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The Paros Foundation underwrites all administrative and overhead costs allowing 100% of all donor contributions to go directly 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.

Contacts

2217 5th Street

Berkeley CA 94710

info@parosfoundation.org

(310) 400 9061

Project Category: Humanitarian

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Orphaned Children’s Day Excursion 13

Orphaned Children’s Day Excursion 13

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Description

More than 1,200 children live in Armenia’s 15 orphanages. These facilities provide for the children’s basic needs, but their limited budgets do not allow these children to participate in visits to popular historical sites, an amusement park or concert, or attend a cultural event.

Armenia’s orphan children should have the opportunity to experience popular cultural events, exhibits, and excursions in Armenia, or simply have a fun afternoon or activity that they normally would not be able to experience. Many different activities and excursions can be organized for these children. The extent of the activity or trip is directly related to the sponsorship amount. For sponsorships amounts between $250 -$750 approximately 20 children and an appropriate number of chaperons will be able participate in a memorable activity. Please consider supporting multiple excursions for these children.

The Paros Foundation staff and volunteers will organize and oversee the excursion/activity. Opportunities to sponsor excursions for orphanages serving both disabled and non-disabled children exist. Whenever possible, our staff will work with the destination for the excursion to secure group pricing and/or discounts.

Region

Lori

City / Village

Vanadzor

Start Date

July 2017

End Date

July 2017

Gallery Images


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Our SERVICE Armenia 2017 group along with the children from the Vanadzor Orpahanage ready for a fun day at Victory Park.


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Kids from the Vanadzor Orphanage enjoying the rides at Victory Park with our SERVICE Armenia 2017 group.


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Enjoying the day and making friends.


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More rides with new friends.


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Thumbs up to a great day!

The Need

Armenia’s orphanages generally are able to provide for their children’s basic care, but limited funding does not allow these children to visit museums, historical sites and popular cultural events. Allowing a child a few hours of recreation and/or entertainment as a regular child greatly enhances his/her outlook on life and reduces the emotional complexes of being an orphan.

Short Term Impact

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

Long Term Impact

This project has considerable long-term emotion, education and psychological benefits for the children, as they will be able to participate in activities that are above and beyond basic existence in an orphanage.

Sponsors Benefits

Your support of this project will be recognized at the relevent Orphanage, your name listed as a sponsor on the Paros Foundation website and in appropriate press related to this important project. The Paros Foundation stands ready to help you arrange a visit to the care facility when you are in Armenia.
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Updates: Images & Information

Video Update


July 21, 2017

Children from the Vanadzor Orphanage were taken to an excursion at Victory Park. Participants and volunteers of the SERVICE Armenia 2017 group spent the day enjoying the rides and implementing this important project

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Kharpert Home for Special Children Excursion 13

Kharpert Home for Special Children Excursion 13

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Description

The Kharpert Home for Special Children is an orphanage located in the village of Nor Kharpert serving more than 250 children with varying degrees of developmental disabilities. The orphanage is a state run facility that receives governmental support to provide these vulnerable children with their basic care and education.

Excursions for these children to amusement parks and/or other appropriate venues provide these children with both valuable community experience and needed recreation. Children with disabilities in Armenia are generally kept sheltered from society. These children do not attend school, but rather attend classes at the orphanage. It is important for both these children and society for these children to experience community life.

For each donation of $250, approximately 20 children and an appropriate number of care provides will be able to go on an excursion to Yerevan at Victory Park, or another appropriate venue for a morning or afternoon of activities including transportation, admission and snacks. Please consider supporting multiple excursions for these children.

https://youtu.be/PHV2EpQRb40

Region

Ararat

City / Village

Nor Kharpert

Start Date

June 2018

End Date

June 2018

Gallery Images


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Sevan Abnous accompanying one of the children from the Kharpert Home on a ride.


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Fun day out for the kids from Kharpert & SERVICE Armenia 2018!


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Enjoying the train ride at Victory Park.


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A day of great memories!

The Need

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

Short Term Impact

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

Long Term Impact

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

Sponsors Benefits

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

June 27, 2018

SERVICE Armenia 2018 participants, along with Paros staff, and this project’s donor and this year’s program coordinator, Sevan Abnous, accompanied 20 kids from the Kharpert Home for Special Children to a fun day at Victory Park.

 

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Orphaned Children’s Day Excursion 11

Orphaned Children’s Day Excursion 11

Read Updates

Description

More than 1,200 children live in Armenia’s 15 orphanages. These facilities provide for the children’s basic needs, but their limited budgets do not allow these children to participate in visits to popular historical sites, an amusement park or concert, or attend a cultural event.

Armenia’s orphan children should have the opportunity to experience popular cultural events, exhibits, and excursions in Armenia, or simply have a fun afternoon or activity that they normally would not be able to experience. Many different activities and excursions can be organized for these children. The extent of the activity or trip is directly related to the sponsorship amount. For sponsorships amounts between $250 -$750 approximately 20 children and an appropriate number of chaperons will be able participate in a memorable activity. Please consider supporting multiple excursions for these children.

The Paros Foundation staff and volunteers will organize and oversee the excursion/activity. Opportunities to sponsor excursions for orphanages serving both disabled and non-disabled children exist. Whenever possible, our staff will work with the destination for the excursion to secure group pricing and/or discounts.

Watch Video

Region

Yerevan

City / Village

Yerevan

Start Date

June 2017

End Date

June 2017

Gallery Images


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Kids from the Yerevan Children’s Home excited to enjoy some rides.


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SERVICE Armenia 2017 participants cheering on the children.


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One of the boys!


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Ready to take off!


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Children enjoying the day with their new friends.


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SERVICE Armenia 2017 participants and the children from the Yerevan Children’s home shared a nice meal after all the rides.

The Need

Armenia’s orphanages generally are able to provide for their children’s basic care, but limited funding does not allow these children to visit museums, historical sites and popular cultural events. Allowing a child a few hours of recreation and/or entertainment as a regular child greatly enhances his/her outlook on life and reduces the emotional complexes of being an orphan.

Short Term Impact

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

Long Term Impact

This project has considerable long-term emotion, education and psychological benefits for the children, as they will be able to participate in activities that are above and beyond basic existence in an orphanage.

Sponsors Benefits

Your support of this project will be recognized at the relevant Orphanage, your name listed as a sponsor on The Paros Foundation website and in appropriate press related to this important project. The Paros Foundation stands ready to help you arrange a visit to the care facility when you are in Armenia.
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Updates: Images & Information

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November 12, 2016

Anushik Avetikyan made a donation in celebration of her Eighth Birthday to treat the children at the Yerevan Children’s Home to an upcoming excursion.

 June 26, 2017

Children from the Yerevan Children’s Home were taken to an excursion to the Yerevan Children’s Railway & Playground. Participants and volunteers of the SERVICE Armenia 2017 group spent the day enjoying the rides and implementing this important project.

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Debi Arach Children’s Center 2017 Operating Budget

Debi Arach Children’s Center 2017 Operating Budget

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Description

The Paros Foundation launched the Debi Arach Children’s Center in Gyumri, Armenia on April 15, 2015 with the help of generous donors. The center, which provides 150 children each week the necessary academic, psychological, social and humanitarian support, has since been a source of positivity in this city. The residents of Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city have endured very devastating realities since the tragic 1988 Spitak Earthquake. More than 100,000 residents were left homeless, and plagued with unemployment and rampant poverty for years to come. In turn, the fate of children in Gyumri has also been affected. Dealing with the difficulty of finding means to feed and care for their families, many parents are unable to provide their children with the proper guidance, supervision, educational aid and the financial resources for them to excel in school and have successful futures. The Debi Arach Children’s Center, which in Armenian means “moving forward,” helps these socially vulnerable children through a holistic approach providing them with both humanitarian and educational support. The center provides counseling and group therapy with a psychologist on staff, homework help and tutoring for almost every subject the children learn in school including English, Math, Art/Design, and Computer classes. Additionally, they are served a nutritious meal everyday, helping them receive the calories and/or nutrients they would otherwise not have. Furthermore, the Center addresses a very important hygienic need by providing the children in attendance with supervised bathing facilities. The goal is to help hundreds of children develop a vision for a successful future, and to give them the skills they need to reach these goals. This project is impacting the lives of hundreds of socially vulnerable children by helping them gain the guidance and support they need in order to create greater future opportunities, and become successful individuals and good citizens.

To date, the center has already had several important successes. Three children have been taken out of boarding schools and brought to our center and now live back at home with their families. Many of the children who were receiving poor grades in school are now achieving top scores. The children have become socially well adjusted and much more healthier than before. Staff trainings have begun with an academic counsel of professionals from the United States and Armenia to ensure that the children are receiving the best care, treatment and methods for their development.

Currently in its second year, the center is working on funding year three and raising additional funds in order to develop and add to the programs and classes offered with the ability to hire more educators, and get more supplies, and equipment. Funds will also be used to supplement daily activities, hold forums for guest speakers and provide educational and vocational training opportunities. $65,000 is needed to cover operating costs for the Center. In January of 2017, Debi Arach successfully launched its first program within its Vocational Training Center, teaching children computer programming, 3d printing and robotics curriculum. The goal of this newest component is to provide these children with marketable job skills in order to help them work themselves out of poverty.

Watch Video

Region

Shirak

City / Village

Gyumri

Start Date

April 2017

End Date

March 2018

Gallery Images


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The Debi Arach Children’ Center

The Need

Thousands of children in Gyumri are living in extreme poverty, with no hope for a decent future. These socially vulnerable children are in need of a safe and enriching environment where they can receive additional guidance through social, psychological and academic support giving them a chance to break their cycle of poverty. The children’s center will continue to provide these children with the opportunity to attend afterschool and summer school programs providing them with the additional skills necessary for a successful future. Additionally, these children suffer from malnutrition and related illnesses due to a lack of well-balanced meals. The center will continue to provide each child with a nutritious meal everyday, helping them receive the calories and/or nutrients they need. Furthermore, many families were forced to take refuge in overseas shipping containers (domiks), or in condemned buildings after the devastating 1988 Spitak Earthquake or due to their poor socioeconomic status. An entire generation of children has grown up in deplorable conditions, often times with no running water and little or no heat to take showers. The Center will address this very important hygienic need by continuing to provide the children in attendance with supervised new bathing facilities.

Short Term Impact

The short-term 150 children will receive immediate support and guidance to help them succeed for the second year. The Center will continue offer nutritious meals, bathing facilities, counseling opportunities, homework aid and tutoring and core classes including English, Computer, Art/Design, and Math.

Long Term Impact

In the long term, with the success of the Center’s current offerings, additional classes and programs will be added and attendance will rise. The number of children growing up in poverty in the future will decrease as the number of children successfully graduating from our program and continuing onto college or successful vocations increases. The number of “social orphans” and children temporarily residing in boarding schools in Gyumri will be reduced as parents become increasingly able to keep their children at home given the humanitarian support they receive at the center. Through ongoing employment opportunities created, several families will continue to receive a fair wage, hence improving Gyumri’s economy.

Sponsors Benefits

Your donation to sponsor the operating cost for 2017 of the Debi Arach Children’s Center in Gyumri will be recognized with a plaque at the Center and on the Center’s website and in their printed materials. Your name will also be listed as a sponsor on the Paros Foundation website and in appropriate press related to this important project. The Paros Foundation will proudly arrange a visit to the new Center when you are in Armenia.
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Updates: Images & Information

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May 26, 2017

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

 June 7, 2017

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

 July 3, 2017

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

 July 7, 2017

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

 July 22, 2017

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

 September 21, 2017

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

 September 25, 2017

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

 December 10, 2017

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

 February 8, 2018

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

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

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

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Mobile Dental Clinic 2018/2019

Mobile Dental Clinic 2018/19

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Description

The Armenian Dental Society of California has partnered with The Paros Foundation in order to help its mobile dental clinic bring dental care to poverty stricken communities throughout Armenia.  Dental hygiene is commonly overlooked in many of these communities due to several reasons. Dental supplies and dental care are either very hard to find or too expensive for residents in these villages to afford.

Jack and Azniv Bayramyan and Family have generously funded a challenge matching grant to support this project since its relaunch in 2016. Sponsorship of this project will help raise the funds needed to keep the mobile clinic on the road providing its mobile services. Two dentists from Armenia travel along with the mobile clinic and provide dental care for village residents. Dentists from the US will have the opportunity to join the two local dentists on a volunteer basis. $2,500 will help keep the mobile clinic working for one month. Dental care provided by the mobile clinic will include basic child oral care and education, cleanings, fillings and other basic care.

Region

Throughout Armenia

City / Village

Throughout Armenia

Start Date

January 2018

End Date

December 2019

Gallery Images


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Mobile Dental Clinic


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Mobile Clinic Dental Staff.

Gallery Video

The Need

Dental supplies and dental clinics are very hard to find or too expensive for residents living in Armenia’s remote and/or poverty stricken villages. This can cause a lifetime of dental problems and oral disease. Residents living in these areas are in need of dental care in order to be able to prevent serious dental issues in the future.

Short Term Impact

Residents of remote and poverty stricken villages will be visited by the mobile dental clinic and receive basic dental care. In addition, two dentists, one assistant and a driver work on the clinic all from Armenia, and have the opportunity to work alongside volunteer dentists from the United States.

Long Term Impact

Residents of remote and poverty stricken villages will have a decreased chance of tooth decay and serious oral issues in their future.

Sponsors Benefits

Your donation to sponsor the Mobile Dental Clinic will be recognized on The Paros Foundation website and in all appropriate press related to this important project.
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Updates: Images & Information

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https://youtu.be/IiZHmKOU5owhttps://youtu.be/sv0J_qnHWKo
February 2, 2018

The Mobile Dental Clinic has left 7th Masiv, where they spent the month of January, and are now in the neighborhood of Zeitun. The bus will be stationed near the 8th Hospital in Zeitun for the month of February.

 March 2, 2018

The Mobile Dental Clinic arrived in Masiv to work with the children at School No. 61.

 January 28, 2019

Read about Joe Chelebian’s efforts to support the Mobile Clinic here https://parosfoundation.org/thank-you-joe/

 June 5, 2019

The Mobile Dental Clinic arrived at the Banants Yerevan Football Club (sports school) in Sebastia-Malatia. The clinic is always greeted with excitement and will stay at this location for the month.

 July 2, 2019

The Mobile Dental Clinic is on to the next highly anticipated stop at the Debi Arach Children’s Center in Gyumri.

 September 3, 2019

This month the Mobile Dental Clinic will be stationed at the Jermik Ankyun (“Warm Hearth”) Foundation premises. At Warm Hearth they are committed to providing homes to abandoned Armenians with special needs who have outgrown the orphanages.

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Purchase a Home 7

Purchase a Home 7 – Davtyan Family

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Description

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

September 2016

End Date

December 2016

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.
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Updates: Images & Information

December 28, 2016
December 28, 2016

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December 30, 2016
December 30, 2016

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December 28, 2016

Moving day is here! We were able to move the Davtyan family into their new apartment to allow them to start 2017 in a clean, safe and happy environment!

 December 30, 2016

Our colleagues from the Shirak Centre, NGO working quickly to tear down the Davtyan family’s domik. Wood from the demolition work will be distributed to other families in need.

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Book in a Bag 2

Book in a Bag 2

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Description

Students attending schools in Armenia do not easily have access to Western/English language literature. In the last decade, English has steadily become the most popular foreign language in Armenia. Students throughout the country are learning how to read, write and speak English and could really benefit from another means by which to learn and practice the language further. In addition, reading can significantly increase students’ vocabularies as well as strengthen their creativity. These books are not readily available or affordable, especially in rural and impoverished villages, towns and cities.

Peter Chelebian (16), an Armenian-American from Los Angeles has recently come up with a brilliant idea to help children in Armenia gain access to terrific literature. He hopes to use his passion for books to help make a difference in the lives of his fellow brothers and sisters.

Peter will be helping lead the effort in raising funds to place small English literature libraries, each stocked with 50 important literary works. The bookshelves housing the books will be built in Armenia. In the last year Peter has successfully helped raise enough funding to place three libraries throughout Armenia. $2,025 ($675 each) is needed in order to complete three full libraries in three different locations throughout Armenia. Donations of books (in excellent condition) are welcomed alongside monetary support for this important project.

Region

Throughout Armenia

City / Village

Throughout Armenia

Start Date

December 2016

End Date

March 2017

Gallery Images


Peter Chelebian will be spearheading this project.
Peter Chelebian will be spearheading this project.

The Need

Students could really benefit from access to Western/English literature throughout Armenia. As the English language becomes more popular in Armenia, the need for language aids such as these books has become a necessity.

Short Term Impact

Three small libraries stocked with 50 books will be placed in three different schools in Armenia for children to read.

Long Term Impact

In the long term, children will benefit from these libraries as their proficiency in reading and writing in the English language will increase. In addition, mastering the English language will open the doors to more opportunities in their future.

Sponsors Benefits

Your donation to sponsor the Book in a Bag project will be recognized on The Paros Foundation website and in appropriate press related to this important project. There will be a small sign with donor name(s) on each library. The Paros Foundation will happily arrange a visit to your library when you are in Armenia.

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DSCN1238-e1519409606292

Purchase a Home 1: Hakopian Family

Purchase a Home 1: Hakopian Family

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Description

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 have 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 expenses. Agreements will be signed passing ownership of the apartment to the chosen family, with the stipulation that until their youngest child reaches 18 years of age, the family cannot sell, rent or move. 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.

Hakop Hakopian grew up in a domik following his family losing their home in the 1988 Spitak Earthquake.  When he got married, he worked and saved up $700 to purchase his own “domik.”  Hakop’s domik sits beneath a power transformer and he has been told by the electric company that he must move.

Watch Video

Region

Shirak

City / Village

Gyumri

Start Date

April 2015

End Date

July 2015

Gallery Images


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The Hakopyan Family before receiving their new home.


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Both Hakop & his wife grew up in domiks following the 1988 Spitak Earthquake.


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Hakopian Family signing the agreements prior to moving in into their new home!


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The Hakopian Family after receiving their new home.


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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

A family will be identified and an appropriate apartment will be purchased for them as soon as possible. The make shift housing unit which they currently occupy will be destroyed.

Long Term Impact

The city of Gyumri will recover parcels of land currently occupied by these make-shift housing units. In addition, the family’s mental state will improve as a direct result their new and normal home.

Sponsors Benefits

All sponsors will be recognized on all relevant press regarding this project and on The Paros Foundation website.
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Updates: Images & Information

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July 18, 2015

Following the successful move of Hakop and his family into their new home, Hakop joined our SERVICE Armenia 2015 volunteers to help dismantle and scrap his former “home”.

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Purchase a Home 5

Purchase a Home 5 – Elbakyan Family

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Description

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.

Anna Elbakyan and her son, Armen have lived in domik for more than 20 years.  The Paros Foundation staff first met Anna this summer while distributing food packs with The Shirak Center to needy families.  Armen attends the Debi Arach Children’s Center and benefits from their programs.  Anna plays piano and has worked as a piano teacher.  She dreams of the day she might own a piano of her own.  Anna’s husband left for Russia to work while she was pregnant with Armen and never returned.  This small but terrific family would greatly benefit from a new apartment.

Once the move is complete, the make shift housing unit will be destroyed to prevent its future occupancy.

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Region

Shirak

City / Village

Gyumri

Start Date

December 2017

End Date

February 2018

Gallery Images


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Anna and her son, Armen in their domik.


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This is where Anna and Armen live.

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

A family will be identified and an appropriate apartment will be purchased for them as soon as possible. The make shift housing unit which they currently occupy will be destroyed.

Long Term Impact

The city of Gyumri will recover parcels of land currently occupied by these make-shift housing units. In addition, the family’s mental state will improve as a direct result their new and normal home.

Sponsors Benefits

All sponsors will be recognized on all relevant press regarding this project and on The Paros Foundation website.
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Updates: Images & Information

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December 24, 2018

Anna and Armen moved today and will celebrate New Year’s in their new apartment! Our friends at the Shirak Center promptly arranged for the removal and demolition of the Elbakyan’s old domik.

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Purchase a Home 4

Purchase a Home 4 – Aghayan Family

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Description

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 have 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 expenses. Agreements will be signed passing ownership of the apartment to the chosen family, with the stipulation that until their youngest child reaches 18 years of age, the family cannot sell, rent or move. 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.

When Kym Aghayan was a young man, he and his family lived in Baku.  During the 1988 pograms, his family fled to Armenia and settled in Gyumri.  They were provided an apartment in Gyumri by the state, but it was destroyed later that year in the earthquake.  The family later moved into a domik for shelter.  When he was married, Kym purchased a domik to start his own family.

Watch Video

Region

Shirak

City / Village

Gyumri

Start Date

October 2015

End Date

December 2015

Gallery Images


06
The Aghayan family in their domik with our friend and partner Vahan Tumasyan, President of the Shirak Centre, NGO


05-4
The Aghayan Family entering into their new home.


14
The Aghayan Family first see their new apartment.


20-2
The Aghayan Family and The Paros Foundation staff in the new home.


10-4
Kym Aghayan helps the Shirak Center work crew dismantle his old domik.

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

A family will be identified and an appropriate apartment will be purchased for them as soon as possible. The make shift housing unit which they currently occupy will be destroyed.

Long Term Impact

The city of Gyumri will recover parcels of land currently occupied by these make-shift housing units. In addition, the family’s mental state will improve as a direct result their new and normal home.

Sponsors Benefits

All sponsors will be recognized on all relevant press regarding this project and on The Paros Foundation website.
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