The Paros Foundation underwrites all administrative and overhead costs allowing 100% of all donor contributions to godirectly towards projects and supported organizations.
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.
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.
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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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.
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.
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 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
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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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.
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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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.
The Ghoghanj Children’s Center located in the Kentron of Yerevan provides afterschool and summer school programs for approximately 75 children every month. Children who attend the Center are loosely defined as “at risk.” These children typically come from very poor households, often times with a single head of household, who cannot pay for such assistance. The goal of the Ghoghanj Children’s Center is to provide the necessary academic, psychological and social support to ensure that the children attending mature to well adjusted, successful, young adults.
In order to further impact more “at-risk” children, the Center has identified a need for this model to be replicated and offered to other communities in Armenia. Through the generous support of the Dadourian Foundation, a second center for “at-risk” children was opened in the Nor Nork neighborhood of Yerevan to provide support to 75 additional children annually. The new center provides students the same core classes (English, Russian, Computer, Design, Painting, Theater and Dance) as the Ghoghanj Children’s Center – Kentron. The goal of this project is to broaden the services offered to socially vulnerable children and families in other communities and provide them with the proper support and guidance needed to excel in school and become self-confident and respectful young adults.
Currently, The Paros Foundation is looking for donors who will help keep this important Center running in the 2017-2018 school year. Amount will include rent, utilities, teacher salaries, maintenance and additional improvements, and supplies.
Region
Yerevan
City / Village
Nor Nork
Start Date
September 2017
End Date
August 2018
The Need
Children living in the community of Nor Nork in Yerevan are in need of additional guidance through social, psychological and academic support. A second Center for these kids has been opened and will need additional financial assistance in order to cover operational costs for the following school year (2017-2018).
Short Term Impact
In the short term, sponsorship of this project will help continue to employ teachers, and provide 75 children in the Nor Nork neighborhood of Yerevan with their needed tutoring and guidance.
Long Term Impact
In the long term, this project has the potential of impacting the lives of 75-100 at-risk students by helping them gain the guidance and support they need in order to create greater future opportunities, and become successful individuals and good citizens.
Sponsors Benefits
Your donation to fund the operational costs for the 2017-2018 school year for Ghoghanj-Nor Nork 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 happily arrange a visit to the new Center when you are in Armenia.
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October 1, 2017
Students from the Ghoghanj Children’s Center attended the Digitec Expo 2017 annual exhibition.
March 22, 2018
On International Day of Forests the Armenia Tree Project joined the Learning about Forests – LEAF Initiative and visited Ghoghanj for the last of nine environmental classes. The children summarized what they had learned about trees and biodiversity and also enjoyed recycling their own paper!
Nor Luyce’s program aims at stabilizing emotions, forming values, self-esteem and self-confidence of all our mentees, arming them with knowledge and skills, which will provide them with an opportunity to take steps toward a sustainable future, while breaking the stereotype that getting married as the fastest way of getting out of the orphanage. Nor Luyce is trying to empower teenagers with their own voice by providing mentoring relationships and applicable skills.
In order to improve the future and career opportunities for girls from socially disadvantage families and orphanages, we created a 3-phase, 3-year mentoring program that impacts approximately 40 girls a year. Currently, we are seeking funding for our first phase, which will provide a mentoring to 15 new Nor Luyce beneficiaries, aged 14.
Our Mentoring Phase program covers 11 months, during which 15 girls, aged 14, from socially vulnerable families and orphanages receive mentoring. Each mentor-mentee pair meet approximately 40 times for individual meetings as well as partake in 20 group meetings. During our mentoring phase, we also focus on empowering participants to become active community members through service activities, cultural events, and building leadership through various responsibilities such as presenting information to their peers and other organization members. We also offer tutoring services for any participant who is struggling academically.
In order to decrease the likelihood that girls will be trafficked or married off at a young age, we strive to provide teenagers with a positive role model and a strong connection with other girls and prominent community leaders. We focus on career aspirations and how to create the best version of themselves, using the traits, skills, and strengths the participants already possess. We also believe, that in order to empower young girls, we need to have a comprehensive approach to their development, as such following the first phase we then focus on skill-building trainings, career development, and offer scholarships for higher education. As of now, we have twelve girls in a higher education institution.
Due to severe poverty, several hundred children live in institutions in Gyumri even though they may have a parent. Young women living in orphanages and boarding schools in Gyumri are at a high risk of not pursing higher education, being married off at a young age, or even becoming victims of abuse or trafficking. Mentoring these women through the Nor Luyce Mentoring Center helps provide these women skills, direction and goals for the future.
Short Term Impact
In the short term:
• 15 mentees will partake in at least 40 one-on-one meetings with their mentor
• 25 mentees will take part in at least 10 group meetings focusing on various life skills such as moving from dreams to reality, conflict resolution, stress management, etc.
• All 15 mentor-mentee pairs will complete at least one community service activity
• All mentees will take part in at least 10 overall group meetings focused on creating a global perspective on issues such as different cultures, human rights, government, etc.
• All mentees will take part in at least one international event such as International Women’s Day, International Human Rights Day, etc.
• Mentees will receive job shadowing experience at local job site
• All 15 mentees will create a presentation and lead a group discussion
Long Term Impact
In the long-term participants will: • Will have increase in their academic performance by end of program year • Will have increased time management skills • Will create a career plan with short and long term goals • Will continue onto Nor Luyce’s other 2 phases and become a more well-rounded, active, and confident individual.
Sponsors Benefits
Sponsor will be recognized on both the Nor Luyce and The Paros Foundation websites, social media sites and in all appropriate press related to this project. Donors will also be mentioned in the Nor Luyce e-newsletter and be given regular progress reports on the girl’s progress during their university studies.
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January 7, 2018
The first meeting of the 2018 program year was organized for the Skill Building Phase mentees. Mentees finilized the research papers on their preferred topics.
Nor Luyce works with young girls, ages 14-17, from two local orphanages and/or from poverty stricken families from Gyurmi, 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 either beginning or continuing to help 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 Naira, a young girl from Gyumri, with a scholarship that would reduce her out of pocket costs towards her education. Naira lives at home with her parents, four sisters and two brothers, one of which is suffers from epilepsy. Her parents do not work and their family barely survives on a poverty pension. Fencing has always been Naira’s passion, but unfortunately due a leg injury can no longer pursue it as a career. Instead, Naira has chosen to continue her education at the University and pursue studies in journalism, physical training or kinesiology. She enjoys listening to music, reading books, and playing table tennis. Naira is hopeful that one day she can continue her sports career in fencing and make her parents and her country proud. The requested scholarship funds will help Naira continue her studies and cover the costs of her tuition, uniform, books, stationaries, winter clothing and her transportation fee for one year.
https://youtu.be/MC0V3-pZ5Ck
Region
Shirak
City / Village
Gyumri
Start Date
2015
End Date
2016
The Need
Children living in orphanages and/or within poverty stricken families are often isolated and may lack the knowledge, adult support and financial ability necessary to make appropriate life 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
Naira, who currently lives in Gyumri’s, will receive the financial support she needs, in a form of a scholarship, covering the costs of her college tuition, uniform, books, stationaries, winter clothes and transportation for one year.
Long Term Impact
The long-term goal is that Naira, being given the opportunity to continue pursuing 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
Sponsors will be recognized on both the Nor Luyce and The Paros Foundation websites. Donors will be given regular progress reports on the girl’s progress during their university studies.
After the devastating 1988 Shirak Earthquake almost all of the kindergartens were damaged and some of them were completely destroyed. Although 27 years have passed there is still several kindergartens still functioning in temporary shipping containers in substandard conditions. The municipality of Gyumri tries to assists all of these kindergartens, but is unable to keep up with their many problems. The “Local Democracy Agency” (LDA) foundation, established in Gyumri in 2012, has been working to aid these kindergartens.
Currently, LDA is working closely with the Zangak Kindergarten, which has been operating since 1992. It was constructed by the Russians as a present to the children of Gyumri after the earthquake. Zangak Kindergarten operates out of a modular building with a big hall, sleep rooms, play rooms and 90 children in attendance. One wing of the kindergarten needs new flooring as many of the floorboards have rotted away.
In the past two years the Gyumri Municipality has restored the playground for the children. Sponsorship of this project will help restore the floors in one wing including the hallways, sleep rooms, play rooms and classrooms. $5,050 is needed in order to complete the restoration and LDA has already pledged $550 towards the workers compensation. The municipality has also agreed to provide sand for the restoration. The main goal of this project is to improve the conditions of the kindergarten and promote the children’s’ health and a safe environment.
The floors at the Zangak Kindergarten in Gyumri have rotted away over the last 24 years as a result of rain and termites. Zangak Kindergarten is one of the several kindergartens left in substandard condition since the 1988 Shirak Earthquake. Restoration of the floors is especially important so that the children and the staff do not fall and hurt themselves.
Short Term Impact
The short-term impact of this project will be to restore the floors in the hallways, classrooms, and playrooms and sleep rooms in one wing of the Zangak Kindergarten. 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, children for years to come will have a safe and warm environment in which to start their educational careers.
Sponsors Benefits
Your donation to sponsor the floor restoration at the Zangak Kindergarten in Gyumri 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 when you are in Armenia.
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The Ghoghanj Children’s Center located in the Kentron of Yerevan provides afterschool and summer school programs for approximately 75 children every month. Children who attend the Center are loosely defined as “at risk.” These children typically come from very poor households, often times with a single head of household, who cannot pay for such assistance. The goal of the Ghoghanj Children’s Center is to provide the necessary academic, psychological and social support to ensure that the children attending mature to well adjusted, successful, young adults.
In order to further impact more “at-risk” children, the Center has identified a need for this model to be replicated and offered to other communities in Armenia. Through the generous support of the Dadourian Foundation, a second center for “at-risk” children was opened in the Nor Nork neighborhood of Yerevan to provide support to 75 additional children annually. The new center provides students the same core classes (English, Russian, Computer, Design, Painting, Theater and Dance) as the Ghoghanj Children’s Center – Kentron. The goal of this project is to broaden the services offered to socially vulnerable children and families in other communities and provide them with the proper support and guidance needed to excel in school and become self-confident and respectful young adults.
Currently, The Paros Foundation is looking for donors who will help keep this important Center running in the 2015-2016 school year. Amount will include rent, utilities, teacher salaries, maintenance and additional improvements, and supplies.
Children living in the community of Nor Nork in Yerevan are in need of additional guidance through social, psychological and academic support. A second Center for these kids has been opened and will need additional financial assistance in order to cover operational costs for the following school year (2015-2016).
Short Term Impact
In the short term, sponsorship of this project will help continue to employ teachers, and provide 75 children in the Nor Nork neighborhood of Yerevan with their needed tutoring and guidance
Long Term Impact
In the long term, this project has the potential of impacting the lives of 75-100 at-risk students by helping them gain the guidance and support they need in order to create greater future opportunities, and become successful individuals and good citizens.
Sponsors Benefits
Your donation to fund the operational costs for the 2015-2016 school year for Ghoghanj-Nor Nork 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 happily arrange a visit to the new Center when you are in Armenia.
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Updates: Images & Information
April 10, 2015
As a result of inclement weather, the children at both locations of the Ghoghanj Children’s Center were treated to lunch complements of the Armenia Tree Project. Thanks Lucineh Kassarjian for your quick thinking!
