Oknooshoon Project

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Description

Nairi Krafian, a young Armenian-American Birthright volunteer is establishing a project called Oknooshoon in Armenia, which is literally a hybrid of the words help (oknoutyoun) and dog (shoun) in Armenian. As a pre-veterinary student who is passionate about both her homeland and animals, her goal is to improve the public perception, and in turn the quality of life, for rescued dogs in Armenia. Nairi has partnered with The Paros Foundation in order to introduce dog therapy in Yerevan, help provide education to improve the public perception of stray and rescued dogs and minimize their poor treatment.

Nairi will be in Armenia this summer for 11 weeks to introduce her Oknooshoon project. She will be collaborating with the Centaur Hippotherapy Center, where they train stray dogs as therapy animals, and the International Child Development Center (ICDC) and My Way socio-rehabilitation day care center, where they have programs for autistic youth. She hopes to create a sustainable animal therapy program for autistic children that will benefit the children, expose more of the Armenian community to animal therapy, and showcase the positive qualities of dogs to the human population. Furthermore, once the program has been refined, Nairi plans to also create a national standard for therapy animal certification, which will allow the practice of animal therapy to expand to other shelters. She will monitor the progress of her program though surveys given to the staff at both facilities, the parents of the children at ICDC, and the general public.

$5,300 is needed in order to fund this summer’s program. Costs include handler training education, dog training supplies, memory devices, PR materials, transportation between facilities, communication between involved parties, preventative medical care for the dogs, and hygiene supplies.

The following is a timeline for the Oknooshoon project:

May 29-June 16, 2017: Visit ICDC and Centaur, assess the facilities, introduce the program to staff and parents (of children at ICDC), and determine what qualities of the dogs would be suitable and therapeutic to which children. Buy necessary supplies. Assess dogs at Centaur and refine their training to suit the program.

June 19-July 7, 2017: Continue training dogs and handlers as needed. Slowly integrate dogs into ICDC, with highly supervised visits and trials, assessing the effectiveness of interactions between certain dogs and children or groups of children. Create a weekly schedule of animal therapy at ICDC accordingly.

July 10-August 4, 2017: Implement animal therapy schedule, continuously assessing and refining the program to ensure its continued success when I leave.

Fall 2017-Spring 2018 (in Boston): Assess and improve the pilot program. Create the standardized criteria and process for therapy animal certification. Complete independent study on animal therapy through the Occupational Therapy department at Tufts University. Expand PR and do outreach to more potential target facilities in Armenia (i.e. hospitals, orphanages, universities, war veterans, etc.)

Summer-Fall 2018 (return to Armenia): Have Centaur dogs undergo the official certification process. Expand certification availability to all shelters and provide training sessions and certification tests for dogs and handlers at all locations.

Region

Yerevan

City / Village

Yerevan

Start Date

June 2017

End Date

July 2018

Gallery Images

The team on one of their visits to the children’s center with two trained dogs.



Creating a bond between a newly trained service animal and a child is the goal of Oknoushoon.

The Need

Armenia lacks animal welfare advocacy and has a severe stray dog problem with longstanding social and economic roots, which perpetuates the negative stigma around stray dogs. The few existing shelters are saturated and often forced to adopt dogs overseas, which is a large financial burden. The goal of Oknooshoon is to incorporate dog therapy into the Armenian human healthcare system in order to improve the reputation of dogs and thus increase their adoption rate. There is also a very limited amount of easily accessible animal therapy for all people, including special needs children, for whom the benefits of animal therapy has been proven in many other countries. Oknoushoun will create a situation in which more people know about and have access to animal therapy.

Short Term Impact

The short term impact is to successfully implement a pilot project working to train dogs and handlers for animal therapy for the children at the ICDC and My Way.

Long Term Impact

The long term impact will be to give rescued dogs at shelters the opportunity to be tested and certified as therapy animals, and make animal therapy more popular and accessible for the Armenian population. This can increase the number of dog adoptions, help improve public perceptions of stray dogs and ultimately benefit people who utilize animal therapy.

Sponsors Benefits

All sponsors will be recognized on The Paros Foundation website and on all relevant press regarding this project. In addition, sponsors will also be included in an Oknooshoon e-newsletter in 2018.
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Adopt a Restroom, Khndzoresk School Phase 2

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Description

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.

Khndzoresk is a village in the South-East of Armenia to the south of the Goris – Stepanakert highway near Artsakh. Originally, the village school, which has 306 children in attendance and 20 staff members, had no running water or functional restrooms. Students and staff shared an outhouse-style squat bathroom with no working sinks.

This first phase has been completed, including renovations to three of seven restrooms through our partner and lead contributor the Armenian Network of America – Los Angeles Chapter. Furthermore, new water and sewer lines were installed. Sponsorship of this project will help raise the funds needed to renovate four more bathrooms (phase 2) at the school including, addressing such elements as windows, doors, flooring, lighting, paint, sinks, faucet and toilet. We will also install new water and sewer lines for these new restrooms.

Region

Syunik

City / Village

Khndzoresk

Start Date

Immediately

End Date

Three months following start date

Gallery Images

One of the seven restrooms at the Khndzoresk School.



The clean, modern and attractive bathrooms of phase 1.



The girls bathroom.

The Need

Students need a dignified and clean restroom to use while attending school. Currently, many students have no option other than to use unsanitary restroom facilities, or, even worse, avoid using the restroom at all until they reach a more appropriate venue, which can lead to health issues in later life.

Short Term Impact

306 children and 20 staff members will have running water and functional restrooms. The reconstruction of four additional bathrooms will employ a contractor and support the local economy through the purchase of necessary building materials and fixtures.

Long Term Impact

Hundreds of children will benefit from a modern, dignified bathroom to use while attending school for years to come. In addition, epidemics and health issues will be avoided through improved sanitation.

Sponsors Benefits

Sponsorship for this project will be recognized on a plaque in the entryway of the school, on The Paros Foundation website and in appropriate press related to this important project. The Paros Foundation will happily arrange a visit to the Khndzoresk School when you are in Armenia.
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May 9, 2018

Demolition work on the four bathrooms is complete. Our construction crew has installed new sewer lines and is completing the installation of new fresh water lines to the bathrooms.

 July 23, 2018

The renovation work at all four bathrooms is complete! Our team visited the school on the way to Artsakh this afternoon and viewed the beautiful new restrooms.

Kanakeravan Art School, Piano

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Description

The Kanakeravan Fine Arts School is located in the village of Kanakeravan about 30 minutes outside of Yerevan and serves both this village and a neighboring village. The School provides afterschool program in several of the fine arts including music, dance, pottery, painting and needle work to more than 125 children annually. The School has a committed staff and principal that ensure that their personal passion for the arts is upheld and taught to these children. The School receives support from the local government for administrative expenses and the students pay a modest monthly fee. This support and fees are not enough to allow the School to replace two worn pianos.

Region

Kotayk

City / Village

Kanakeravan

Start Date

August 2013

End Date

August 2013

The Need

Armenia’s villages and its children suffer from lack of facilities for children. The promotion of a child’s education and preservation of our rich culture depend on quality educational institutions. The Kanakeravan Fine Arts School can meet these needs with a modest amount of support.

Short Term Impact

The local economy will benefit from the local purchase of the two pianos, their delivery and tuning.

Long Term Impact

The 125 students currently at the School and future students will benefit from music instruction on proper pianos.

Sponsors Benefits

Your donation to the Kanakeravan Art School will be recognized with a plaque on each of the pianos, your name listed as a sponsor on the Paros Foundation website and in appropriate press related to this important project. The Paros Foundation stands ready to help you arrange a visit and tour the School when you are in Armenia.
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Video Update

August 13, 2013

Two brand new pianos were purchased and delivered to the Kanakeravan Art School.

A Sustainable Future for Orphanage Girls: Arpine T.

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Description

Nor Luyce works mentees, ages 14-17, from two local orphanages and/or poverty stricken families from Gyumri, Armenia. Under the direction of their Executive Director, Shoghik Mikayelyan, the program provides their mentees with positive roles models and emotional support. The reduction of isolation is provided by mentors and by field trips, which expose the children to various work and educational settings. In addition, Nor Luyce’s program emphasizes the development of educational and career plans. They are now at the stage of beginning to implement each older child’s plan for higher education. Each child has also either completed or is in the process of completing a career plan, which includes the most appropriate type and place of higher education.

Nor Luyce is trying to provide Arpine, a young girl who lives at the Fritjof Nansen Boarding School in Gyumri and attends the Gyumri Olympic College. Her fathered passed away in 2003 and she is estranged from her mother. Since childhood Arpine has had a great interest in sports. Her main passion currently, is weightlifting. She had participated and won medals at several competitions. According to the nurses at her boarding school, she is very calm, even-tempered, and responsible. The requested scholarship funds will cover the costs of her tuition, books, stationaries, winter clothing and her transportation fee for one year.

Region

Shirak

City / Village

Gyumri

Start Date

2013

End Date

2014

Gallery Images

The Need

Children living in orphanages are often isolated and may lack the knowledge and adult support necessary to make appropriate post orphanage choices. As a consequence, many of these children are deprived from the opportunity to pursue their education. The frustration of these deficits in addition to the expectation that they will not be able to afford additional education may even lead to a lack of motivation to seek the knowledge and support needed. By being given the opportunity to pursue educational goals, they will be able to secure job opportunities, a good future and a successful life.

Short Term Impact

Arpine, who currently resides at the Fritjof Nansen Boarding School in Gyumri and attends the Gyumri Olympic College will receive the financial support she needs, in a form of a scholarship, covering the costs of her college tuition, books, stationaries, winter clothing and transportation for one year.

Long Term Impact

The long-term goal is that Arpine, being given the opportunity to pursue her educational goals at the university level will have a reasonable chance to become self-sufficient member of Armenian society and have a successful life.

Sponsors Benefits

Sponsor will be recognized on both the Nor Luyce and Paros Foundation websites. Donors will be given regular progress reports on the girl’s progress during their university studies.
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Kharpert Home for Special Children Excursion 12

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Description

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.

Region

Ararat

City / Village

Nor Kharpert

Start Date

October 2018

End Date

October 2018

Gallery Images

Enjoying a great afternoon at Victory Park.



Residents from the Kharpert Home love spending time at Victory Park.



Enjoying the rides together!

The Need

Approximately 1,200 children live in Armenia’s 15 orphanages. While these facilities provide basic care for these children, their limited funding does not permit these children regular visits and participate in various social and cultural activities. A child with a disability has very few opportunities to visit the city and experience life outside of the grounds of the Kharpert orphanage.

Short Term Impact

The short-term impact of this project will be the employment of a bus driver, money being spent in Armenia’s local economy and most important the education and social benefits for 20 children with developmental disabilities.

Long Term Impact

This project has considerable long-term benefits for both the children and for society. Society’s attitudes towards people with disabilities will slowly begin to change as witness these children regularly and realize that society can indeed accommodate them as part of their community.

Sponsors Benefits

Your donation to the Kharpert Home for Special Children will be recognized at the Center and your name listed as a sponsor on The Paros Foundation website and in appropriate press related to this important project. The Paros Foundation stands ready to help you arrange a visit to the Kharpert Home for Special Children when you are in Armenia.
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October 19, 2018

Our Journey through Armenia 2018 group spent the afternoon at Victory Park with some of the residents from the Kharpert Home for Special Children.

Packs on Backs Armenia: Debi Arach 2017

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Description

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 in the summer of 2015, and 225 backpacks to the children at the Kharpert Children’s Home in the summer of 2016, we have decided to continue to work together and impact more children in Armenia.

Our next distribution will be for the kids attending the Debi Arach Children’s Center in Gyumri. Socially vulnerable children attend the center after their school and receive both humanitarian and educational support through a holistic approach. The Paros Foundation established the Debi Arach Children’s Center on April 15, 2015 and has since provided children each week the necessary academic, psychological, social and humanitarian support they need to succeed. Gyumri’s devastating history has left more than 100,000 residents homeless, and plagued with unemployment and rampant poverty. These families often struggle to provide their children with life’s basic necessities; therefore making backpacks and school supplies a distant priority. Children at the center were recipients of backpacks and school supplies during our first distribution in 2015. This distribution will meet the ongoing needs of both current and new children. Our goal is to provide 150 backpacks and school supplies for the children attending the center. 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.

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Region

Shirak

City / Village

Gyumri

Start Date

June 2017

End Date

July 2017

Gallery Images

Children will receive backpacks filled with several needed school supplies.

The Need

It is very difficult for a child to learn and excel in their studies without a proper backpack and essential school supplies. In addition, without the proper supplies these children are less likely to attend school on a regular basis, hence severely hindering their educational growth and minimizing future opportunities.

Short Term Impact

150 children from Gyumri’s poverty stricken communities attending the Debi Arach Children’s Center will receive proper backpacks and school supplies to aid in their educational advancement. Local school supplies will be purchased whenever economically feasible in turn boosting the local economy.

Long Term Impact

In the long term, 150 children from Gyumri’s poverty stricken communities will be given the opportunity to excel in their studies and further their educational careers. In additions, children will be motivated to attend school more regularly, and have increased self-esteem.

Sponsors Benefits

Your donation to sponsor the Packs on Backs Armenia: Debi Arach project will be recognized on The Heros Humanitarian Foundation 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.
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Debi Arach Vocational Center 2017/2018

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Description

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 2017, we plan to add additional hands-on training programs such as welding, cosmetology and culinary 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. 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.

Region

Shirak

City / Village

Gyumri

Start Date

September 2017

End Date

August 2018

Gallery Images

Students will have the opportunity to recieve training in different fields including robotics and computer sciences.



Debi Arach students eager to learn during their vocational training sessions.

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, 50 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 facilitated 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.
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December 10, 2017

Today our first group of 14 young men, who had completed their military service, graduated from our six month web programming courses. Most are engaged in their internships and some have already started working.

 February 7, 2018

Two new web programming courses were launched this month. First a second, more in-depth training course was launched to give our first graduates more knowledge on programming languages, and a second group of young people began our six month web programming set of courses.

Baghanis Kindergarten

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Description

According to historical sources the village of Baghanis, currently home to 286 households and 955 people, was is 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. Like many of the villages in this area, the village of Baghanis has also endured danger and suffering due to the war followed by frequent cease fire violations by Azerbaijan. Following the cease-fire, eight village residents have been killed, while six others wounded. The village is actively trying to improve the quality of life for its residents and is in need of aid.

Baghanis has a village school with 110 children in attendance, but the existing kindergarten in Baghanis is unusable because of its proximity to the border. 20 children await a functioning kindergarten and municipality is prepared to fund the operation, once a new building is constructed. The construction of a kindergarten will accommodate more than 20 children in the village that currently have no early education available. The village has allocated a plot of land near the school and medical center for this important construction project. The municipality is prepared to assume ongoing expenses of the facility’s operation. The municipality will also help prepare the paperwork necessary for construction. Sponsorship of this project will help fund the construction of a 100 sq. meter building along with furniture and a fence.

Region

Tavush

City / Village

Baghanis

Start Date

September 2017

End Date

July 2020

The Need

Studies show that attending kindergarten is important to students’ success in higher education, as well as for their future success. Constructing a kindergarten for the village of Baghanis will give 20 young children annually the opportunity to attend and provide them with safe and warm environment in which to begin their education.

Short Term Impact

The short-term impact of this project will be to construct a kindergarten along with furniture and a fence for 20 children. Jobs will be created for additional staff and teachers. All materials will be purchased in Armenia, thus providing a boost to the local economy. In addition, local villagers will be hired to complete the construction work, thus providing them with temporary jobs.

Long Term Impact

In the long term, the success of this project will provide a proper facility for current and future young children in the village of Baghanis to attend and start their educational journeys. Furthermore, the creation of the kindergarten will help create and maintain employment opportunities for the villagers.The village economy will also improve, as more jobs will be created for the residents. This will help deter emigration from the village.

Sponsors Benefits

Sponsorship of the kindergarten construction in the village of Baghanis will be recognized on a plaque in the Kindergarten, on The Paros Foundation website and in appropriate press related to this important project. The Paros Foundation will happily arrange a visit to the kindergarten in the village of Baghanis when you are in Armenia.
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July 15, 2020

A video shows the protests in Baku calling on a resumption of war with Armenia.

July 16, 2020

The kindergarten in the village of Aygepar was hit by Azeri artillery this morning. We had finished the complete renovation of this kindergarten in 2018 and will assess the damage and rebuild again as soon as possible! We build, they destroy!

 July 21, 2020

Members of The Paros Foundation team joined Tavush Governor Hayk Chobanyan, Berd Consolidated Communities head Harutyun Manucharyan, representatives of the Prime Minister’s office, and local village representatives to visit the Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur, Aygepar and Chinari communities to assess the damage and to strategize and coordinate the next steps forward.

GOALS 2017

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Description

GOALS was founded in 2014 after Peace Corps volunteer, Zach Theiler, was inspired by author, soccer coach and Harvard Hall of Fame athlete Andrea Montalbano’s visit to Armenia to promote women’s football. Andrea spoke about the importance of sport and youth development, specifically in empowering young women in the United States. Afterward, Zach Theiler teamed up with co-founder Victoria Dokken and gathered a team of Armenians and fellow Peace Corps Volunteers to create GOALS, with the aim of empowering young women throughout Armenia using soccer as a vehicle for change. We hope to give young women the chance to play soccer through GOALS Leagues, Summer Camps and After-school Clubs. Through their sport for social impact games, which are used in all programming, GOALS strives to improve critical thinking, empathy and create spaces for difficult conversations around gender equality, diversity, etc. Finally, GOALS trains coaches in use of sport for social impact curriculum so that its impact can be spread throughout the country.

We rely on donations for most of our work in Armenia. In 2017 we are expanding our reach and opening three new leagues in the north, in addition to the current league in southern Armenia. With your help, we can create new opportunities for an additional 300 girls! Furthermore, we are moving toward a co-ed program, which focuses more on dialogue using sport for social impact curriculum to bridge the stark gender divide between youths throughout the country.

You can decide how to support us! Choose between a league, a camp, a team, an after-school club, or any combination of them. A small donation really goes a long way!

Sponsor a League
Our football leagues are designed to give young women the chance to play soccer, build confidence and teamwork skills, as well as change public perception of women’s sports. Leagues consist of a minimum of four teams with nine players on each team aged 12-17. Each team is headed by an Armenian coach, who signs a contract committing to one-year of training their team a minimum once per week of the season (March – May; September – November) for one hour per session. Teams travel and play one competitive game per week. Sponsoring a league provides all travel costs, referees, nurses, venue space, and all the soccer equipment needed in order to hold trainings; jerseys, socks, footballs, cones, and pennies for an entire league. – $3,000

Sponsor a Camp
GOALS summer camps are designed to create an atmosphere of excitement and new opportunities for girls in the community. We implement summer camps in new areas where GOALS hopes to operate on a longer-term basis, in order to excite the community and motivate the girls to continue playing soccer. Our summer camps are five days, running from 9am to approximately 3pm. Each day consists of sport for social impact games which use sport to talk about gender equity, tolerance, diversity, human rights, etc. These games are followed by technical drills, lunch, and a leadership seminar comprised of strong, local guest speakers and/or leadership curriculum. – $1,500

Sponsor a Team
Teams are designed to help girls build new friendships, learn how to work in a team, and play competitive football in a competitive atmosphere. Using Coaches Across Continents curriculum our girls also have the opportunity to discuss social, gender, and tolerance issues in their communities. GOALS currently has 27 active teams throughout four different leagues. Each team needs coaches, equipment and travel. Sponsoring a team supports these needs for two full seasons/one year. – $500

Sponsor a Player
Sponsoring a player is an easy way to make a big impact through a small donation. This donation will pay for one girls uniform, socks, and travel to competitive games – $50

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Region

Throughout Armenia

City / Village

Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor, Goris, Dilijan

Start Date

January 1, 2017

End Date

December 31, 2017

Gallery Images

Girls of Armenia Leadership Soccer



This program has empowered girls through sports.



The GOALS program helps increase these girls’ confidence.



The GOALS program includes participation in leagues, camps and after-school clubs.



Each team is headed by an Armenian coach as well as several Peace Corps volunteers.

The Need

Throughout Armenia, there are limited opportunities for girls to play soccer. Despite having a strong desire to do so, girls cannot find the resources necessary or sporting groups that make experiencing the game a possibility. In addition, organized sport participation has several benefits to youth development such as leadership skills, teamwork skills, confidence building and improved overall physical health. The GOALS organization helps give young women the chance to play soccer through their GOALS Leagues, Summer Camps and After-school Clubs.

Short Term Impact

Last year GOALS impacted 305 girls through our leagues and camps. We witnessed an increase in these girls confidence, recorded an increase of parents who approve of their daughters playing soccer, and a spike in the belief that girls can be leaders. This year GOALS is planning to double the number of youth affected by adding additional leagues and camps as well as an after-school program.

Long Term Impact

In the long term, public awareness and opinions surrounding girls soccer will begin to change, making participation both feasible and desirable.

Sponsors Benefits

Sponsors of this project will be recognized on the Paros Foundation and GOALS websites, at the camps and in all press related to this project. The GOALS organization will also begin sending updates through their newsletter in which they will also thank and recognize sponsors.
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Debi Arach Children’s Center 2017 Operating Budget

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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 150 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. Three children have been taken out of boarding schools and brought to 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. Staff trainings have begun 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.

Currently in its second year, the center is working on funding year three 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 vocational training opportunities. $65,000 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.

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Region

Shirak

City / Village

Gyumri

Start Date

April 2017

End Date

March 2018

Gallery Images

The Debi Arach Children’ Center

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 150 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 2017 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

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May 26, 2017

Students at Debi Arach are slowly making strides in learning new skills and making new things with the 3D printer in our Vocational Training Center.

 June 7, 2017

Amazing news! Heghush is 18 years old and graduated from high school last week. Today, Heghush was accepted to college! She plans on attending Gyumri State Pedagogical Institute and majoring in Elementary Education. She’s been at Debi Arach since our opening two years ago. We wish her all the success in the world, congratulations Heghush!

 July 3, 2017

The Mobile Dental Clinic will be at Debi Arach this month. They have been providing free of charge dental care to students and staff. Many of the students have never been to a dentist before, so it can be an intimidating moment for them, but Dr. Simonyan and Dr. Kuyumjyan – extra care and kindness – have made the idea of dental health fun.

 July 7, 2017

Very grateful for the Sustainable Energy Development Fund, UITE, Phillip Morris Armenia LLC, and Arpi Solar for making it possible for Debi Arach to go solar! Now the center will be able to provide hot water for children to shower and to help heat the center in the winter months with renewable and clean energy.

 July 22, 2017

Today SERVICE Armenia 2017 spent the day at the center to distribute backpacks and school supplies to each of our students through the Packs on Backs project.

 September 21, 2017

Everyone at Debi Arach was so excited to have Congresswoman Jackie Speier and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo visit the center today. They were accompanied by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the United States of America, Grigor Hovhannissian, as well as the Chairman of The Paros Foundation, Roger Strauch. Thank you Mr. Josh Connolly, Chief of Staff, for planning and executing this visit.

 September 25, 2017

Today, teachers began a six part training on how to properly use technology in the classroom with the help of Debi Arach computer teacher, Marina. This is an important step to help integrate new teaching techniques to help children learn.

 December 10, 2017

Students at Debi Arach all received winter boots today with the help and sponsorship from Talar Nina.

 February 8, 2018

Thanks to fundraising efforts and all donors and supporters, Debi Arach now has two SMARTBoards to help with new and innovative teaching methods!

 Debi Arach is starting a bi-monthly career fair program for students 7-10th grade. The purpose of this program is to help students learn about possible career options, hear from professionals in those sectors, and learn the steps needed to become each profession.

Debi Arach is starting a bi-monthly career fair program for students 7-10th grade. The purpose of this program is to help students learn about possible career options, hear from professionals in those sectors, and learn the steps needed to become each profession.