Alertness is a mandatory criterion in Paravakar; provocations by the enemy may come at any moment. The villagers who have been living in this state of mind for many years are soldiers as well as people who cultivate the land; however, they do not complain. They display patriotism through daily work and perseverance, even if it is not easy. They love their native village and get stronger. Such is the life of the Gharabaghtsyan family, too.
Marat’s family lived in a semi-basement structure. Walls soaked in water after rain… lack of roof… traces of dampness in the corners of the house… Three children were raised in a two-room basement built during the Soviet times lacking basic necessities. Only this year, owing to the support of the partner organizations, the father of the family could complete the construction of the house initiated 25 years ago.
The troubled life has already become a memory; the house is built, the Gharabaghtsyans have moved to the house. Viva-MTS and the “Fuller Center for Housing Armenia” adhered to their value system to stand by the villagers living on the border. The first project in Paravakar was implemented in 2016. Since then, the housing problem of 10 families has been solved there.
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“Those living in borderland areas show us an example of true patriotism. Neither the hardships of life, nor the real threat are able to break the spirit of these Armenians and sweep away from their roots. Your willpower is translated to all of us obliging to appreciate what we have, to devote ourselves to the prosperity of our country working hard, and be united. Our commitment to stand by you is firm, too. Problems will be solved when we all get absolutely united,” Viva-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian said during the video call.
“During the cooperation with Viva-MTS, the border villages have been in the spotlight. The feeling of having a strong back is very important; we try to give that feeling to border families. Ten families, in Paravakar village alone, have received support to complete the construction of their houses,” Ashot Yeghiazaryan, the “Fuller Center for Housing Armenia” President said.
It’s already a year since Karen, the youngest son of the Gharabaghtsyans, has been serving in the army. He had left for the army before the construction started. So far, he has enjoyed the happiness of having a decent home during a short vacation.
“Three of the four men in my family are military servicemen. The youngest, Karen, has been in the service for a year. He has slept in his new bedroom during the vacation. My husband and the eldest son are military contract servicemen. Only one of our sons is always next to us and his family. By the way, my other son has gotten married in the newly built house. Now everything has changed; soon two more grandchildren will be born, and the house will become cozier,” said Gayane Alaverdyan, the housewife.
The construction of the Gharabaghtsyan family house has been delayed due to the 44-day war. The men were committed to defending their homeland, delaying the work of ensuring the well-being of their families. Now the family lives with new dreams. The parties implementing the housing program, Viva-MTS and the “Fuller Center for Housing Armenia”, consider important not only the visible result of the project but also the psychological impact on the families.
Viva-MTS (MTS Armenia CJSC) is Armenia’s leading telecommunications operator, having the widest network reach and spreading a wide range of Voice and Data services all across Armenia. Having the best of the Armenian people at heart since its launch on 1st July 2005 and in a short period of time Viva-MTS has managed to build a nationwide network and a considerable customer base. Viva-MTS drives innovation and aims at always being at the forefront of any development serving the Armenian mobile communications market. The company follows the guidance provided by ISO 26000 (International Standard of Social Responsibility), ISO/IEC 27001:2013 (Information Security Management System) and ISO 37001 (International anti-bribery management systems standard).
Mobile TeleSystems PJSC (“MTS”) is the leading telecommunications group in Russia and the CIS, offering mobile and fixed voice, broadband, pay TV as well as content and entertainment services in one of the world’s fastest growing regions. Including its subsidiaries, the Group services over 86.5 million mobile subscribers in Russia, Armenia and Belarus. Since June Y2000, MTS’ Level 3 ADRs have been listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol MBT). Additional information about the MTS Group can be found at: www.mtsgsm.com
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Fuller Center for Housing Armenia is a non-governmental, charitable organization that supports community development in the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh by assisting in building and renovating simple, decent and affordable homes, as well as advocating the right to a decent shelter as a matter of conscience and action. FCHA provides long-term, interest-free loans to low-income families. The monthly repayments flow into a Revolving Fund, which is used to help more families, thereby providing a financial foundation for sustainable development. Since 2008 the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia has assisted about 1300 families. For more information, please visit www.fcharmenia.org or email us at [email protected]
