Tsoghamarg is one of the Women for Development NGO’s (WFD NGO) beneficiary rural communities. It is located in the Ashotsk area and is 20km from Gyumri. There are 558 residents in the community, of whom 70 are children of school age and 56 are children of pre-school age. There was a kindergarten in the village until 2002, but due to financial issues has not been functioning for the last 13 years. As a result of the projects implemented in Tsoghamarg by WFD NGO, a community development strategic plan 2013-2015 was jointly developed in 2012. One of the issues covered in the strategic plan refers to the organization of children’s leisure activities, which could be solved by building a playground in the village. The problem is that currently, there isn’t a suitable area or playground for children and adolescents to spend their free time. The yard of the former kindergarten is fenced and would make an excellent area to build a playground. Sponsorship of this project will help restore the area and install the necessary equipment to create a small playground for the children. The main goal of the project is to improve the everyday life of children and adolescents in the Tsoghamarg community. The playground in Tsoghamarg will ease women’s everyday problems and will save their already tight budget so they won’t have to spend extra money on transportation costs in order to take their children to a park in the nearby city.

The WFD NGO was formed in 1997 in Gyumri, Armenia. The organization is carrying out important work to improve the lives of Armenians by empowering women, providing healthy lifestyle skills, mobilizing communities, and developing a culture of peace. From 2000-2007, WFD NGO has worked in more than 70 rural communities of North Armenia towards primary health care, family planning, reproductive health and rights, women’s rights, HIV/AIDS and more. Since 2008, WFD NGO started its work towards rural community mobilization and development in beneficiary rural communities. Through working closely with municipalities and active community groups WFD NGO provides non-formal educational opportunities for rural women to increase their communities’ capacity, independence and entrepreneurship.

Established in February 2014, the “Armenak & Ann Tadeossian’s” Children Rehabilitation and Day Care Center (AAT Center) provides physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, pediatric psychology, hydrotherapy, art therapy and special education services to children and young adults with disabilities. The Center is located in the Aragatsotn region of Armenia, which has three towns and 111 villages. According to official statistic, of the 131,700 residents of this region, 231 are disabled children of which 82 of them require special care. The AAT Center is able to provide services to children from 22 of the following villages: Agarak, Avan, Ashnak, Aragatsotn, Aruj, Byurakan, Kaqavadzor, Mastara, Nerqin Bazmaberd, Verin Bazmaberd, Nerqin Sasnashen, Nor Amanus, Nor Yedesia, Voskevaz, Voskehat, Partizak, Sasunik, Ushi, Ujan, Oshakan, Ohanavan, Maralik.

The Center is newly reconstructed and fully equipped with the necessary rehabilitation goods and furnishing to provide the highest standard of rehabilitation care. Although the AAT Center is a non-governmental foundation, they do receive minor aid from the government to provide medical services for area residents. The majority of their aid comes from local companies and foundations, and diasporan Armenians who want to help. Since its inception, 48 children from the region have received rehabilitation services at the center. The AAT Center hopes to expand its services to more children and young adults, but lacks the financial ability. $3,600 will help provide four children rehabilitation services at the center for six months, including food, transportation, and salaries. Sponsorship of this important project will help enhance the quality of life of more children and young adults with disabilities and their families. We hope to be able to find sponsorship for ten children.

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.

The Kharpert Home for Special Children is an orphanage located in the village of Nor Kharpert serving 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 children 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.

Verin Tsakhkavan is a village with 1,115 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. The facility is housed in a freestanding building that had some renovations done to it in 2004.

The Medical Center consists of two rooms totaling approximately 660 square feet. The Center needs a new awning over its entrance, new doors, running water and a bathroom. Currently they are using a wood-burning stove for heating. They have a need for storage cabinets for both medication and patient records, chairs for the waiting room. They do not have a refrigeration system for vaccinations and need a blood pressure monitor, glucose monitor, and an EKG machine.

Any partial funds received for this project will be first used to replace the damaged awning and doors, and to bring a water pipeline to the building and purchase a refrigeration system and equipment. Then funds will be allocated to EKG equipment purchases. The Paros Foundation team will work with the village administration to ensure that they support the project in as many ways as possible including donated materials, free labor and/or support services.

It is anticipated that the repairs to the medical center will take approximately 3 months depending on weather conditions.

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.

This project builds on the Sevan Youth Club’s current involvement with Homeland Handicrafts and addresses the need to recruit more artisans and offer them better education and information.

The Sevan Youth Club will hold three types of seminars: Recruiting, product themes and business seminars.

Recruiting seminars: Three times a year, the Sevan Youth Club will hold recruitment and training seminars for new
artisans. These artisans will be taught the Homeland Handicrafts product-creation methodology and basic business model.

Product theme seminars: Seminars discussing product designs and themes will be held 6 weeks before each Homeland Handicrafts holiday bazaar to coordinate products and establish a strategy used by Sevan Youth Club artisans. Approximately five holiday bazaars will be held in the year.

Business seminars: Sevan Youth Club artisans will be invited to attend 3-4 seminars each year, teaching basic
business, marketing and accounting techniques. The timing of these seminars will be determined by timing of other seminars and artisan availability. Seminar topics will be determined by the immediate needs of the artisans.

This project will address two important issues in the Sevan community:

Alleviating unemployment:
Artisan recruitment targets those who are most in need of changing their financial situation. The recruitment seminars will be held in Sevan, specifically for Sevan-area artisans, giving them opportunities for employment.

Improving wages:
Empowering local artisans through education and trainings gives artisans the knowledge and avenues to be self-sufficient entrepreneurs, helping them to escape the shackles of low-wage labor markets and exploitation.

Health care for residents living in Armenia’s remote and/or poverty stricken areas is very hard to find and difficult to afford. Residents in these communities have a high rate of health issues that could otherwise be prevented or cured if they had access to simple medical care. In order to help remedy this unfortunate situation, The Paros Foundation has launched Med Aid Armenia.

Med Aid Armenia is made up of medical professionals (practicing or in school) from the United States who are volunteering their time and skills in order to provide residents in these communities with basic medical care. The group of volunteer medical professionals will be working with Armenian’s Health Ministry as well as several doctors from Armenia. As a first step our target population will receive basic check-ups and screenings. Med Aid Armenia will provide basic medical care to children and their families living in poverty stricken communities. Basic care will include eye exams, general physicals, blood pressure exams, and blood glucose and cholesterol screenings. Following screenings, patients will either be provided with direct care or referrals for continuing care. Medication will be provided by a licensed medical professional whenever appropriate. Any surplus of medical supplies and medicine will be transferred to nearby medical clinics, and managed by our local medical partners to patients needing follow up care and medication.

Sponsorship of this project will help raise the necessary funds needed to obtain basic medical equipment, supplies and medicine. In-kind donations of any of these items are also welcomed. Furthermore, we specifically need physicians, nurses, pharmacists and more to help our volunteers conduct physical exams and provide basic medical care.

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 380 backpacks and school supplies to children in Gyumri and Vanadzor this summer, we have decided to continue to work together and impact more children in Armenia. Together we have decided our next distribution will be for the kids living at the Kharpert Home for Special Children.

The Kharpert Home is an orphanage located in the village of Nor Kharpert currently serving 225 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. The Paros Foundation has worked with the Kharpert Home several times in the past implementing excursions for the children to amusement parks and/or other appropriate venues in order to provide these children with both valuable community experience and needed recreation. Of the 225 kids living at the center 55 attend local specialized schools, while the remaining 170 attend classes at the orphanage.

Sponsorship of this project will help give 55 children at the Kharpert Home regular backpacks and school supplies in addition to 225 drawstring backpacks filled with custom supplies for their specific needs. Some of the these items will include: arts & crafts supplies -beads, coloring books, crayons, puzzles, yarn, sewing kits and some minor hygienic needs- deodorant, toothpastes and toothbrushes. A donation of $30 will help obtain either 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.

Syrian Armenian Families who left Syria as a result of war, and have come to Armenia looking to resettle, need assistance. Unfortunately, the Armenian and Artsakh Governments do not have the funds to support this effort. However, the Artsakh government stands ready to help settle rural Syrian Armenian families in Artsakh’s Kashatagh Region. Once resettled, these rural families can engage in agriculture and agribusiness to care for their families as they did prior to the upheaval in Syria.

Through a government homestead program, The Paros Foundation will identify a suitable piece of property and home for a refugee family. Necessary renovations and/or reconstruction of the home will be completed using local labor and materials whenever possible. The refugee family will be identified and once the home is completed, it will be given to the family free of charge. A gifting agreement will be signed indicating that the house belongs to the family outright provided they agree to the housing program conditions.

During and following the project implementation, photos, video and information will be provided to all donors and supporters of this project. 100% of funds donated towards this project will go directly to the project and its management and implementation with no funds being used for foundation administrative purposes.

The Paros Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 organization. Donations to this project are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Our tax identification number is 20-5094630.

Links

• EurasiaNet: Syrian refugees resettling in Nagorno-Karabakh
• Garo and Mher: These Qamishli Armenians Plan to Stay in Kovsakan