Description
The residents of Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city have endured very devastating realities. The tragic 1988 Spitak Earthquake claimed the lives of 25,000 people and left more than 100,000 residents homeless, and plagued with unemployment and rampant poverty for years to come. In turn, the fate of children in Gyurmi 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 and the financial resources for them to excel in school and have a successful future. Families struggling with these extreme conditions must often place their children in one of several orphanages to try to have their daily needs met.
The Debi Arach Children’s Center, which in Armenian means “moving forward,” will help these socially vulnerable children by providing them with the support and guidance they need to succeed in life. Through sponsorship of this important project The Paros Foundation, will establish a children’s center providing the necessary academic, psychological, social and humanitarian support to ensure that the children mature to well adjusted, successful, young adults.
The new center will provide 100 students with opportunities to receive counseling, homework help and tutoring along with English, Math, Art/Design, and Computer classes. Additionally, a well-balanced and nutritious meal will be provided daily. The Center, which will be open six days a week, will be able to serve two groups of 50 students for three days each per week.
In order to address another very important need for children in Gyumri, supervised bathing facilities will be available for the children’s use. Each child attending the center will be able to use the showers twice a week should they desire. Strict supervision will be assigned in order to ensure the privacy and safety of the children.
Furthermore, the municipality of Gyumri has agreed to partner with us on this important project and provide us with long term and rent-free space to house this new program. The current program budget reflects only the one-time startup and annual operational costs.
Gallery Images
Students at Debi Arach participate in academic, art and computer classes.
Students in Debi Arach's computer classes learn about basic use of computers, the internet, Microsoft office suite and even
photoshop!
Student are fed a nutritious meal each day.
Weather permitting, students engage in outdoor classes and physical activity. The backyard at Debi Arach has been cleared and planted with grass and a garden.
Children at Debi Arach participate in regularly schedule excursions to cultural and educational sites.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 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 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 have 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 providing the children in attendance with supervised new bathing facilities.
Short Term Impact
The short-term 100 children will receive immediate support and gudacne to help them succeed. The new Center will offer nutritious meals, counseling opportunities, homework aid and tutoring and core classes including English, Computer, Art/Design, and Math. Additionally, new bathing facilities will be constructed and ready for use by the children. An entire staff of 11 individuals including an administrative staff and instructors will be immediately employed to help instruct and oversee these courses. Additional employment opportunities will be created for the residents of Gyurmri for both the start-up and operational phases of the program.
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. This project has the potential of 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. Through the ongoing employment opportunities created, several families will receive a fair wage.
Sponsors Benefits
Your donation to sponsor the establishment 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.
Updates: Images & Information
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.
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!
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A video shows the protests in Baku calling on a resumption of war with Armenia.
Our Donors (101)
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Mr. Luke Seufferlein , In Honor of Ani Vartanian Boladian
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Ms. Anush Arakelyan , In Honor of Anna Dermenchyan
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Mr. Aram Namavar , In Honor of Anna Dermenchyan
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Edward & Pamela Avedisian Charitable Trust
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Mr. & Mrs. Todd & Anna Papazian
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St. James Armenian Church Memorial Fund
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Knights of Vartan Ardaz Lodge
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Mr. Roger Strauch
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Mr. & Mrs. David & Christine Balabanian
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Mr. & Dr. John & Ani Kedeshian
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Ms. Claire Kedeshian
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Mr. Richard Alonso & Mrs. Lori Keurian Alonso
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Mr. & Mrs. Caro & Rebecca Minas
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Ms. Nancy R. Kolligian
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Mr. & Mrs. Ohannes & Zevart Yacoubian
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Mr. Daron Pogharian
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Dadourian Foundation
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Ms. Christina Cherekdjian
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Mr. & Mrs. Mark & Charlene Asdourian
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Ms. Patricia Samarge
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Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas & Sarah Hacopian
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Mr. & Mrs. Mark & Janis Seraydarian
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Mr. & Mrs. Jack & Eva Medzorian
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Dr. & Mrs. Allen & Wendy Nalbandian
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Mr. & Mrs. Charles & Lisa Sansone
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Mr. Nerses Kazanjian
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Dr. & Mrs. Shant & Robin Garabedian
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Dr. John Doumanian
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Ms. Ellen Sarkisian Chesnut
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Bedrossian, Chelebian & Gregorian Families
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Eric & Christina Hacopian
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Ms. Isgouhi Kassakhian
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Mr. & Mrs. Vasken & Patty Kalaydjian
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Mr. Kevin Kestekyan
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Ms. Arlene Aaronian
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Mr. Paul Boghosian
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Mrs. Joy Renjilian
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Mr. & Mrs. Dro & Lynn Kanayan
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Mr. & Mrs. Souren & Susan Etyemezian
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Mrs. Charles Talanian
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Anonymous
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John Mirak Foundation
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Mr. & Mrs. Harry & Hripsime Parsekian
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Dr. Ernest Barsamian & Mrs. Sonig Kradjian
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Mr. Richard Lee Weil, Jr.
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Mr. Robert Mugar Yacubian
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Mr. & Mrs. Avedis & Houry Boyamian
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Ms. Adrienne Alexanian
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Mr. Robert Semonian
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Mr. Paul Bedrosian