Several villages in the Tavush region of Armenia are bordering Azerbaijan. Residents in these border villages live and work under a constant risk of sniper fire and renewed armed conflict each day. The economy of the villages and the livelihood of many of its residents have suffered due to these difficult and dangerous times. It is of strategic importance to support these villagers in their daily lives so that they may remain inhabitants of these villages, mere footsteps from Azerbaijan. Economic development and opportunities for work are essential to continue improving the conditions in these border villages.

To date we have successfully implemented eight agribusiness projects in the village of Baghanis. Currently home to 286 households and 955 people, the village was established in the fifth century and is situated in the Tavush region of Armenia. The village is adjacent to the Republic of Azerbaijan, sharing a 2 km-long border. Today, the residents make a living by farming and tending to their livestock. The village is actively trying to improve the quality of life for its residents and is in need of aid.

Ararat’s family includes his wife and three young children under the age of ten. In addition, Ararat’s mother lives with them in the same household. Ararat is requesting materials to repair his 25 square meter barn, one cow, two sheep and feed. As a part of this effort, families will be provided training and/or business tips for the ensured success of their agribusiness. Frequent visits will be made to the family to track their progress and determine the success of their new venture.

Musical Armenia was founded in 2017, to support youth music education in Armenia. They believe that every child in Armenia should have access to music education, regardless of financial means. Musical Armenia has partnered with The Paros Foundation to help provide tuition scholarships and instruments for underprivileged children. Musical Armenia is solely supported by individual donors.

This project aims to provide full, ongoing music scholarships to 14 children in need from Nork Marash who attend the Andreasyan School of Music. The budget includes funds allocated for securing instruments, transportation costs and other related expenses whenever needed. Your contribution of $14 per month ($168 per year) will sponsor one child for the duration of one year. Sponsorship in any amount is welcomed.

For many of Armenia’s most isolated and poverty stricken regions, sporting equipment is difficult to come by and expensive to buy. By supporting this project you will help thousands of children attending schools in the poverty stricken villages throughout Armenia. Although schools in these villages may have a few sporting goods, often times, the kids are playing with items that are old, unsafe and unusable.

Our goal is to purchase and distribute a variety of sporting goods and equipment to village schools and give these students the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities, play individual and team sports and exercise. In addition, the completion of this project will help to promote health and fitness.

The variety of sporting goods will include volleyballs, volleyball nets, basketballs, basketball hoops, soccer balls, soccer nets, wrestling mats, jump ropes, hula hoops, assortment of weights, tennis rackets, tennis balls and some gymnastics equipment based on the needs of individual schools.

More than 1,200 children live in Armenia’s 15 orphanages. These facilities provide for the children’s basic needs, but their limited budgets do not allow these children to participate in visits to popular historical sites, an amusement park or concert, or attend a cultural event.

Armenia’s orphan children should have the opportunity to experience popular cultural events, exhibits, and excursions in Armenia, or simply have a fun afternoon or activity that they normally would not be able to experience. Many different activities and excursions can be organized for these children. The extent of the activity or trip is directly related to the sponsorship amount. For sponsorships amounts between $250 -$750 approximately 20 children and an appropriate number of chaperons will be able participate in a memorable activity. Please consider supporting multiple excursions for these children.

The Paros Foundation staff and volunteers will organize and oversee the excursion/activity. Opportunities to sponsor excursions for orphanages serving both disabled and non-disabled children exist. Whenever possible, our staff will work with the destination for the excursion to secure group pricing and/or discounts.

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.

More than 1,200 children live in Armenia’s 15 orphanages. These facilities provide for the children’s basic needs, but their limited budgets do not allow these children to participate in visits to popular historical sites, an amusement park or concert, or attend a cultural event. Armenia’s orphan children should have the opportunity to experience popular cultural events, exhibits, and excursions in Armenia, or simply have a fun afternoon or activity that they normally would not be able to experience. Many different activities and excursions can be organized for these children. The extent of the activity or trip is directly related to the sponsorship amount. For sponsorships amounts between $250 -$750 approximately 20 children and an appropriate number of chaperons will be able participate in a memorable activity. Please consider supporting multiple excursions for these children. The Paros Foundation staff and volunteers will organize and oversee the excursion/activity. Opportunities to sponsor excursions for orphanages serving both disabled and non-disabled children exist. Whenever possible, our staff will work with the destination for the excursion to secure group pricing and/or discounts.

More than 1,200 children live in Armenia’s 15 orphanages. These facilities provide for the children’s basic needs, but their limited budgets do not allow these children to participate in visits to popular historical sites, an amusement park or concert, or attend a cultural event.

Armenia’s orphan children should have the opportunity to experience popular cultural events, exhibits, and excursions in Armenia, or simply have a fun afternoon or activity that they normally would not be able to experience. Many different activities and excursions can be organized for these children. The extent of the activity or trip is directly related to the sponsorship amount. For sponsorships amounts between $250 -$750 approximately 20 children and an appropriate number of chaperons will be able participate in a memorable activity. Please consider supporting multiple excursions for these children.

The Paros Foundation staff and volunteers will organize and oversee the excursion/activity. Opportunities to sponsor excursions for orphanages serving both disabled and non-disabled children exist. Whenever possible, our staff will work with the destination for the excursion to secure group pricing and/or discounts.

Samuel Khatchadourian has once again teamed up with The Paros Foundation in support of our Share-a-Pair initiative in lieu of birthday gifts  to raise the funds needed to provide the children attending the Debi Arach Children’s center with new shoes.  Share-a-Pair was launched in Los Angeles by sisters, Kristen and Bridget Abajian, and friend Sophia Dilsizian. To date, we have distributed thousands of pairs of shoes through this important initiative.

180 children attend the Debi Arach Children’s Center in Gyumri, Armenia. The center was established on April 15, 2015 with the help of generous donors and provides 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 also unable to provide their children with the proper guidance, supervision, educational aid and important necessities, such as new shoes to go to school and play in.

Sponsorship towards this effort will ensure that 180 children attending the Debi Arach Children’s Center will receive new shoes. Samual has decided to help lead the effort in raising the funds needed to meet this important need for these children. Donations in any amount help!

The Paros Foundation established the Debi Arach Children’s Center in Gyumri, Armenia on April 15, 2015. The center, which provides 120 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. In 2016, Debi Arach 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. Students participate in their choice of several programs including computer programing 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. In 2019, we plan to add additional hands-on training programs, the first of which will be culinary and restaurant service classes. The center operates Monday- Saturday and classes are offered on a rotating basis. 50 young adults will be enrolled per year and attend the training class of their choice. Once the training courses are completed, the Debi Arach staff will work with the students on job placement. Since the inception of this vocational program, 28 students have been either enrolled in one or more classes and 11 have already found jobs and are earning money. Sponsorship towards this project will help run the vocational center for one year, including staff wages and supplies. 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.

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. $2,500 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.