ZARTONK 89 NGO: «BUILDING AUTONOMY IN RURAL AREAS» Progress Report:

«BUILDING AUTONOMY IN RURAL AREAS» Progress Report:

The main objective of the «Building autonomy in rural areas» project was to help and promote the autonomy of young people in 2 regions of the Republic of Armenia and in 2 villages of Nagorno Karabagh (Nagorno Karabagh is also known as Artsakh). The project implemented Zartonk 89 NGO. «Building autonomy in rural areas» project was approved on 01.11.2015, money was transfered by Otto Per Mille Chiesa Valdese on 28.12.15, but Zartonk-89 NGO received it on 01.02.16 so we started immediately the implementation of the project.

The duration of the project was 3 months. During the 1st month we carried out the preparatory work, certificate preparation, contacting NGOs in Armenia (Vanadzor, Martuni) and Nagorno Karabagh (Shushi and Tigranakert), spreading open calls in order to inform and select participants considering participant's age, motivation and activity. In Lori region we contacted Zartonk-89 NGO's representative in Vanadzor and «NGO center» Civil Society Development NGO (non-governmental organization) who provided us free working place to realize our 4 day training course. They also helped us to distribute open call of our training course and to select participants. In Gegharkunik region we contacted Zartonk-89 NGO's representative in Martuni and Martuni Infotun, Martuni Women's Community Council (MWCC) NGO who also provided us free working place to implement our 4 day training course. In Nagorno Karabagh (also known as Artsakh) we contacted Artsakh Youth Development Center (AYDC) NGO who provided us free working place and helped to distribute open call in order to select participants for our training course. In each place we had 20 participants, so in 4 place in total we had 80 participants. We implemented 4 day training course in each place.

The 1st day we met with participants, presented our project, modules of our training course, created a positive atmosphere for teamwork and collaboration. We took a time to present that our project was supported with funds from Otto per Mille of the Waldensian Church of Italy. The main objective of our first meeting was creating a climate of confidence and mutual respect between young participants. 2nd day activities were about building autonomy, active citizenship, civic engagement, developing sensitivity and positive critical ability towards themselves and society. 3rd day our main topics were «crisis», «stress» and «conflict», our participants discovered about of origins of those words, had intense discussions and team working, learnt and developed strategies to understand, manage and overcome crisis and stress, how to transform and constructively resolve personal and interpersonal conflicts. 4th day we devoted to learning of different educational, social, learning tools and ways to observe, rise up and find solutions to community related issues (social media, e-learning, discussion groups, etc). In each place in the end of the training course participants received certificates and we had a time for feedback and evaluation of the training course through a distributed questionnaires to fill in, it was anonymous so our participants could freely express their opinions about our 4 day training and about our trainers. Whole training course was based on non-formal methodology. During all the project we were distributing information and photo reports on website of Zartonk-89 NGO, on social media like Facebook page, Facebook group.

https://web.facebook.com/Zartonk89NGO/posts/596956027138301

https://web.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.599343630232874.1073741852.210431252457449&type=3

https://web.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.623318841168686.1073741854.210431252457449&type=3

https://web.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.620400984793805.1073741853.210431252457449&type=3 .

The center «Noyan Tapan» also distributed information and photo reports. Surely we can say that our participants obtained team working skills, they freely expressed their own thoughts, ideas and proposals for future social changes, they developed their sense of autonomy, active citizenship and civic engagement, they learnt how to face and overcome crisis and stress, also how to use different educational, social and learning tools in order to observe, rise up and find solutions in their communities, they established a culture of dialogue. We are sure that they became more autonome, dinamic and initiative to bring positive changes in their life and in the society.

IMPLEMENTED PROJECTS

Implemented projects of “Zartonk-89” NGO

2005-2010

“To build healthy future”

The aim of the project was to improve single parents, orphan, needy and refugee children’s physical and mental health and prevent infected diseases. To teach children those important topics, which were necessary in daily life on health care, hygiene and first aid.

The project was foreseen to implement in Lory region of the Republic of Armenia involving 7 up to 14-year-old 900 beneficiaries of the RA. The duration was 3 years involving new groups of beneficiaries in each year supported by UMCOR and Daily Bread LLC.

“Look at the future”

The aim of the project was to develop the cooperation among NGOs of Armenia and Russia, Ukraine of former USSR supported by the French CCFD organization.

“Financial stability of Zartonk-89 NGO”

The aim of the project was to assist poverty reduction in the frontier regions of the Republic of Armenia. The project was addressed to the development of small and middle business in Syunik region, “Daily Bread” production increasing and improvement.

The beneficiaries of the project were 800 orphan, single parents, needy children, society, and organization’s members in RA supported by Daily Bread LLC.

“Educational assistance”

The aim of the project was to help parentless youth in the Republic of Armenia to acquire corresponding knowledge necessary to enter higher educational institutions. It has been implemented for the beneficiaries from Tavoush, Gyumri, Vanadzor, Spitak and Yerevan since 1995 up till now. 120 young beneficiaries got various vocational educations. Some of them were employed according to their specialization.

“Our heart and soul to you children”

The aim of the project was to assist children’s mental and physical health rehabilitation and life improvement. The project was implemented in 1995-2000 in the “Tej Ler” rest zone of Lori, 2200 beneficiaries from different regions of Armenia were participated in it. Medical and psychological problems were clarified; as a result the children took corresponding treatment. By means of organizing right works and necessary food regime the children’s physical abilities were rehabilitated.

In above mentioned period participated children’s number of the project was increased:

1995-1996 yy-290 children

1996-1997 yy-390 children

1997-1998 yy-470 children

1998-1999 yy-490 children

1999-2000 yy-560 children

“Daily Bread”

The aim of the project was to assist the development of agriculture in Syunik region. A flourmill was built in Syunik village, since 2001 it has been supplying for about 40 rural communities. 30% of the flourmill profit is transferred to “Zartonk-89” NGO with the aim to implement projects of various spheres for the beneficiaries supported by the French CCFD organization.

“Capacity Building”

The aim of the project was to improve the capacities of the organization’s members in various spheres by means of education. The project was implemented in 2002 in Yerevan with the participation of 30 members of the organization. As a result of the project the organization has been equipped with modern technologies, Internet, the members acquired skills and knowledge in various spheres, and in addition some of them were retrained at Lion University on the subject “Management of developing projects” supported by the French CCFD organization.

“Kind Sowers”

The aim of the project was to support the needy inhabitants of the rural community. The project was implemented in 2003 in Syunik region. As a result 20 needy families were assisted to cultivate the pieces of land, which they couldn’t cultivate because of their bad social conditions and the lack of necessary means. This assistance helped the villagers to be able to cultivate their lands in the future as well. Within the framework of the project ten needy families with two or more under age children were given small cattle to develop their farms supported by the French CCFD organization.

“Health and hygiene”

The aim of the project was to inform children about the problems of health and hygiene. The project was implemented from 1998 till 2005 in Vanadzor and as well as in 8 schools of Syunik region. By means of training the children acquired the necessary knowledge on hygiene and healthy life-stile. At the end their knowledge level was checked by questionnaires. The records were quite satisfying, for about 60 percent increase. 2400 children and teenagers took part in that project and after the project hygienic packages and medicine boxes were distributed to the children assisting by the Government of RA and UMCOR.

“First Aid principles”

The aim of the project was to train first aid teachers in Tazagjugh, Noratus, Tsovagjugh and Tsakqar villages who would pass their knowledge and skills to the villagers and pupils.

The project was realized both by practical and theoretical means. As a result 69 beneficiaries acquired knowledge on first aid; a manual on “First aid” was published and distributed to the participants. Knowledge level was checked by questionnaires, as a result showed 57% knowledge increase supported by UMCOR.

“Child abuse prevention”

The aim of the project was to inform children, parents and teachers about child abuse cases as well as to inform the local government to recognise November 19 as “Child abuse prevention” international day. According to the age group were organised creative composition, drawing, test competitions on the subject “The world without abuse in my imagination”. The best three places of each age group were awarded prizes. The project was implemented in Yerevan and Ijevan town of Tavush region with the participation of 1700 children. As a result the children were informed about various kinds of abuses and about the similar cases in the world. RA Government, the local self-government authorities and the schools were informed that November 19 is the day of “child abuse prevention”. A great action was organized in November 19 with immediate participation of children and government members, deputies of National Assembly, embassy officials and political figures were invited in it. The self-governing authorities of Ijevan town found it important to realize this kind of action in the coming years as well supported by the “Daily Bread” LLC.

“Information Communication Technologies for the Organization to strengthen”

The aim of the project was to strengthen the organization’s sustainability and technical abilities. To strengthen and make the exchange of information more effective among the organization and its branches, LLC and representatives by means of information communication technologies. The project was implemented in Yerevan and Vanadzor towns and Syunik region. As a result the organization, the representations, branches and the LLC are provided with modern technologies for information exchange. The accountants of the organization and LLC were retrained and also furthered the organization’s capacity supported by the French CCFD organization.

“NGO Stability” project

The aim of the project was to enlarge the possibilities of NGO sector for it to acquire its own means of development and to inform the society about the NGO sector’s role, importance.

The project was implemented in two regions of Armenia - Ijevan town of Tawoush region and Vanadzor town of Lori region. As a result 52 NGOs participated in the seminar called “NGO stability”, the participants were represented the suggestion of making a change in the law concerning to NGO and the adoption of the law of one percent which will secure the NGOs financial stability supported by World Learning Organization in Armenia.

“Defense of Children’s rights”

Global aim: To assist in Civil Society accomplishment.

Specific aim: Children’s' rights defense.

To create Help phone for clearing the children's and teenagers' problems.

To develop the partnership collaboration with NGOs that deal with children and teenagers’ problems.

To introduce the society about the activities of Zartonk-89 and give them possibilities for having their contribution in solving children’s problems.

Look through the future

Global aim: The aim of the project is to begin and develop the partnership between CCFD partners from post USSR countries.

Specific aim: By means of collaboration and experience exchange to strengthen the organizational capacity.

To implement jointly regional project

To pass from local to regional and global level for problem solution.

Using millennium development goals to identify children's problem by means of jointly project.

To give corresponding solution in regional level.

Zartonok-89 NGO

«BUILDING AUTONOMY IN RURAL AREAS» Progress Report: