Press Releases
October, 2009
HFH Armenia celebrates World Habitat Day and restates its commitment to serve Armenian families
YEREVAN (5 October 2009) – On World Habitat Day, Oct. 5, 2009, Habitat for Humanity Armenia joins the larger family of Habitat for Humanity, the United Nations and Organizations around the world in raising awareness of, educating about, and mobilizing individuals and communities to action on working together to ensure adequate housing for all.
In December 1985, the United Nations General Assembly declared the first Monday of October to be “World Habitat Day” in recognition of the state of human settlements and the basic need for adequate shelter for all.
By celebrating World Habitat Day, Habitat for Humanity Armenia aims to call attention to the current state of the human habitat in our country.
Habitat for Humanity Armenia celebrates World Habitat Day with a build launching the reconstruction works on the home of Lernik Babayan, a Habitat partner family from the village of Nshavan in the Ararat region. Volunteers from Yerevan and Nshavan, including the Mayor of the village, joined hands with the family members and the Habitat staff to make the Babayans’ home a decent place to live. The launch of the construction was blessed by Father Ghazar, the priest of
St. Grigor Lusavorich Armenian Apostolic Church in
Byurakan, the neighboring village of Nshavan.
“We have always been hardworking people, but never in the past four decades had the opportunity to improve our living conditions,” said Lernik. “The hand up from Habitat excites us and gives real hopes for the better future of our family. Now we know that this winter rainwater will not pour in and our children will be healthier.”
Throughout the past year, Habitat for Humanity Armenia has served more than 150 families in the villages in the regions of Vayots Dzor, Ararat, and Armavir, thus reaching the total number of families Habitat has served in Armenia to around 550. In Nshavan alone Habitat has helped 14 families to help themselves, renovate their homes and live in decent shelters.
“World Habitat Day is an opportunity to unite our efforts toward eradicating poverty housing throughout our country,” said Habitat for Humanity Armenia executive director Irina Vanyan. “Habitat for Humanity Armenia is working actively to meet its goal of giving a hand up to every family in Armenia in need of simple, decent, and affordable shelter.”
Habitat for Humanity Armenia is working on the preparations of launching two new projects in the city of Spitak and in the rural areas of the Tavush region. The first project will help 110 families in Spitak to move from domiks or overcrowded shelters into core or starter homes. The second project will help around 80 families in the region of Tavush to have warmer winters with the means of efficient gas heaters.
Habitat’s self-help approach has worked for nearly 300,000 families in more than 100 countries, and it’s working in the villages of Nshavan, Khachik, and throughout Armenia. For the coming year, Habitat Armenia has its goal to serve an additional 200 families throughout Armenia to improve their housing conditions.
About Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity Armenia is a nondenominational Christian charity that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. In Armenia, Habitat for Humanity builds, renovates and repairs houses; offers affordable home-improvement loans; and advocates for affordable housing, all with families in need. Find out more at www.habitat.am.
Since its founding in 1976, Habitat for Humanity International has built nearly 300,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for 1.5 million people.
Contact Details:
Naira Abrahamyan
Communications Assistant
Habitat for Humanity Armenia
(+374 10) 587188, (+374 77) 106 203
nabrahamyan@habitat.am
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