Press Releases
October 4, 2008
Celebrating World Habitat Day and the launch of new project in Nshavan
YEREVAN (4 October 2008) -- C onstruction volunteers, including Habitat for Humanity international board chair Ron Terwilliger, will converge on the village of Nshavan the week beginning 6 October for a World Habitat Build that will mark the start of a unprecedented project to eradicate poverty housing in this agricultural community of 2,400.
A ceremony at the village hall of Nshavan, about 40 minutes from Yerevan , will take place Monday at 11 a.m. The media is invited to attend.
"Habitat for Humanity Armenia seeks to serve exponentially more families in need throughout all of Armenia, and I'm honored to join the families, volunteers and other partners in Nshavan to help observe World Habitat Day and our collective effort to improve the living conditions of families who seek safe, secure places to sleep at night," Terwilliger said.
The United Nations-designated World Habitat Day on Monday, 6 October, calls for the recognition of the state of human settlements and the basic need for adequate shelter for all. Habitat for Humanity's World Habitat Build in Nshavan, will mark the observance throughout the week to accommodate various groups of volunteers who will help finish the half-built houses of two families and mark the launch of a communitywide strategy to eradicate poverty housing.
"What we're doing at the World Habitat Build in Nshavan will help draw attention to the plight of families in need throughout Armenia who need a simple, decent place to live," said Habitat for Humanity Armenia executive director Irina Vanyan. "In Nshavan, Habitat for Humanity and its volunteers will be offering families a hand up, not a handout. Habitat's self-help approach has worked for nearly 300,000 families in more than 90 countries, and it's working in Nshavan and throughout Armenia ."
Habitat for Humanity earlier this year recommitted itself to improving housing conditions in Armenia , where about 40 percent of the country's 3 million population live in substandard shelter. In addition to Nshavan, Habitat is tackling a communitywide project in Khachik, not far from the border with Azerbaijan . Also, a partnership with a Yerevan-based mortgage lender is issuing the first of an anticipated 1,200 home-improvement loans to families during the next two years in the Armivir province towns of Nor Armavir, Mrgashat and Sardarabat and in Artashat in the Ararat province.
The two completed homes will be blessed and dedicated on Saturday, at 11:00 AM. 
About Habitat for Humanity Armenia
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 .
Contact Details:
Betty Panossian-Ter Sarkissian
Donor Care and Communications Manager
Habitat for Humanity Armenia
(+374 10) 543001, (+374 77) 106 203
bpanossian@habitat.am |
