Donations to The Paros Foundation Projects for Prosperity are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. To sponsor a project through The Paros Foundation, a 501 (c) 3 organization (Tax ID 20-5094630), or learn more about specific projects in need of funding, please contact us using the information below.
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 or so 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.
Staff from The Paros Foundation have visited and identified the Nalbandyan family as a good candidate to benefit from our Purchase a Home project. The family consists of Vachik and Kristine Nalbandyan, Kristine’s mother and their two daughters. Vachik works a few days a week in Gyumri doing construction to help provide for his family.
Once the move is complete, the make shift housing unit will be destroyed to prevent its future occupancy.
2,500 families live in the city of Gyumri in temporary, make shift housing. These units are neither safe nor sanitary. These families and their children need a normal apartment in which to live.
Short Term Impact
Immediately a family will be identified and an appropriate apartment purchased for them. The make shift housing unit which they currently occupy will be destroyed.
Long Term Impact
In addition to this family and their improved mental state changing through the fact that they will be living in a normal housing situation, the city of Gyumri itself will improve with the removal of these make shift housing units.
Sponsors Benefits
All sponsors will be recognized on all relevant press regarding this project and on The Paros Foundation website.
[vp_give_donor_wall
donors_per_page=12
show_total=false
show_modal=true
form_id=”62982″]
Updates: Images & Information
January 17, 2020
February 24, 2020
Previous
Next
Video Update
January 17, 2020
Tonight The Paros Foundation’s team visited the Nalbandyan family and informed them that they have been selected to receive a new apartment. We also learned today that Kristine and Vachik are expecting their third child soon!
February 24, 2020
The Nalbandyan Family moved into their new home today with the help of the Shirak Center NGO staff and The Paros team. We wish them the best on their fresh start.
The Armenia Support Fund (ASF) was established in early 2020 to take on strategic initiatives impacting Armenians in both Armenia and around the globe. In response to COVID-19, ASF has partnered with the Paros Foundation to launch the “Armenia COVID-19 Small Business Support Initiative” which aims to raise funds to support the business-related needs of family-owned businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19 in Armenia. After reporting record breaking GDP growth numbers in 2019, Armenia’s GDP is projected to be ~25% of what it would have been in 2020 before COVID-19.
This first phase will work to identify and support 20 family businesses with the goal of supporting up to 2,000 businesses as funds become available. Small businesses that are properly register, family-owned, employ less than 20 people and had 2019 annual sales of under 200K USD (96.5M AMD) will be eligible to apply for grants of up to $2,500 to help them meet specific needs of their COVID-19 effected businesses. Paros Staff will work with potential applicants to gather required information for their application and submit to the ASF and Paros team for approvals. Once approved, The Paros team will oversee and administer the grants, ensuring full transparency and success in helping these businesses thrive through this crisis.
If you are a business in Armenia and wish to apply or learn more, click here: Application
COVID-19 has had devastating effects on Armenia’s economy and families that own small businesses. In addition, the pandemic has ruined Armenia’s flourishing tourism industry, which impacts everything from small artisans to hotels and restaurants. ASF’s goal is to help some of these families get their businesses through crisis and continue building Armenia’s economy.
Short Term Impact
In the short term, beneficiaries of this project will receive grants up to $2,500 to help them and their families survive the current COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, this one time infusion of support, the application process and follow up will help them improve their business model for the future. The economic benefits of these grants will also be felt immediately in the Armenian economy.
Long Term Impact
In the long term, helping these family businesses through the pandemic will not only help Armenia’s economic recovery happen more quickly, but will help ensure these families remain committed to their businesses and not consider abandoning them and possibly leaving the country for economic reasons.
Sponsors Benefits
All sponsors of this project will be listed on the Armenia Support Fund website, The Paros Foundation website and in all appropriate press related to this important project. Meetings with businesses can be arranged for sponsors visiting Armenia in the future.
[vp_give_donor_wall
donors_per_page=12
show_total=false
show_modal=true
form_id=”63102″]
Updates: Images & Information
August 1, 2020
August 12, 2020
August 21, 2020
September 4, 2020
September 10, 2020
December 1, 2020
February 16, 2021
Previous
Next
August 1, 2020
We are excited to announce that representatives from both Paros and the Armenia Support Fund visited and awarded the first two businesses in Armenia their small business grants! Garik and his family run a bed and breakfast, The Edge of The World, in Norashen in Armenia’s Tavush Region. The second grant went to The Terracotta Studios, in Yerevan, which provides art instruction for young people.
August 12, 2020
Meet the next two Armenia Support Fund grant recipients – both based in tourism. This industry has greatly suffered with the absence of tourism in Armenia during the summer months and now throughout the year. Anush Exazarian and her family run a travel agency, Vaneni Travel Studio in Yerevan, which was dramatically affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Ani Hovhanisian and her family built the Noosh Guesthouse in Ashnak Village in the Aragatsotn region of Armenia. They had plans to expand when Covid-19 struck.
August 21, 2020
With the help of our community and in partnership with Armenia Support Fund, the next two recipients have received their grants in Armenia. Kabayan Tours is owned and operated by Moushegh Kabayan. He intends on using his support to help develop the domestic tourism market by designing tours catering to niche markets. Star Tours is owned and operated by Marianna Malishanko and focuses on promoting Armenia as a tourist destination for the Asian market.
September 4, 2020
The next three grant recipients are Tatevik, Rose & Karlen. Tatevik & Rose are both tour guides, an industry that has greatly suffered due to the complete stop of summer tourism to Armenia. Karlen owns a car rental company, which has also suffered due to the lack of travel.
September 10, 2020
The next group of Armenia Support Fund grant recipients received aid and are able to stay afloat. These business include: Abu Hagops, a Syrian Armenia owned restaurant in Yerevan, VJ Accessories, which produces leather goods, Pes-Pes, a company that produces child friendly educational maps of Armenia, Burger Coffee House, which caters to university students and tourists in the Yerevan City Center and Maronyan Fashion, a local fashion designer.
December 1, 2020
By December 1st, 2020, 21 more small businesses received grants from the Armenia Support Fund some of which include: Naro Dolls, VGuard Leather, Chocolate Story, Aleppo Optic, Abak Mental Math Academy and Emilia Art House.
February 16, 2021
The final 15 small businesses received they grants from the Armenia Support Fund by February 2021, some of which include: Tork Taekwondo Club, Sunny Guest House and Mailyan Souvenir Production. They were are very grateful and are excited for the opportunity to be able to continue their business.
Emma A. and her son live in the border village of Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur. On the morning of July 12, the Azeri’s launched a cross border attack on the Berd area of Armenia’s Tavush Region utilizing attack drones, tanks and other heavy artillery. Although the Azeris ultimately lost control of strategic military posts to the Armenian defense forces, a considerable amount of damage was inflicted upon the villages of Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur, Aygepar, Movses and Chinari.
In response to this assault, The Paros Foundation immediately committed to improving these villagers’ homes well beyond the damage sustained during this recent shelling. Work has already started in rebuilding Emma’s home, thanks to the on-going generosity and sponsorship of Jean-Marie Atamian and his family, who have adopted this important border village and made major investments in its infrastructure since 2012. In the words of Mr. Atamian: ” No one should underestimate our resolve standing with our villages; for every house the enemy destroys, we will built 10 new homes.” Other residential projects in the neighboring border village of Aygepar, along with immediate reconstruction of its kindergarten, will be addressed with funds raised from the Emergency Reconstruction Fund.
A large caliber mortar landed a few feet from Emma’s home. Its explosion left a crater in her yard, destroyed her garden including several fruit trees, and structurally damaged her home. The reconstruction of her home will include rebuilding the support structure for her home and balcony, replacing the roof and windows, running a proper heating system throughout the home, building a new bathroom (replacing the family’s outhouse) and completing a full interior renovation.
Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur is an important border village with a population of approximately 1,100 residents in the Berd area of Armenia’s Tavush Region. This community remains under constant risk of sniper fire and renewed armed conflict. NKA was the single most damaged Armenian village during 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 conditions. In particular, 70% of their fertile land is unusable because of frequent sniper attacks. Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur is a beneficiary village of the Paros Foundation’s Prosperity on the Border Initiative. With major financial support of Jean-Marie Atamian and his family over the last eight years, much of the village’s infrastructure has been completely rebuilt and improved including, but not limited to, its large secondary school, expanded kindergarten, medical center, emergency services building and water distribution system. In addition, several families have benefited from agribusiness and animal husbandry projects. Having funded the rebuilding of NKA’s infrastructure, the Atamian family is now focusing its attention on the reconstruction of severely damaged houses to provide decent and safe homes for deserving families in the village. In the last year alone, three houses were rebuilt, and two additional homes are currently under construction now.
A large caliber Azeri mortar landed a few feet from Emma’s home. Its explosion left a crater in her yard, destroyed her garden including several fruit trees, and left her home with serious structural damage.
Short Term Impact
In the short term, Emma’s home will be completely reconstructed giving her and her son (and his future family) a fresh start. The reconstruction of this home will benefit the local economy and a minimum of four workers will work on this home.
Long Term Impact
In the long term, the benefit of repairing homes damaged by the conflict is significant from both the village standpoint and a mental standpoint.
Sponsors Benefits
Sponsors of this important project will be listed on The Paros Foundation website and in all press related to this important project. Visits to this home site can be arranged for sponsors when in Armenia.
[vp_give_donor_wall
donors_per_page=12
show_total=false
show_modal=true
form_id=”63052″]
Updates: Images & Information
August 26, 2020
October 3, 2020
November 12, 2020
Previous
Next
August 26, 2020
Work to rebuild Emma and her son Vartan’s home is moving along well. Emma is happy with the progress being made. When Vartan is not serving as a soldier guarding the border near his home in Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur, he lends his support to the crew working to rebuild.
October 3, 2020
Because of the attack in Artsakh by Azerbaijan, the village is on high alert and work has stopped on Emma’s home. Her son, Vartan, is at his border post.
November 12, 2020
The crew is back to work and working to complete the work on the exterior of Emma’s home prior to winter. With the new heating system installed, work will continue inside as the work outside is completed.
Following the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, 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. Although more than a quarter century has passed since the earthquake, this depressive reality still remains. Currently, more than 1,800 families still live in domiks scattered throughout Gyumri in extreme poverty. Many of them are unable to provide for their familys’ needs including warm clothes, nutritious food, heat and electricity for their homes and other basic necessities.
During his visit to Armenia three summers ago Dustin Hochmuth, one of the SERVICE Armenia 2017 participants, and several of his peers, witnessed these horrible conditions and decided to assemble packets for 10 families in dire need of everyday necessities and non-perishable food items. This effort was led by one of the SERVICE Armenia 2017 coordinators, Stephanie Nersesyan. Following the success of that effort, Dustin decided to return to Armenia the following two years on the SERVICE Armenia 2018 and 2019 trips and spearheaded his own project providing similar packets of necessities to a total of 150 families in desperate need. Dustin helped raise the funds needed and with his SERVICE Armenia peers spent several days purchasing, assembling and distributing the packets of food to families in Gyumri.
One of our SERVICE Armenia 2019 participants, Hrag Kassabian, was also very inspired by this effort during the its implementation that summer. He decided to lead an effort to raise the funds needed to help 100 families again during the SERVICE Armenia trip in 2020. Each packet will cost $40 and will include basic staples including personal hygiene products, non-perishable food items such as rice, flour, sugar, salt, oil, and pasta. The packets will also include fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products and canned meats. Donations in any amount will help this important cause.
Currently, more than 1,800 families still live in domiks scattered throughout Gyumri in extreme poverty. Many of them are unable to provide for their familys’ needs including warm clothes, nutritious food, heat and electricity for their homes and other basic necessities.
Short Term Impact
In the short term, 100 families will receive packets filled with basic staples including personal hygiene products, non-perishable food items and fresh food items.
Long Term Impact
In long term, the Armenian diaspora will be exposed to the harsh living conditions in Gyumri through this important project.
Sponsors Benefits
All project sponsors will be recognized on all relevant press regarding this project and on The Paros Foundation’s website. The Paros Foundation can arrange a visit to Gyumri when you are in Armenia.
Due to COVID19 in 2020, our SERVICE Armenia 2021 program took initiative and helped fulfill the quota of groceries packed and distributed. They packed and completed a total of 50 groceries.
October 25, 2021
Our SERVICE Young Professionals group finished the project and packed and distributed a total of 50 bags.
Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur (NKA) is an important border village with a population of approximately 1,100 residents in the Bert area of Armenia’s Tavush Region. This community remains under constant risk of sniper fire and renewed armed conflict. NKA was the single most damaged Armenian village during 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 conditions. In particular, 70% of their fertile land is unusable because of frequent sniper attacks. Many homes have been heavily damaged over the years and are in need of substantial renovations and repairs, including, indoor plumbing, new windows, doors and floors, roof repairs, new heating systems, and even room additions.
NKA is a beneficiary village of the Paros Foundation’s Prosperity on the Border Initiative. With major financial support of Jean-Marie Atamian and his family over the last seven years, much of the village’s infrastructure has been completely rebuilt and improved including, but not limited to, its large secondary school, expanded kindergarten, medical center, emergency services building and water distribution system. In addition, several families have benefited from agribusiness and animal husbandry projects. Having funded the rebuilding of NKA’s infrastructure, the Atamian family is now focusing its attention on the reconstruction of severely damaged houses to provide decent and safe homes for deserving families in the village. In the last year alone, three houses were rebuilt.
The fourth major house reconstruction project will benefit the family of Suren G. Suren works as a police officer. His family (wife and three daughters) live in their family’s ancestral home. The home is in very poor condition and will be completely remodeled and rebuilt. The scope of work will include a new roof and underlying structure, a new foundation and exterior wall under part of the home, and a complete interior remodel. Work will take five months to complete and cost $25,000.
Due to the remote and dangerous area in which this village is situated, residents are unable to travel for work, or establish many other economical opportunities so that they can financially provide for their families and repair their homes. Helping Suren G and his family renovate their homes will help improve the quality of life for his family and help secure the population of NKA.
Short Term Impact
In the short term Suren’s home will be rebuilt and remodeled. In addition, some short-term local employment will be created benefitting the village economy. Materials will also be purchased locally whenever possible to also support the local economy.
Long Term Impact
In the short term Suren’s home will be rebuilt and remodeled. In addition, some short-term local employment will be created benefitting the village economy. Materials will also be purchased locally whenever possible to also support the local economy.
Sponsors Benefits
Sponsors of this important project will be listed on The Paros Foundation’s website and in all related press. Visits to the project site can be arranged when sponsors are visiting Armenia.
[vp_give_donor_wall
donors_per_page=12
show_total=false
show_modal=true
form_id=”62980″]
Updates: Images & Information
Previous
Next
May 23, 2020
Suren and his family have moved to their relatives home temporarily while construction is taking place. Our work crew has begun the demolition work.
July 9, 2020
Our team is making solid progress on Suren’s home. Once all the demolition was complete, the team poured new foundations for the addition on the home, blocked the exterior walls, poured the cement columns and are now installing the home’s new roof and substructure.
September 1, 2020
With the structure now complete and cement dried, windows were delivered today and installed. Work is also progressing well on the interior of Suren’s home!
November 10, 2020Work on Suren’s home was suspended for a little over a month, as the construction crew was called into military service to defend against the Azeri attack. Most of the workers have returned from their service and work has resumed.
December 5, 2020
Suren’s family will begin cleaning the interior of their home tomorrow and will begin the move on Monday!
December 6, 2020
The team purchased new appliances for Suren and his family and they will be delivered and installed in tomorrow just in time for moving day!
December 22, 2020
With all new furniture and appliances, Suren and his family have moved into their newly rebuilt home just in time for the new year! Thank you to the Atamian Family who made this significant change to Suren’s family possible.
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 or so 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 project will identify suitable needy families who can be moved into a new apartment and can demonstrate that they can afford their monthly utilities, etc. 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.
Once the move is complete, the make shift housing unit will be destroyed to prevent its future occupancy.
Region
Shirak
City / Village
Gyumri
Start Date
Immediately
End Date
Two months after start date
The Need
2,500 families live in the city of Gyumri in temporary, make shift housing. These units are neither safe nor sanitary. These families and their children need a normal apartment in which to live.
Short Term Impact
Immediately a family will be identified and an appropriate apartment purchased for them. The make shift housing unit which they currently occupy will be destroyed.
Long Term Impact
In addition to this family and their improved mental state changing through the fact that they will be living in a normal housing situation, the city of Gyumri itself will improve with the removal of these make shift housing units.
Sponsors Benefits
All sponsors will be recognized on all relevant press regarding this project and on The Paros Foundation website.
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 170 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.
Region
Shirak / Շիրակ
Vity / Village
Gyumri / Գյումրի
Start Date
April 2020
End Date
March 2021
To date, the center has already had several important successes. At least nine children have been taken out of boarding schools, attend 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 with the continued consumption of multi-vitamins and a daily well-balanced meal. 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.
The center is working on funding year five 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 career planning opportunities. $80,000 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. In 2019, with the long term commitment by Dr. & Mrs. Gary and Linda Assarian (MI) the vocational training program was renamed the Assarian Vocational Training Program.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idA8y2UEDp8
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 170 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
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.
The Debi Arach Children’s Center and as well as the Assarian Vocational Training Program temporarily closed last month due to Covid-19 following the order of the Prime Minister and until further notice. We are dedicated to providing consistent meals, psychological support, and structured in-home learning to the youth. Although the facility is currently closed, we are working hard to ensure the physical and emotional well-being of all students and staff. We have also committed to continue paying our staff during the closure. We are working closely with our on-staff psychologist, who is checking in with the kids each week to help them navigate their lives during this challenging time. We want to make sure the students still receive consistent, adequate nutrition so we are providing food packages for all families of Debi Arach with guidelines on safety protocols for receiving and cleaning the items.
August 17, 2020
The Debi Arach Children’s Center successfully and safely re-opened its doors to eager students. Several changes and new policies have been set in place for the safety of the kids and staff. Along with the emphasis on safety, the staff has been working hard to prepare students for the start of school scheduled for September 15, 2020. The goal is to expand the center’s programming to continue to be able to serve all of our center’s children in a safe and responsible manner including changing the manner in which meals are served and constructing temporary outdoor classrooms by taking advantage of the warm weather. Furthermore, Debi Arach will be holding both morning and afternoon sessions to accommodate children who will now be attending schools in split sessions to promote social distancing in schools.
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 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. In 2019, a complete renovation of the gym, locker rooms and adjacent bathrooms took place.
The school’s hallways are in need of new electrical and windows, and the school’s auditorium needs a complete renovation.
The Knights of Vartan School 106 serves more than 1,000 children. Broken and leaking windows and insufficient and dangerous lighting in the hallways need to be replaced. The school’s auditorium that is used constantly for gatherings, rehearsals, etc. needs a full cosmetic renovation to better serve the students.
Short Term Impact
In the short term, a local crew will be hired to replace the windows and hallway electrical and lighting, thus creating a safer and more comfortable environment for the school. In addition, the improvements to the school’s auditorium will create a more functional, cheerful space for the many groups utilizing this space on a weekly basis.
Long Term Impact
In the longer term, keeping the school’s infrastructure and investing in the education of the scores of children that will attend this school in the years to come will dramatically benefit the community including the teachers, children and other staff. A sense of community, unity with the Diaspora and pride in one’s surroundings will be instilled and reinforced.
Sponsors Benefits
All sponsors will be recognized on The Paros Foundation website, in appropriate press released to this project, and on a plaque installed at Knights of Vartan School 106.
[vp_give_donor_wall
donors_per_page=12
show_total=false
show_modal=true
form_id=”62978″]
Updates: Images & Information
Previous
Next
April 16, 2020
Work began at the School today to make improvements on the hallway lighting and replacement of all the hallway windows. Once this work is completed, the crew will begin the renovation of the school’s auditorium.
The Berd Consolidated Community is located in an isolated part of Armenia’s North-East Tavush region. More than half of the villages in this community have a mutual border with Azerbaijan, thus adding to the difficulties in these towns and villages.
In an effort to try and control the spread of the Covid-19 Virus, the government of Armenia made the difficult decision to issue a strong stay-at-home order for the entire country. This directive creates a very difficult situation for the elderly and other higher risk people. The head of Berd Consolidated Community, Harutyun Manucharyan, launched an effort to provide food staples to the elderly and others at high-risk. He turned to The Paros Foundation for help to reach 800 of the most vulnerable in his community.
Food packs will cost $10 each and are designed to provide basic staples including flour, sugar, buckwheat, coffee, oil, tea and other essentials that should last these people about 10 days. We anticipate food packages like these to be delivered twice in the coming weeks for these people. Staff from The Paros Foundation will connect directly with food suppliers in Armenia and order the food staples and have them delivered to the city of Berd, where the municipality staff will assemble and distribute the packs to the recipients.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNhVcwriO4g
Region
Tavush
City / Village
Berd Consolidated Communities
Start Date
April 2020
End Date
May 2020
The Need
Food support is needed to help 800 of the most vulnerable elderly and disabled residents in the Berd Consolidated Communities because of the Covid-19 worldwide pandemic.
Short Term Impact
In the short term, 800 people will receive a food pack made up of essential food staples, thus enforcing the stay-at-home order issued by the Government of Armenia.
Long Term Impact
In the longer term, we expect these people will receive two distributions of food packs, and thus be healthier because they were less likely to be exposed to the virus by traveling to the store and because they will not remain hungry.
Sponsors Benefits
Sponsors of this urgent project will be recognized on The Paros Foundation website and in all related press to this effort. Visits to Armenia’s Berd region can be arranged for visitors to Armenia in the future.
My Forest Armenia has partnered with The Paros Foundation for this environmental project. Their main objective it to plant 400.000 trees per year, or about 160 hectares of new forest every year with a mission to help decrease carbon in the atmosphere, sustainably increase forest coverage and preserve biodiversity using numerous endemic species. My Forest Armenia is growing seedlings ready for planting in its nurseries. This project is a reforestation plan of 20 hectares (50 acres) in a degraded area within the Dilijan National Park in the Tavush region. The forest has become degraded in the last 25 years because of illegal logging but mainly because of cow grazing in the pastures nearby. Villagers let their animals enter protected areas of the park and the undergrowth cannot regenerate. The most important part of the project therefore is to put a fence to protect the national park area. We will plant various endemic tree species so as to maintain the rich biodiversity of the park, mainly oak, beech, pine, birch, etc. Density will be 2,000 trees per hectare (800 trees per acre).
Reducing CO2 in the atmosphere is crucial to reduce global warming, planting trees is the best way to achieve this. At 11.2%, Armenia needs desperately to increase its forest coverage (as a comparison, forest coverage in the US is 34%). One cannot stress enough how forests are vitally important for any country, as it lowers temperatures, increase humidity, stops desertification, preserves bio-diversity and so much more. Further, many regions of Armenia are still quite poor. Reforestation in remote regions of Armenia will provide local villagers with a steady income and alleviate poverty.
By planting 30,000 trees and restore 20 hectares of forest, this project will achieve three objectives: reduce CO2 in the atmosphere, restore a beautiful forest area in the Dilijan National Park and, because we are hiring local workers from rural areas to work on the project, we will increase employment and improve the economic conditions in some of the poorest regions of Armenia.
Increasing forests and planting trees is the best way to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere. Furthermore, Armenia needs to increase its forest coverage. Forests are vitally important, as they lower temperatures, prevent soil erosion, increase humidity, etc. Further, reforestation in remote regions of Armenia will provide local villagers with a steady income and alleviate poverty.
Short Term Impact
Local villagers will be hired as reforestation workers with a legal contract during plantation, then part of them will have a longer contract for maintenance.
Long Term Impact
The long-term impact of the project will be to decrease carbon in the atmosphere, increase the forest coverage of Armenia and improve the nature of this attractive mountainous country. It will also improve life in the villages. Local residents will be trained and have new work opportunities, which will contribute to alleviating some poverty as well as empowering them. The villagers will become custodians of the future forests. The forest itself, having a proportion of fruit bearing trees (walnuts, hazelnuts, wild pears, etc.) will provide them with steady income for years to come.
Sponsors Benefits
All sponsors to this project will be listed on The Paros Foundation website, as well as on the website of My Forest Armenia. Donors who visit Armenia can have a guided visit to one of our nurseries and the reforestation site at the Dilijan National Park.
