Purchase a Home 5

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.