Published since 07.2002
Published on May 09, 2008
FAITH AND HOPE: CENTER IN KAPAN HELPS DISABLED CHILDREN COME OUT OF HOMES
- Disabled children of charitable center in Kapan now have an opportunity to attend the neighbouring private fitness club free of charge due to the support of Dino Gold Mining Company. The Hearth of Faith and Hope non governmental organization was founded in Kapan 5 years ago and Azniv Stepanyan, the manager of the center says that the opportunity created by mining company (since April) has attracted more attention to their center. “Special-needs people are not accepted in the society the way they ought to be. These children cannot fearlessly enter computer centers, for example, and play. This is the only place where they feel comfortable to come to,” she says. There are around 200 disabled children in Kapan; about 70 children up to the age of 16-17 attend the center 5 days a week. Stepanyan has been in charge of the center for a year, being a mother of a special-needs child herself. “I am so grateful, that when years ago I refused to take my son Roma, who is now 15, to school, I was persuaded that it’s wrong to isolate him. Now I bring my own example to convince other parents,” she says. “Recently we have signed an agreement with Dino Gold Mining Company and it regularly donates money: 60,000 drams every month ($200). We use that money to pay the teacher and just now want to hire a cleaning woman. As for me and other parents, we work on volunteer basis,” Stepanyan says. It’s noteworthy that there are healthy children attending the center too: one of the center’s ultimate goals is to assist the integration of disabled and healthy children. “The center is both for children and their parents, because no matter how much we work, the hardest part is our work with parents- they are full of so many complexes. Although we have succeeded in slightly changing people’s mentality: the attitude to the disabled is not the same now, as it used to be years ago. Yet, it’s still very difficult,” Sepanyan says. Vazgen, 12, (with ??? disorder) most of all likes computers here, at first he was resentful to attend; now he comes with pleasure. He is known here as an “actor”, because of his active part in all performances. The center was founded by the efforts of Peace Corps volunteers, who contributed the initial toys and computers. It was only a few days ago when Mary Gasparyan was hired to replace the former teacher. Now she and children are preparing matinee for June 1- International Children’s Protection Day and will also prepare an exhibition of children’s works. Gasparyan also visits homes of those children who are unable to attend the center. “Some parents do not realise that keeping a disabled child at home, isolating him/her from the society is wrong, that children need communication. Many of them are not satisfied by what our center can give, they are only interested in financial help. They isolate their children: when children are asked they are willing to come, parents say their children can’t. Even at special events they bring their children only after learning that we are going to give presents. Our task is also to make parents understand that not everything is about money.” Armine Grigoryan recalls that her 8 year-old daughter with ??? disorder would not communicate with people, used to have complexes, preferred solitude, would sit in a corner and never speak, never participated in matinees, now has a completely different behavior. Out of similar NGOs in Yerevan they cooperate with the Bridge of Hope and are often invited to seminars which are very educational. “I have seen the conditions of similar centers in Yerevan and admired them. They have both professionals working with children and parents taking more active part…” Stepanyan says.
- Armine Avagyan
Headlines for May 09, 2008
BACK ON THE STUMP: OPPOSITIONISTS PACK GOVERNMENT HALL TO HEAR LATEST RALLY BY TER-PETROSYAN
Gayane Abrahamyan 38
The opposition movement led by former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan held a congress in a closely packed conference hall in the Government Building Friday. More than a thousand people had gathered outside ...SEEKING REPATRIATION: FOUR ARMENIANS STILL IN AZERI CAPTIVITY AFTER GOING ASTRAY NEAR BORDER
Arpi HarutyunyanA group of Armenian citizens who inadvertently crossed the Armenian border into an Azeri exclave early last week still remain prisoners in Nakhichevan. The repatriation of the four men, identified by ...FORMER OPPOSITIONIST GETS PROMISED SECURITY COUNCIL POSITION
2
President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree Sunday appointing his former vocal critic and ex-parliament speaker as Secretary of Armenia’s National Security Council, the presidential press service reported. ...FARE SCARE: HIKE IN GAS PRICE FUELS SPECULATION ABOUT INCREASED TRANSPORTATION CHARGES
Arpi Harutyunyan 1
Since yesterday taxi fares in Armenia increased by 50 percent – the taxi fare of 100 drams (or about 30 cents) per kilometer that existed for years and the minimum charge of 500-600 drams increased to ...LAYING THE GROUNDWORK: ARMENIAN, AZERI FMS IN MEETING TO KEEP TALKS ALIVE
Aris Ghazinyan
International negotiators have been meeting with the top diplomats of Armenia and Azerbaijan early this week in a bid to revitalize the agonizing peace process between the two neighboring countries. ...AT HOME & ABROAD: ARMENIANS TO HAVE TWO IDS, INCLUDING BIOMETRY FOR TRAVELS ABROAD
Arpi HarutyunyanArmenia is going to have a new passport system introduced in 2010 whereby citizens will bear two documents – a personal card to use domestically and a passport containing biometrical data to go abroad. ...SPORT: ARMENIA’S YOUTH FOOTBALLERS TRIUMPH OVER ITALIAN COEVALS
Suren Musayelyan
Football Armenia’s U-19 national team led by coach Armen Gyulbudaghyants started well in an international friendly tournament in Italy. As reported by Armenia’s Football Federation, in the opening match ...TALKING POINTS: IF COALITION BELIEVE THEIR OWN NUMBERS, WHY CONCERN THEMSELVES WITH TER-PETROSYAN?
John Hughes
It’s not yesterday anymore . . . Talking ...COMMERCE AND CONVICTION: ARMENIAN PILGRIMAGES BRING JOY, BELIEF, BUSINESS
Sara Khojoyan
Each year an Armenian village in Kotayk province turns into a mix of belief, joy and fair. People stand in line to go down into the small room dug in the ground where there is a sanctuary with an image ...FAITH AND HOPE: CENTER IN KAPAN HELPS DISABLED CHILDREN COME OUT OF HOMES
Armine AvagyanDisabled children of charitable center in Kapan now have an opportunity to attend the neighbouring private fitness club free of charge due to the support of Dino Gold Mining Company. The Hearth of Faith ...NO ALTERNATIVE?: JEHOVAH’S WITNESS REFUSES OPTIONAL MILITARY SERVICE
Naira Bulghadaryan
By court decision Vanadzor resident Davit Petrosyan will spend the next two and half years in prison for avoiding alternative military service. The Vanadzor (Lori province) court of general authority ...BOOK PUBLISHING UNDER CORRUPTION: KARABAKH OFFICIALS YEARN FOR WRITER’S FAME
Naira HayrumyanBook publishing has recently become one of the most controversial issues speculated upon in Karabakh, where corruption has penetrated even into the modest enterprise. The thing is that some Karabakhi ...FOOD FOR THOUGHT: OPPOSITIONIST ANALYST HAS CAREER AS HUNGER STRIKER
Marianna Grigoryan
When in the middle of April law enforcement entered Lusine Hayrapetyan’s home for the purpose of conducting a search they advised her to voluntarily surrender weapons, leaflets or pamphlets that were ...HEAVEN’S DEADLY PEBBLES: NEW STATIONS WILL CONTROL HAIL IN SHIRAK PROVINCE
Ani Hakobyan
The farmers of Shirak province are eager to see if new anti-hail stations will prove effective in saving crops from the sort of damage they often experience during May storms. The first new anti-hail ...SUPREME INTEREST OR SUPREME DECEPTION?: HISTORIC BUILDING FOCUS OF CONTROVERSY BETWEEN ITALIAN CONSUL AND YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY
Vahan Ishkhanyan
The “Gegham Mnatsakanyan Residential House”, a historic and cultural monument, built in 1898 at Koghbatsi 22 may be dismantled to cede space to the historic and cultural district (which is designed on ...MOVEMENT: NKR ISSUE SEES RENEWED ATTENTION AS MFA GETS ACQUAINTED
Aris Ghazinyan
An obvious boost in attention to the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh has been observed in Armenia in recent months. Never before has Stepanakert been visited by Armenia’s parliament speaker and foreign minister ...NO PLACE FOR PACE: THREE WEEKS ON, NO MOVEMENT ON FOLLOWING COE RESOLUTION
Gayane Abrahamyan
Twenty days have past since the adoption of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Resolution 1609 in Strasbourg, calling for release of prisoners and other stipulations to bring more ...
Similar headlines for (last 7 days) new!
POLITICAL STARVATION: “FREEDOM FIGHTERS” IN SHIRAK PROVINCE START HUNGER STRIKE
Ani HakobyanMELONHEAD?: ONE GIRL’S EARTH DAY IS A LESSON IN HARD WORK AND GROWTH
STATE SECURITY OR POLITICS OF POWER?: PARTY LEADER’S ARREST ILLUSTRATES PERCEIVED DOUBLE STANDARDS
Gayane AbrahamyanSPORT: “QUEEN KILLER” STAYS UNDEFEATED; ARARAT ON THE RISE AFTER FAILED 2007 SEASON
Suren MusayelyanCOURT CLAIM: FIRED DIPLOMATS SURE OF IMMINENT REINSTATEMENT IN JOBS
Sara Khojoyan
Most read news (last 7 days)
BACK ON THE STUMP: OPPOSITIONISTS PACK GOVERNMENT HALL TO HEAR LATEST RALLY BY TER-PETROSYAN
Gayane Abrahamyan
JUDGE ORDERS RESUMED INQUEST INTO APPEAL IN DISMISSED “DEATH IN POLICE CUSTODY” CASE
Vahan IshkhanyanAT HOME & ABROAD: ARMENIANS TO HAVE TWO IDS, INCLUDING BIOMETRY FOR TRAVELS ABROAD
Arpi HarutyunyanPARTNERS FOR AWARENESS: GENOCIDE MUSEUMS OF AMERICA AND ARMENIA ENTER AGREEMENT
SPORT: ARMENIAN BOXING STAR ON THE DEFENSIVE AFTER RAPE ALLEGATIONS MADE BY GERMAN TABLOID
Suren MusayelyanSTRASBOURG LESSONS FOR ARMENIA: COURT DECISION SPARKS PM CALL FOR CAUTION
Vahan IshkhanyanFEELING THE WORLD’S PAIN: ARMENIA PART OF INTERNATIONAL TREND IN FOOD COSTS
Gayane MkrtchyanNOT FREE, AGAIN: ARMENIA GETS COTE D’IVOIRE, GUINEA AS NEIGHBORS IN LATEST PRESS FREEDOM RANKINGS
Vahan IshkhanyanFARE SCARE: HIKE IN GAS PRICE FUELS SPECULATION ABOUT INCREASED TRANSPORTATION CHARGES
Arpi HarutyunyanFORMER OPPOSITIONIST GETS PROMISED SECURITY COUNCIL POSITION
© AUA
Today in Armenian history- 1847 Summit Meeting of the representatives of the Transcaucasian Armenian community.
- 1847 With the participation of the gentry and commoners, the National, Ecclesiastic, and Supreme Council is created in Constantinople. It is the first step towards the creation of the "Constitution".
- 1859 A Committee, consisting of 5 clergymen and 14 laymen, is struck in Constantinople to write the "Constitution". The Chariman was Rusinian.
- 1945 End of World War Two (known as the "Great Patriotic War" in the USSR).
- 1964 Death of Vahan Totomyants, professor and public figure.
- 1992 Shooshee (Artsakh) is liberated after 71 years of occupation by Azeri Turks.
- 1994 Protocol negotiated in the Artsakh War and signed in Bishkek (Kirgizstan) by the parliamentary speakers of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Artsakh as mediated by Presidents Boris Yeltsin of Russia and Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan. This was the first recognition of Artsakhs distinctiveness as a political and territorial entity in the negotiations. Azerbaijan occupied 750 sq. km. (15%) of Artsakhs territory, while Artsakh occupied 7059 sq. km. (8%) of territory considered to have traditionally been possessed by Azerbaijan.
Forum most active discussions
ARMENIAN NEWS
INTERACTIVE NEWS
INFORMATION
MY ARMTOWN
How to quit smoking?
How to write in Armenian on Windows XP?
All materials published on this website are taken from open sources and are copyrighted by their respective owners. You cannot reproduce or copy any materials published on armtown.com without written consent of original copyright holder. If you want to remove any material, please send us an email with proof of ownership/copyright and your material will be removed immediately. All materials published for information purposes only.