ART steps into Armenian communities

ARMENIA: Ani, 17, was born in Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city, long after the devastating 1988 quake that struck Gyumri, killing thousands and rendering hundreds of thousands of others disadvantaged.

Now, 24 years on, the protracted reconstruction of the country's Shirak region still reflects the aftermath of the earthquake. The poverty rate in the northern region of Armenia is higher than the national average, making it the poorest region in the country.

Some 47% of households here are trapped in poverty and children inherit their family’s misery the moment they enter the world.

At the age of seven, Ani knocked at the doors of the residential care institution in Gyumri, also known as an orphanage, where she has lived ever since, because her mother did not have the financial resources to care for her at home.

“There are six of us in our family: my grandparents, my mother, me and my two brothers. My twelve-year-old brother is in the same institution with me. He likes football very much. My elder brother is currently serving in the army. My father is missing; twelve years ago he migrated to Russia for earnings and never came back again,” shares Ani.

For children in residential care institutions, there are few opportunities to learn new skills and broaden their horizon beyond the institution walls. Yet, being a survivor, Ani climbed over the barrier.

Ani is an active girl with long curly hair. She wants to be a lawyer. She is keen on dancing and singing; lives a healthy lifestyle, likes to communicate with children and help those in need. She is quite the athlete: for seven years Ani studied karate and has a black belt. Her prowess in table tennis and hand ball are just as successful. She participated in many competitions in Yerevan, Armenia’s main city, and other towns. All these makes Ani seem a ‘super girl’ with perfect time management. She is also writing a book.

“The title of my book is “The questions that never get our answers”. It will be finished in four months. The book is about my childhood and my dreams. Why am I writing the book? Because there are times when I want to share my impressions with somebody, and there is no such a person next to me at that moment. And I just jot down all I feel. There is even my favourite place in our institution’s garden where I like to have a sit and write,” says Ani.

At the age of fourteen, Ani became the student council leader at her school. She stepped into her new responsibilities with huge plans and was happy that World Vision established the council and supported activities that bring change and development. In short, Ani dove into the work, head over heels.  

“Student council’s every initiative introduced to World Vision was supported. We organized an environmental day – cleaned our surroundings, planted a lot of fruit trees and flowers in front of our institution to make it more appealing for eyes. Now we take care of all these flowers and trees with hope to crop fruit very soon.

“With the support of World Vision we also renovated the sports ground at our school. And now children who love sports can train there,” shares Ani.

World Vision Gyumri Area Development Programme began the Children are Aware, Raising Voice and Taking Action project (ART) in May 2012. The project gives an opportunity to active children and youth to have a larger impact on their community thorough their environmental, cultural, sports and educational projects.  

“ART is a three year programme and engages children and youth aged fourteen to twenty-two. Their task is to raise the issues in their communities and find possible solutions to them. Those enrolled in the programme pass a variety of training sessions on leadership, communication, human relations, body language, and learn problem solving skills,” says Lena Karapetyan, World Vision Gyumri Area Development Programme Transformation Development Facilitator.

United, ART children and youth rally their peers from different communities. They became role models to those who are disadvantaged and lacking hope. 

“Gyumri needs people who will encourage others to take actions,” says Lena Karapetyan.

“I remember an ART member saying: ’I am so grateful to World Vision, because I know that there is an organisation that can help me fulfil my wildest ideas’,” she adds.

One of those ideas was Ararat Debate Club. Through this ART project, children and youth revive cultural heritage in their communities that is often overlooked because of economic hardships and because poverty restricts children’s opportunities for social activities due to the costs of arranging social events.

“Our first initiative within Ararat Debate Club was dedicated to the renowned Armenian actor Mher Mkrtchyan. We attended his museum, asked blitz questions to passersby next to his monument and watched his films. As well, ART members arranged cleaning of streets where movies with his participation were shot,” says Ani.

Ani and other ten ART members also took part in TEDxKids talk.

“On stage, I called to the youth to move forward, help others and do a lot of volunteering job. We all know that Gyumri is in appalling social condition now and given the circumstances being active here is not that easy. However, things will not change until we put a lot of effort for that.

“Within ART, I plan to do more cultural and sports related events. Also, I am eager to share the knowledge gained with the help of World Vision, and train my peers on healthy lifestyle and sexually transmitted diseases,” says Ani.

Ani’s grandparents are proud of her and her mother encourages her, although they do not meet often.  

“My mother is a cook, we meet once in a fortnight because she works in another community. Still, her back-up is very cheering for me,” says Ani.

Some 35 more active children aged fourteen to seventeen will join ART soon, and that, by all means, will bring more changes in Gyumri and will make it a better place for all.