Yerevan, May 23, 2014 – On May 23, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund delegation tasked with reporting on various ongoing and completed projects visited project sites in the villages of Khachardzan, Lusadzor, and Ditavan, all in Armenia’s Tavush Region. The delegation, led by Executive Director Ara Vardanyan and consisting of benefactors, trustees, and representatives of affiliates worldwide, had completed a four-day site-visit mission in Artsakh on May 22.
In Khachardzan, which has a population of almost 400, the delegation visited a facility comprising a medical center and a multifunctional community events hall, built through the sponsorship of the Kalciyan family of Argentina. Also within the framework of the project, the facility has been provided with furniture and kitchen equipment.
“Thanks to this project, our residents will be able to receive quality healthcare at a state-of-the-art clinic, only in acute emergency cases having to be transported to a regional hospital,” said Gagik Shahnazaryan, the mayor of Khachardzan. As he went on to enumerate the core issues which continue to impact his community’s quality of life, Shahnazaryan said the most critical is the lack of a potable-water network.
In Lusadzor, the delegation visited a farm that has been established with the support of the fund’s French affiliate. Through this project, local farmers have been provided with a total of 180 heifers, imported from Denmark and Switzerland. Lusadzor, which has close to 700 residents, is also the site of three other completed projects: a potable-water network, an irrigation network, and a community center. These initiatives have been implemented by the United Nations Development Program with the financial support of the Italian government and within the framework of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s Rural Development Program.
The delegation’s last stop was Ditavan, which has a population of 300. The village is home to five greenhouses, established for as many families through the financial support of the Kalciyan family. Hrach Alikhanyan, one of the beneficiaries of the project, said that he has had a productive first year thanks to his greenhouse, where he grows tomatoes, beans, garlic, strawberries, and greens, and that he expects to have a good harvest soon.
Ditavan is also the site of several major development projects which have been implemented through the ongoing support of benefactors Mr. and Mrs. Armen and Nadia Ekserciyan of Argentina. These projects comprise potable-water and gas networks, a community center, and a school.
