ԵՌԱԳՈՅՆ. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western US Homeland Initiatives Committee, ARF Shant Student Association, and the Armenian Youth Federation Western Region launch COVAID Armenia, an online fundraising campaign for our homeland, Armenia. The campaign’s purpose is to provide immediate relief to the rural villages of Armenia affected by Covid-19, and to coordinate and develop an ongoing source of support to build and advance our homeland, with the vision of creating and fostering self-sustaining regions.
COVAID Armenia will run as a two phase campaign. First, it will provide an immediate form of support and relief to ensure Armenians endure and withstand these unprecedented difficult times caused by the pandemic. As our homeland returns to its stable pre-pandemic condition, the funds will be allocated towards a wide array of infrastructural and development projects targeted at improving the everyday socio-economic lifestyle of Armenians in Armenia and Artsakh.
Over the past five years, ARF local chapters within the Western Region of the United States have coordinated projects in Armenia and Artsakh, ensuring the socio-economic development of our homeland, and consequently, its sustainable development in the future. Building a resilient infrastructural base is necessary for our homeland to thrive. The ARF’s past and ongoing initiatives include the Shirvanian Youth Center in Gyumri, solar water heating in Mardakert, a dental clinic in Hadrut, a fire truck in Stepanakert, a sanitation truck in Karvajar, green houses in Artsakh, the renovation of the Nanulik kindergarten, renovations in Azatamut, Torlakian-Fundukian Center in Kovsakan and Kashatagh, and many more.
On the AYF front, since its inception, AYF West has aided in ensuring a better life and future for Armenians, has helped the underprivileged children in the homeland through the Youth Corps program, and has played a critical role raising over $150,000 for the families of fallen soldiers through its With Our Soldiers program.
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However, these efforts do not stop there. Our homeland faces obstacles on an ongoing basis, including poor transportation infrastructures, poor irrigation systems, the lack of access to clean water sources, and other related difficulties in the agricultural and socio-economic sectors. These circumstances create hardships, which have been further exacerbated due to the recent Covid-19 outbreak.
Through this campaign, rather than gathering funds for a one way, one-time charity, the Homeland Initiatives Committee, in collaboration with AYF and ARF Shant, aims to channel the local diasporan community’s resources toward the empowerment of communities in the homeland with sustainable solutions and horizontal exchange that enriches, nourishes, and provides stability to our homeland one project at a time.
The mission of ARF Western US’s Homeland Initiative Committee is to coordinate and provide technical and financial resources to support the local communities and citizens of Armenia and Artsakh, and strengthen the bridge between our population in the diaspora with those in the homeland. The ongoing campaigns will integrate the capabilities of diaspora Armenians and the government to improve the quality of life for Armenians. Such ongoing campaigns are the vehicles through which the committee seeks to advance and enrich the communities in our homeland.
All members of the community and organizations are encouraged to engage and invest in the ongoing Homeland Initiatives projects that will positively impact the lives of many of our brothers and sisters in the homeland. More importantly, at this vital time, we encourage all community members to make a difference by donating online to COVAID Armenia.
