Representatives of The Paros Foundation have visited more than 100 schools throughout Armenia. While some schools have either been renovated thanks to the Armenian government or as a result of the generosity of international donors, many remain in deplorable conditions and have little hope of being renovated in the near future. These conditions affect both the ability for students to learn, as well as the health of students and teachers.

The Paros Foundation will directly oversee the renovation of the school bathroom including addressing such elements as windows, doors, flooring, lighting, paint, sinks, faucet and toilet. Whenever possible, the school staff, students and their parents will be incorporated into the classroom remodel project to help build a sense of community and personal investment.

Representatives of The Paros Foundation have visited more than 100 schools throughout Armenia. While some schools have either been renovated thanks to the Armenian government or as a result of the generosity of international donors, many remain in deplorable conditions and have little hope of being renovated in the near future. These conditions affect both the ability for students to learn, as well as the health of students and teachers.

The Paros Foundation will directly oversee the renovation of the school bathroom including addressing such elements as windows, doors, flooring, lighting, paint, sinks, faucet and toilet. Whenever possible, the school staff, students and their parents will be incorporated into the classroom remodel project to help build a sense of community and personal investment.

Representatives of The Paros Foundation have visited more than 100 schools throughout Armenia. While some schools have either been renovated thanks to the Armenian government or as a result of the generosity of international donors, many remain in deplorable conditions and have little hope of being renovated in the near future. These conditions affect both the ability for students to learn, as well as the health of students and teachers. How is a student supposed to learn if there are not proper desks, chairs or windows in the classroom? One of the schools recently identified in need of a complete renovation is located in the large village of Ljashen in the Gegharkunik region at Lake Sevan.

Ljashen Village has a population of 5,000 and one local school. About 300 students attend this run down school. The Paros Foundation will directly oversee the renovation of a classroom at this school including doors, flooring, lighting, paint, electrical, and furniture as needed. The heating system was replaced 10 years ago by Developmental Services for Armenia, a California based humanitarian organization, and is still fully functioning. Whenever possible, the school, students and their parents will be incorporated into the classroom remodel project to help build a sense of community and personal investment.

Representatives of The Paros Foundation have visited more than 100 schools throughout Armenia. While some schools have either been renovated thanks to the Armenian government or as a result of the generosity of international donors, many remain in deplorable conditions and have little hope of being renovated in the near future. These conditions affect both the ability for students to learn, as well as the health of students and teachers. How is a student supposed to learn if there are not proper desks, chairs or windows in the classroom? One of the schools recently identified in need of a complete renovation is located in the large village of Ljashen in the Gegharkunik region at Lake Sevan. Ljashen Village has a population of 5,000 and one local school. About 300 students attend this run down school. The Paros Foundation will directly oversee the renovation of a classroom at this school including doors, flooring, lighting, paint, electrical, and furniture as needed. The heating system was replaced 10 years ago by Developmental Services for Armenia, a California based humanitarian organization, and is still fully functioning. Whenever possible, the school, students and their parents will be incorporated into the classroom remodel project to help build a sense of community and personal investment.

Representatives of The Paros Foundation have visited more than 100 schools throughout Armenia. While some schools have either been renovated thanks to the Armenian government or as a result of the generosity of international donors, many remain in deplorable conditions and have little hope of being renovated in the near future. These conditions affect both the ability for students to learn, as well as the health of students and teachers. How is a student supposed to learn if there are not proper desks, chairs or windows in the classroom? One of the schools recently identified in need of a complete renovation is located in the large village of Ljashen in the Gegharkunik region at Lake Sevan.

Ljashen Village has a population of 5,000 and one local school. About 300 students attend this run down school. The Paros Foundation will directly oversee the renovation of a classroom at this school including doors, flooring, lighting, paint, electrical, and furniture as needed. The heating system was replaced 10 years ago by Developmental Services for Armenia, a California based humanitarian organization, and is still fully functioning. Whenever possible, the school, students and their parents will be incorporated into the classroom remodel project to help build a sense of community and personal investment.

The mission of the Ghoghanj Children’s Center is to provide the proper support and guidance children need to excel in school and become self-confident and respectful young adults. Founded in 2003, the Ghoghanj Children’s Center works with vulnerable “at-risk” children and their families to help them overcome social, psychological and legal issues.

The Center’s programs are specifically designed to facilitate group discussion and are sensitive to the psychological challenges of an at-risk child and their families. The Center works to develop successful communication, self-expression and tolerance skills among the students. A fundamental focus on homework assistance and tutoring to ensure academic success is a key ingredient of the programs’ success.

As students enter the 10th grade, they must begin preparing for their college entrance examinations. A successful score on these examinations means a child has a chance to attend college and turn his/her life around. As these students have substantial financial difficulties, it is impossible for them to engage a tutor for these tests. This new program of the Ghoghanj Children’s Center would provide 10th and 11th grade, at-risk students free of charge tutoring services for their college entrance examinations. The goal of this program is to help these students transition successfully into college.

The mission of the Ghoghanj Children’s Center is to provide the proper support and guidance children need to excel in school and become self-confident and respectful young adults. Founded in 2003, the Ghoghanj Children’s Center works with vulnerable “at-risk” children and their families to help them overcome social, psychological and legal issues.

The Center’s programs are specifically designed to facilitate group discussion and are sensitive to the psychological challenges of an at-risk child and their families. The Center works to develop successful communication, self-expression and tolerance skills among the students. A fundamental focus on homework assistance and tutoring to ensure academic success is a key ingredient of the programs’ success.

As students enter the 10th grade, they must begin preparing for their college entrance examinations. A successful score on these examinations means a child has a chance to attend college and turn his/her life around. As these students have substantial financial difficulties, it is impossible for them to engage a tutor for these tests. This new program of the Ghoghanj Children’s Center would provide 10th and 11th grade, at-risk students free of charge tutoring services for their college entrance examinations. The goal of this program is to help these students transition successfully into college.

The Heros Humanitarian Foundation (HHF), a Los Angeles based non-profit organization, supports children in need and their educational advancement. The organization was founded in 2008 by six Armenian Americans with the belief that no child should be deprived of the essential necessities needed for their education regardless of their socioeconomic status. Their mission is to provide backpacks and school supplies to children living in poverty and from low socioeconomic households around the world. Through their Packs on Backs initiative, HHF hopes to motivate children, help them stay and excel in school, and have successful futures.

The Heros Humanitarian Foundation has partnered with The Paros Foundation to bring their Packs on Backs initiative to Armenia. After the successful distribution of 280 backpacks and school supplies to children in Gyumri’s impoverished neighborhood, our goal is to provide the same assistance to 100 children attending the Orran Center in Vanadzor.

Vanadzor is Armenia’s third-largest city and the capital of the Lori Region. It is also one of the three main cities that suffered during the devastating 1988 Spitak earthquake. The dismal situation of Vanadzor is evident through its consistent decrease in population due to high unemployment rate, poor living conditions and the low prospect of development. Orran, an organization focused on diverting children from the streets and engaging them in academic, cultural, and extra-curricular activities established a center in Vanadzor in 2012. Children ages 6 to 18 and who come from economically deprived families attend the center regularly. Currently, numerous children in Vanadzor cannot attend school because they don’t have the basic necessities. Sponsorship of this project will help give 100 children at this center backpacks and school supplies. A donation of $30 will help obtain a backpack filled with supplies for one child. School supplies will be grade appropriate and include a combination of pencils, pens, pencil cases, notebooks, folders, erasers, sharpeners, glue, scissors, rulers, highlighters, and crayons. In-kind donations of the items listed are also welcomed.

Maroush Dekermenjian has adopted this project and helped raise the funds needed with the help of her family and friends in honor of her birthday.

The mission of the Ghoghanj Children’s Center is to provide the proper support and guidance children need to excel in school and become self-confident and respectful young adults. Founded in 2003, the Ghoghanj Children’s Center works with vulnerable “at-risk” children and their families to help them overcome social, psychological and legal issues.

The Center’s programs are specifically designed to facilitate group discussion and are sensitive to the psychological challenges of an at-risk child and their families. The Center works to develop successful communication, self-expression and tolerance skills among the students. A fundamental focus on the arts, homework assistance and tutoring to ensure academic success is a key ingredient of the programs’ success.

Since its inception, the Ghoghanj Children’s Center has been continuously attempting to expose it’s students to new and developing academic opportunities. The existing computer and Internet course at Ghoghanj provide these opportunities and need funding to continue. The continuation of these courses will provide 75 at-risk students with three levels of classes progressing from proper computer usage, to Internet use and eventually basic web design. Children at the Center will also gain access to free Internet whether they are enrolled in the courses or not. The goal of this program is to teach their students the proper technological skills essential for a successful future.

The Shirak Centre NGO, established in 2006, completes important work to empower the forgotten population of Gyumri, Armenia. The population of Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city has endured some very devastating realities. The tragic 1988 Spitak Earthquake claimed the lives of 25,000 people and left more than 100,000 residents homeless, plagued with unemployment and rampant poverty for years to come.

Under the direction of organization president Vahan Tumasyan, the Shirak Centre NGO aims to support families from different socio-economic classes and various social groups by educating them about their social rights and civil liberties and creating opportunities for them to exchange new political ideas and strategies, develop democracy, and strengthen their economy. On a daily basis the Shirak Centre NGO deals with the socio-political issues important to the people of Gyumri, along with helping them negotiate with local authorities, promote coalition building and conflict resolution. Furthermore, through several projects, humanitarian aid, and seminars, the Centre helps to promote human rights, homeless advocacy, and works to strengthen leadership skills among young people.

The Paros Foundation has worked with the Shirak Centre NGO on completing several projects including identifying a homeless family and moving them into a new home and supplying 90 families with firewood for fuel during this harsh winter. The Centre has since continued to meet the needs of the Gyumri population by continuing to distribute necessities such as more firewood and warm clothes and shoes. Unfortunately, it is becoming financially difficult for the Shirak Centre NGO to keep up with the high costs associated to renting vehicles needed to distribute humanitarian supplies.