Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

From the first days of the COVID-19 outbreak in Armenia, Open Society Foundations-Armenia has mobilized resources and brought together civil society actors to respond to the emerging crisis. We have supported a number of projects and initiatives, presented below.

Emergency Support to Vulnerable Groups

• Through Mission Armenia NGO one-month food packages were delivered to 2160 elderly and chronically ill people in Gegharkunik, Kotayk, Ararat, Shirak, Lori, and Syunik provinces.
• Armavir Development Center provided 2-month food and hygiene supplies to 115 elderly and people with disabilities residing in Armavir and Metsamor towns.
• Martuni Women Community Center delivered two-month food and hygiene packages to 120 elderly and people with disabilities, residing in Martuni town and 14 neighboring communities.
• Center for Community Mobilization and Support NGO provided one-month food and hygiene packages to 370 vulnerable people in Alaverdi and Vanadzor towns and 18 rural communities in Lori province.
• Full-Life NGO delivered two-month food and hygiene packages to 300 vulnerable people with disabilities and chronic illnesses in Lori province (Tashir, Stepanavan) and Yerevan.
• “Aleppo” compatriotic charitable NGO will provide assistance to cover two-month housing and food of 120 families of Syrian refugees in Armenia, who have lost source of income as a result of COVID-19 lock down. The NGO will support a social enterprise-kitchen run by Syrian refugees in Armenia and organize delivery of lunch meals to 100 healthcare providers and volunteers at the hospitals treating the COVID-19 patients.

Medical and public health assistance

• Real World Real People NGO supported people living with HIV and those in need of palliative care through consultations on COVID-19 response and protection of their rights to access adequate health services. The families of 150 patients were provided with food, medicine and safety supplies.
• Center for Rights Development will provide emergency assistance for protection of patients and inmates right to receive adequate health services during COVID-19 outbreak. A group of 100 volunteers will receive training on infection prevention and control measures, as well as will be provided with personal protection equipment and other means for their efficient operation.
• The Foundation organized purchase and delivery of 2,200 PRC tests for Ministry of Health of Armenia.
• The Foundation purchased personal protective equipment for medical staff of Nork Republican Infectious Hospital.
• ”Khnamk” NGO will provide consultations to 71 people with mental health problems engaged in mobile services, supported by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Armenia. The patients will also receive food packages, personal protection equipment and hygiene supplies.

Support to the victims of domestic violence

• OSF Armenia assisted Women Support Center NGO to provide emergency relief to low income and non-registered women workers, who survived domestic violence. The Women Support Center delivered aid to its 30 beneficiaries from Yerevan and 7 marzes for covering their basic needs. Information on the hotlines for cases of domestic violence during the self-quarantine was widely disseminated.
• Near East Foundation provided emergency social assistance (food, medicine, housing) to 32 low-income and vulnerable women from Lori, Syunik and Yerevan, who survived domestic violence and were in need.

Support to marginalized groups

• OSF Armenia supported PINK Armenia NGO to provide emergency social assistance to LGBT people who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic and do not have the means for food, house rent and medical care. They received social assistance to meet their vital needs in self-isolation.

Engaging children in education during the pandemic

• OSF-Armenia took measures to make education more accessible to children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, especially those living in remote areas. The foundation supported regional TV channel Tsayg to produce and broadcast TV lessons of Armenian language and Math for the primary school students in Shirak marz. The Foundation also supported regional TV channels – Geghama TV and Lori TV, to rebroadcast Tsayg TV’s classes in Gegharkuniq and Lori marzes.

Support to civil society monitoring in penitentiary and psychiatric institutions

• With the foundation’s support, the civil society monitoring groups for penitentiary and psychiatric institutions received personnel protection equipment and training on international standards on health and safety conditions, as well as protection of rights of persons kept in these institutions.

Raising Public Awareness about COVID-19 pandemic

• With the support of the foundation, Public Journalism Club and Center for Rights Development NGO implement public awareness raising campaigns by creating impactful videos and posters, organizing webinars and online discussions to help educate public about COIVD-19 and encourage people to display a high level of social responsibility.

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