Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur (NKA) is an important border village with a population of 1,380 residents in the Bert area of Armenia’s Tavush Region. This community, whose territory connects with Azerbaijan, lives and works under a constant risk of sniper fire and renewed armed conflict each day. NKA was the single most damaged Armenian village following the Azeri conflict in the 1990’s. The economy of the village and the livelihood of many of its residents have suffered due to these difficult and dangerous times. Furthermore, 70% of their fertile land is unusable because of frequent sniper attacks. Many homes have been damaged and worn out over the years and are in need of partial renovations and repairs, including, indoor plumbing, new windows, doors and floors, roof repairs, new heating systems, and even room additions. The village is economically strained and families are in need of additional aid to care for their families, homes and livelihood.

Sponsorship of this project will help provide 7 families  with materials, technical expertise and/or the necessary labor in order to complete specific renovation projects to their homes. It is of strategic importance to support these villagers in their daily lives so that they may remain inhabitants of this village, mere footsteps from Azerbaijan.

Help us bring the spirit and fun of the Women’s World Cup to Armenia!

Women’s soccer is exploding all over the world and Armenia is no exception. Thanks to your support, today GOALS girls’ leagues are in 8 of Armenia’s 10 regions!! As the world celebrates female athletes in France this summer, GOALS will be holding soccer and leadership camps to bring the joy of sport to Armenia. GOALS is the only NGO working in Armenia to raise awareness and access to sports for girls, shattering stereotypes along the way. We use sport for education outside the classroom with programs about leadership, gender equality, and civic activism.

Նորք (Nork) is a neighborhood in the Armenian capital Yerevan. It is located in the Nork-Marash District. The school currently has 1,010 students enrolled from grades 1-12. The school has 2 buildings in its original condition since being built in 1981. The gym is in need of restoration to provide the children with a clean, safe and comfortable environment for them to conduct physical activity.

The Knights of Vartan since 1993 has supported the #106 school in Yerevan which since 1995 officially was known as the Knights of Vartan #106 Public School. It is one of the many schools the Knights of Vartan has supported via its partnership with the World Bank Armenian Social Investment Fund and the ATDF.

Through years some support such as renovating the roofing, installing new heating system, supporting teachers and Christmas gifts for pupils were implemented.

Hatsik is a village in the Armavir Province of Armenia. The village population, approximately 2500, currently houses one school with 285 students in attendance, 40 being in preschool. The Hatsik Village School, which was the site for renovations completed by the Paros Foundation’s SERVICE Armenia in years 2013, 2014 and 2015, is in need of a renovation consisting of three classrooms, two bathrooms, and a hallway, which will facilitate the entire preschool. Thanks to the generosity of past and present donors, The Paros Foundation has renovated the auditorium, gym, all other classrooms and bathrooms in this buidling at the school. The school is very important to the region of Armavir. The regional government has previously allocated funding to complete the school’s heating system. In addition, the Hatsik Village Municipality raised funds within their network of donors to help with the restoration of the school’s kitchen.

Sponsorship of this project will help raise the amount needed in order to complete renovations at the Hatsik School’s Preschool wing. Our previous renovations at the Hatsik School are well maintained, thus giving us great motivation to continue our work at this site. The Paros Foundation is committed to completing renovations and dramatically improving the overall condition for the children at this school.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations is Armenia’s 911 rapid responders.  This Ministry operates units throughout Armenia.  The brave rapid responders in these units respond to a variety of calls including intruders, fires and health issues. In Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur, the unit is comprised of 24 people, who work around the clock.  In addition to traditional requests, these rapid responders in this border village also organize village patrols and coordinate volunteers at the time of increased border skirmishes.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations is located in a two story building near the village administrative building.  Through local support, the upper floor of the building has been renovated.  Support is needed to install a proper heating system throughout the building and to renovate the lower level including a changing room and fitness room.  The scope of work will include installing new subflooring, tile flooring, new windows and doors, electrical and paint.  In addition, the heating system will be comprised of a new boiler, and radiators throughout the building.  The Ministry is prepared to help bring a gas line to the building as their local contribution.

Story Beyond The Ruins is an oral history project documenting the earthquake that rocked not only its epicenter Spitak, but the entire nation of Armenia. Launched in 2017 by United States Peace Corps volunteers, Michael Chen and Max Malter, and American University of Armenia student, Arpine Hovannisyan, the project aims to preserve memories and lived experiences from and beyond the 1988 Spitak Earthquake (also known as the Armenian Earthquake) through a collection of interviews. Through their conversations with individuals, they have tried to provide a canvas for an authentic depiction of life during and after the earthquake. Their goal is to publish the stories online and continue conducting interviews and building upon their collection of stories. Story Beyond The Ruins operates with the help of volunteers. They have partnered with our organization to help raise the funds needed,$2,400, to continue to gather interviews, maintain their website and market their efforts for the next three years.

The young men and women behind Story Beyond The Ruins hope that these stories will strengthen the Armenian heritage of storytelling and give outsiders a glimpse into a profound event that led up to modern Armenia today. you can listen to these interviews on the Story Beyond The Ruins website at www.storybeyondtheruins.com

Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur is a village with approximately 1,100 residents in the Bert area of Armenia’s Tavush Region. This community lives on the border with Azerbaijan under the risk of sniper fire and renewed armed conflict.

Late last year a pump house, pump and pipelines were installed to provide 110 households in Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur, an estimated 500 people, each day with water. This was done because the supply of water to the water pipeline distribution network was not sufficient. With these improvements, each of these homes receive water daily and the lower reservoir now has enough water to also supply two additional groups of 30 neighboring homes with the installation of two additional pipelines, one 900 meters and the other 1,100 meters long, from the existing newly built pump house.

Following the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, tens of thousands of people were left homeless in the City of Gyumri. Many of these families took refuge in the overseas shipping containers (domiks) that were shipped into Armenia loaded with humanitarian relief supplies, or in condemned buildings. An entire generation of children has grown up in deplorable conditions, often times with no running water and little or no heat. The Armenian government has provided most of the families that lost their homes in the Earthquake with new housing units.

As people moved out of those makeshift housing units, others moved in. The 2,500 families that remain are Gyumri’s desolate families, who are not in line to receive a government provided apartment. Many of these families are comprised of single mothers, multiple children and/or the disabled. This is a sustainable model in that families that have been moved into permanent housing in the past have had a high degree of success maintaining their families and their new homes.

Aghonik Galoyan is a single mother.   She lives in a tiny domik with her mother and her son, Nareg.  Nareg has attended The Paros Foundation operated Debi Arach Children’s Center since it was opened in 2015.  He is a good student. Aghonik earns extra money seasonally by planting and picking potatoes.   The Galoyan family will dramatically benefit from a new home.

Once the move is complete, the make shift housing unit will be destroyed to prevent its future occupancy.

Following the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, tens of thousands of people were left homeless in the City of Gyumri. Many of these families took refuge in the overseas shipping containers (domiks) that were shipped into Armenia loaded with humanitarian relief supplies, or in condemned buildings. An entire generation of children has grown up in deplorable conditions, often times with no running water and little or no heat. The Armenian government has provided most of the families that lost their homes in the Earthquake with new housing units.

As people moved out of those makeshift housing units, others moved in. The 2,500 families that remain are Gyumri’s desolate families, who are not in line to receive a government provided apartment. Many of these families are comprised of single mothers, multiple children and/or the disabled. This is a sustainable model in that families that have been moved into permanent housing in the past have had a high degree of success maintaining their families and their new homes.

Anna Boghosian is a single mother.  Her husband abandoned the family just before their youngest child was born.  Because of the difficult conditions in their domik, the girls have attended boarding school for the last several years.  Anna’s father also lives with them.  He is a war hero from the Artsakh war and was a tank gunner.  He spent the last year in Russia working to try and earn some money to make improvements to the families domik. The Boghosyan family will dramatically benefit from a new home.

Once the move is complete, the make shift housing unit will be destroyed to prevent its future occupancy.

The Kharpert Home for Special Children is an orphanage located in the village of Nor Kharpert, and serves more than 250 children with varying degrees of developmental disabilities. The orphanage is a state run facility that receives governmental support to provide these vulnerable children with their basic care and education.

Excursions for these children to amusement parks and/or other appropriate venues provide these them with both valuable community experience and needed recreation. Children with disabilities in Armenia are generally kept sheltered from society. These children do not attend school, but rather attend classes at the orphanage. It is important for both these children and society for these children to experience community life.

For each donation of $250, approximately 20 children and an appropriate number of care provides will be able to go on an excursion to Yerevan at Victory Park, or another appropriate venue for a morning or afternoon of activities including transportation, admission and snacks. Please consider supporting multiple excursions for these children.