completed their training and are now employed full-time at the Lentex textile factory. This achievement was made possible through the invaluable support of the Assarian Vocational Training Program, spearheaded by Dr. Gary and Mrs. Linda Assarian. We are proud of these women for successfully taking on a new venture.

September 10, 2024

Dr. Gary Assarian, was highlighted by his Alma Mater, Lake Forest College, on his and his wife Linda's work in Armenia with The Paros Foundation! Read more about their philanthropy in Armenia here.

By Annie Dilsizian

February 26, 2024

Meds Masrik School Improvements

Description

Meds Masrik is a village in the Gegharkunik region of Armenia. It is a border village with a population of 3,000. The Meds Masrik School has 420 children in attendance. Despite the abundance of students, the school has never had access to computers for educational purposes. With our help, the school has allocated a 650 sq. ft. classroom to be renovated and equipped with computers.

With the recent population growth because of families displaced from Artsakh, the school has a shortage of available classrooms. There are three classrooms that need major renovations to accommodate the influx of new students.

This work will cost the following:

$7,200 for 12 computers
$6,500 for the computer classroom
$1,800 for furniture
$15,000 for three classrooms

Region

Gegharkunik

City / Village

Meds Masrik

Start Date

Immediately

End Date

Four Months After Start

$66,518 of $126,500 raised

$ Donation Amount:

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Personal Info

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Donation Total: $100 One Time

Gallery Images

The Meds Masrik School principal's office will be converted and renovated into the computer classroom.

One of the classrooms at the Meds Masrik School that needs to be renovated.

The second classroom that will be renovated.

The third classroom that needs renovations.

The Need

The Meds Masrik School services 420 children. The school needs computers and renovations on classrooms to provide the best possible environment for students’ classes.

Short Term Impact

In the short term, 420 students will enjoy new computers and learn valuable computer skills. They will also have three newly renovated classrooms that provide a clean, safe, and comfortable environment to learn.

Long Term Impact

In the long term, thousands of children will benefit from the renovations completed at the school. The children will learn lasting computer skills that can lead to careers in Armenia’s technology industry. Providing this resource to children in a border village will also give them more opportunities to learn real-life skills.

Sponsors Benefits

All sponsors of this project will be recognized on The Paros Foundation website, on a plaque at the Meds Masrik School, and in appropriate press related to this important project. Visits can be arranged to Meds Masrik for sponsors during their visits to Armenia. Naming rights are available for classroom renovations.

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Updates: Images & Information

November 2024

The school in Meds Masrik currently has 425 students including 45 from Artsakh, and needs additional renovations to accommodate these new students. We have already helped renovate and equip the computer classroom, the nurse’s station and three additional classrooms, but one additional wing needs a complete renovation. This wing encompasses four additional classrooms and one additional set of bathrooms. Once renovated, these classrooms will house the 4th- 8th grade students. The renovation for this wing will cost $95,000 including a new roof, furniture and heating system.

January 28, 2025

On January 28, The Paros Team visited the Meds Masrik School and were happy to see the renovated wing made possible with the help of Developmental Services for Armenia and The Ararat Chapter of Homenetmen.

By Annie Dilsizian

January 12, 2024

Mobile Dental Clinic Vayots Dzor 2

Mobile Dental Clinic for Vayots Dzor 2

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Description

The Armenian Dental Society of California and The Paros Foundation have successfully partnered in order to help the mobile dental clinic bring dental care to poverty stricken communities throughout Armenia.

Dr. Viken Garabedian who has worked closely with Drs. Gary Kevorkian and Jack Bayramyan and the ADSC mobile clinic, is ready to tackle the challenge of bringing expanded dental health to the communities in Armenia’s Vayots Dzor region by adding a second mobile dental clinic. In partnership with ADSC, the Syunik Development NGO and The Paros Foundation, a second bus will be converted into a mobile dental clinic and serve the isolated and poverty stricken communities in Armenia’s Vayots Dzor region.

Many of the villagers in Vayots Dzor live only a few hundred meters from the Azeri Border. Many of the men in these villages serve in the army, protecting Armenia’s border. The harsh and isolated conditions in these areas has forced many of the residents to flee their homes and resettle in the larger neighboring cities.

Currently, $3,500 is needed for monthly operating funds.

Region

Vayots Dzor

City / Village

Yeghegnadzor and surrounding villages

Start Date

January 2024

End Date

$100 of $35,000 raised

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Gallery Images

Our second Mobile Dental Clinic ready to get on the road.

The second mobile dental clinic on the road in the village of Khachig seeing patients, many of whom are soldiers.

Dr. Viken Garabedian visiting with the staff in the first mobile dental clinic.

Children in rural and poor communities greatly benefit from the mobile clinic and its free services.

The Need

Dental supplies and clinics are difficult to find or too expensive for residents living in Armenia’s isolated and poverty stricken villages in the Vayots Dzor Region. This can cause a lifetime of dental problems and oral disease for these people. Residents living in these areas are in need of dental care in order to be able to prevent serious dental issues in the future.

Short Term Impact

Residents in the Vayots Dzor region of Armenia will be visited regularly by the mobile dental clinic and receive basic dental care. In addition, two dentists, one assistant and a driver work on the clinic all from Armenia, and have the opportunity to work alongside volunteer dentists from the United States.

Long Term Impact

Residents of in the Vayots Dzor region will have a decreased chance of tooth decay and serious oral issues in their future.

Sponsors Benefits

Your donation to sponsor the Mobile Dental Clinic will be recognized on The Paros Foundation website and in all appropriate press related to this important project.

By Annie Dilsizian

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September 24, 2023

Artsakh Refugee Support Fund

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Description

Armenians living in Artsakh last week woke up to the Azeris again attacking their ancestral homeland. This time their goal was the complete surrender and ethnic cleansing of the entirety of Artsakh.

The mass exodus from Artsakh has begun, and while the fate of our brothers and sisters there remains uncertain, one thing for sure is that thousands of refugees are arriving in Armenia in need of food, shelter and basic necessities. This humanitarian crisis has begun.

To assist, and based on our experience from the refugee crisis during and after the 2020 War, The Paros Foundation is launching the Artsakh Refugee Support Fund to assist refugees coming to Armenia with basic humanitarian needs including food, medicine, clothing, and shelter.

Our main goal is to begin assessing housing needs and re-home refugees into permanent homes as quickly as possible and as funding provides. Our team will work closely with our contacts throughout the country to help find communities and homes available as well as provide immediate humanitarian support for refugees.

Region

All

City / Village

All

Start Date

September, 2023

End Date

One Year From Start

$1.02 million of $1.1 million raised

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Donation Total: $100 One Time

Gallery Images

The Need

Armenian refugees driven from their homes in Artsakh have already begun arriving into Armenia in the thousands. This people will need food, shelter, clothing, medicine and other immediate humanitarian support. The Armenian government is not able to immediately help these people, nor are there any international organizations prepared and willing to support this effort.

Short Term Impact

As refugee families begin arriving in Armenia, we will help provide as many as possible with short term humanitarian support. All forms of support provided will benefit the local Armenian economy.

Long Term Impact

In the long term, The Paros Foundation will again support these families re-homing needs as we did following the 2020 war. Homes in communities outside of Yerevan will be purchased and renovated and given to refugee families. This work will be done with local materials and labor and thus have a significant impact on the local economy.

Sponsors Benefits

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Updates: Images & Information

October 26, 2023

The Paros team has distributed firewood to now 20 families from Artsakh who have taken refuge. It will be used for both heating and cooking.

October 31, 2023

Paros Staff and JOURNEY Through Armenia Participants all gather together to distribute shoes to women who are refugees from the Artsakh in preparation for the cold winter months lying ahead. The shoes are donated from the company Zadur Shoes. They gave a grand total of 500 pairs of winter boots.

November 5, 2023

After much consideration, we will be focusing on providing permanent housing for displaced Artsakh families. We will be resettling families in the Vardenis, Berd, and Kapan areas.

December 1, 2023

Thanks to the generosity of our donors we have raised enough funds to purchase 26 homes for displaced families. Our team is actively engaged in this process -- more updates coming soon!

April 30, 2024

Thus far five families have been moved into their newly renovated homes. Currently, three homes are under renovation, ten are being built, and a Community Living for Older Refugees home in Goris is in the process of being launched.

May 21, 2024

The Paros Foundation is pleased to launch a new effort to provide permanent housing for older Artsakh refugees with the purchase of a home for the Community Living for Older Refugees project in the community of Goris. This home will serve as a group home for 10 older refugees to offer them a clean, safe, and comfortable environment to live dignified lives.

October 21, 2024

Two additional families now have permanent housing! The Telyan Family originally received housing in Maghavuz, Artsakh through the Emergency Resettlement program following the 2020 War. However, after having to relocate again in 2023, they now have stable housing in Meds Masrik that they are looking forward to calling home. The Harutunyan Family also moved into their new home located in Geghamasar. The family has six boys and are thankful for a new beginning where their children can thrive.

November 2024

Humanitarian aid for Artsakh refugee families continues to be an important priority. The Paros Foundation continues to distribute firewood for heating and cooking, clothing, winter boots, and food packs to these families with the generous support of individuals and organizations. As winter is especially cold in these communities, we must continue these distributions of humanitarian relief. We have added an additional budget of $15,000 for food, firewood and warm clothing for this winter season. Furthermore, more families are hoping to make the community of Vardenis their permanent home. Funding permitting, the Paros team will continue our existing housing resettlement program, which purchases, renovates, furnishes and gives these refugee families 90% ownership in their new homes. The balance of ownership will be transferred to them in 10 years to ensure a stable home for their entire family. The budget to permanently resettle an average family of six people is $35,000, which includes a fully renovated and furnished home, furniture and appliances.

By Peter Abajian

January 11, 2023

Support the Nor Hachen Clinic

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Description

The town of Nor Hachen is located in Armenia’s Kotayk Region. Approximately 8,400 people call this community home. Nor Hachen has a fully staffed polyclinic with three pediatricians and five family medicine doctors that serve the medical needs of the Nor Hachen community, schools, and outlying villages. The total service area of the Clinic is almost 13,000 people. Nor Hachen Polyclinic provides primary care, ambulance service and some specialty services. Many of the doctors at the center also work in Yerevan as Nor Hachen’s proximity to the city is about 30 minutes away. The medical center lacks some basic equipment that prevents it from successfully serving its patients.

Nor Hachen Polyclinic with Med Aid Armenia aims to achieve their mission of bringing western standards of medical care to the community. This will be done with evidence-based medicine, screening programs and preventive care practices. This will achieve improved health outcomes coupled with efficient use of resources to provide a sustainable model of care delivery.

The Nor Hachen Polyclinic operates on sparse resources, and mostly in the form of outdated and decrepit equipment carry-over from the Soviet-era. Care delivery at Nor Hachen is also mostly Soviet-era style, unlike some newer clinics in the capital, Yerevan. The clinic operates on a single payer system with the option of fee-for-service.

Specialty services available include cardiology, HNS, ophthalmology, neurology, gastroenterology, OB/GYN and minor surgical procedures. Some of these specialists are available several times a week. Limited laboratory and imaging services available hamper the clinic staff ability to provide quality and complete care, necessitating referral out for the services at cost to the patient for significantly more, and often preventing the patient from getting the care needed. The clinic is eager for basic resources and developing improved knowledge in delivering care.

Over the last 3 years, Med Aid Armenia has developed a working relationship with the staff at the Polyclinic. Spending more time at the clinic, we are able to see firsthand the struggles of care delivery and an inefficient system. The remainder of Armenia is also struggling with its health care, especially primary care, notably those areas outside of Yerevan.

What makes Nor Hachen unique is its location, the size of population it serves, and the open-minded eager staff committed to learn and improve. The clinic’s 30-minute drive distance from Yerevan gives relatively ease of access: Diasporan physicians and clinic resources would not need to travel far. The population is large enough to implement significant programs and study its effectiveness. This can be done without overwhelming resources typically required for national level programs.

Med Aid Armenia set out to create a program at the Nor Hachen Polyclinic with the ultimate goal of improving health outcomes of the population with grounded and sustainable use of resources and improving the wellness of the clinic staff.

Region

Kotayk

City / Village

Nor Hachen, Nor Keghi and surrounding areas.

Start Date

Immediately

End Date

Two months after start

$108,783 of $180,000 raised

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Donation Total: $100 One Time

Gallery Images

Dr. Deramerian, leader of the MedAid Medical mission views the poor images from the Nor Hachen x-ray machine.

The Paros Foundation's MedAid Medical Mission to Armenia visited and worked at the Nor Hachen Medical Center in the summer of 2022 and learned of the Center's needs.

Needed Equipment

Nor Hajn Equipment List PP 2.0.pptx (10)

Nor Hajn Equipment List PP 2.0.pptx (11)

Nor Hajn Equipment List PP 2.0.pptx (12)

Nor Hajn Equipment List PP 2.0.pptx (13)

Nor Hajn Equipment List PP 2.0.pptx (14)

Nor Hajn Equipment List PP 2.0.pptx (15)

Nor Hajn Equipment List PP 2.0.pptx (16)

Nor Hajn Equipment List PP 2.0.pptx (17)

Nor Hajn Equipment List PP 2.0.pptx (18)

Nor Hajn Equipment List PP 2.0.pptx (19)

Nor Hajn Equipment List PP 2.0.pptx (20)

Nor Hajn Equipment List PP 2.0.pptx (21)

Nor Hajn Equipment List PP 2.0.pptx (22)

Nor Hajn Equipment List PP 2.0.pptx (23)

The Need

Currently, the Armenian Government is renovating the building and last year we were able to raise enough funds to purchase an x-ray machine for the polyclinic. However, the Nor Hachen Polyclinic is still in need of numerous pieces of medical equipment to give the best safe medical care.

Short Term Impact

In the short term, as funding is available, needed quality equipment will be purchased and delivered to the medical center. This will allow the polyclinic’s doctors to give quality care all in one place without having to send patients elsewhere for necessary medical services.

Long Term Impact

In the long term, 13,000 patients will receive better health care as the Nor Hachen Clinic receives better equipment and staff is trained upon this new equipment.

Sponsors Benefits

All sponsors of this important project will be listed on The Paros Foundation’s website and in all press related to this project. Visits to the Nor Hachen community can be arranged for sponsors visiting Armenia.

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Updates: Images & Information

January 5, 2024

The Armenian Government has confirmed their intent on renovating the physical clinic. We hope to start renovations by the end of this year.

January 20, 2024

Today, Peter Abajian delivered four vital sign monitors and four otoscopes. Dr. Deramerian explained proper usage of the vital sign monitors to the clinic staff.

July 3, 2024

Med-Aid Armenia 2024 participants visited the Nor Hachen Clinic to teach a training to the staff and provide check-ups for locals. This also included a visit to Getamej, a town close to the Nor Hachen Clinic, providing check-ups. The goal is to deliver emergency care, but also ensure that these villages are receiving ongoing preventative care.

By Garik Khachatryan

Contacts

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