Alaverdi Area Development Programme
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Area Development Programs (ADPs) are multi-sectoral programs that focus on well-being of children, and entail 15 years’ commitment to communities. ADPs are predominantly funded through child sponsorship. ADPs are focused on encouraging community participation and ownership in addressing the needs of the most marginalized and vulnerable groups. The projects implemented with the active involvement of communities aim to improve the level of food security and nutrition, ensure access to education and healthcare for children, promote their spiritual development, rehabilitation of living conditions and infrastructure in communities, and income generation. |
Alaverdi district is situated in the North-East of Lori Marz, consisting of 27 rural and 4 urban communities. World Vision Armenia initiated a three-month assessment in Alaverdi region that revealed the regional socio-economic weaknesses.
The economic sector in Alaverdi province is underdeveloped despite the significant potential for economic growth including: favorable environmental capital (mild climate, forests, etc.), human capital (specialists that used to work in agro-product processing factories during the soviet times), and demand in the sort of fruits and vegetables growing in this area.
Vulnerabilities in economic development sector include lack of value chains and accessible markets, low cost/profit efficiency of animal breeding and land cultivation due to lack of knowledge on modern technologies and lack of organized farming structures as well as lack of micro-credit opportunities in the region. This situation is exacerbated by massive seasonal migration flows that seek labor mainly in Russia.
Alaverdi Area Development Program has been launched in 2008. The goal of Alaverdi ADP is to achieve transformed structures, systems and relationships in communities ensuring well being of children and their families. Alaverdi ADP includes 10 communities and targets 12,694 population out of whom 2,561 are children.
Church Partnership
- Local Priests periodically visited 10 ADP communities.
- 5 Sunday Schools were established in Haghpat, Karinj, Arevatsag, Mghart and Akhtala communities.
- Organized New Year, St. Easter, Christmastide events in 10 communities of Alaverdi ADP for all children and during which the children had the opportunity to communicate with priests.
- The children of ADP 5 communities had the opportunity to attend Sunday schools, where they learnt Christian values, as well as organized Christian events and thematic Olympiad.
- ADP supported Qarinj, Haghpat, Akhtala and Arevatsag Sunday Schools with appropriate educational materials. Local priests conducted follow-up visits and built the capacities of Sunday school teachers.
- In the close cooperation with Alaverdi ADP the local priests organized trainings for Sunday school teachers from ADP beneficiary communities and Odzun’s Sunday schools.
- Organized a pilgrimage to the Etchmiadzin for the Sunday school teachers and for the local priests.
- Organized a Baptism Ceremony for the children in the Haghpat Church from the 2 beneficiary communities Haghpat and Ayrum of Alaverdi ADP and during baptism children were provided silver crosses.
- Organized and implemented summer yard camps with participation of 258 children in the frame of Christian Commitment.
- Alaverdi ADP coordinated a discussion with the students of Student Union from the ADP communities and with local priests. In the result of that discussion 100 children from all 10 communities of ADP participated in "YMCA” Christian Summer camp.
Child Protection
- 32 children with special needs involved in Alaverdi Child Development Center’s inclusive group received professional assistance from speech therapists, psychologists and social workers.
- Community social workers implemented 246 home visits, 58 need assessments, they made 19 individual rehabilitation packages, 22 families in difficult life situation were guided to appropriate structures.
- Student councils jointly with community SWs developed and implemented different mini-projects.
- Alaverdi ADP, jointly with the Reducing Violence Against Children in Armenia grant project, held monthly meetings with CP Social Workers, community GTCs’ representatives of the regional CPU, promoting of the development an effective cooperation culture in interested organization’s child rights protection sector.
Child Sponsorship
Nine out of 10 communities of Alaverdi ADP is included in the Child Sponsorship Program (nearly 1,256 children). Within the program training was provided to teachers, student council members and parents to enhance their knowledge about the Program and include them in child monitoring processes. Alaverdi ADP piloted the Sponsorship 2.0 program which aimed to produce Child Greeting Videos for 200 RC. The program had a success and the WVA NO started CGV production in all ADPs.
Education
- ADP in collaboration with Step by Step Foundation implemented training for the 9 schools’ middle class teachers from the 9 beneficiary communities on using the Child focused modern approaches.
- ADP collaborated with "Mihr” educational NGO of Vanadzor implement trainings and mentor visits which aimed at capacity building of kindergartens’ teachers for improving education quality.
- 59 school children from Karinj, Ayrum and Chochkan communities participated in trainings on Computer technical repair. They will use their knowledge at schools.
- ADP supported all preschool facilities with child development toys, supplies, painting supplies, books, didactic and educational materials on "Creation of child centered classroom”, ”Creation of child centered materials in mathematics” and tales for children.
- In the frame of the ADP’s educational program established "Debate” Clubs in 4 schools in beneficiary communities, the school children have participated in Debate school, inter-school and national competitions.
- In 2 ADP beneficiary communities Akori and Haghpat "Forum Theatre” Club was established. About 31 schoolchildren attend the club.
- The Student Union was established by the schoolchildren of 10 schools from ADP 10 beneficiary communities and had an active participation in all activities ADP organized for the children. The children established "Student Voice" (www.dzaynashakerti.com) webpage, where they raise and discuss the issues related to educational, social, healthcare and other sectors.
- The schoolchildren of Akhtala community participated in Robot X vocational training on making robots using the newest technologies. They participated and were awarded in national competition and exhibition.
- Alaverdi ADP supported the establishment and operation of 25 clubs in ADP communities. Currently the clubs, with 413 children members cover arts, sports and other interests.
Healthcare
- Forum Club schoolchildren awareness of on environmental protection issues, environmental clean-up problems and healthcare problems in health sector with their possible solutions in ADP communities.
- Organized and implemented training sessions on "Diabetes", "Cigarette and its smoke” and "Hypertonic” themes for the nurses of the ADP beneficiary communities.
- Organized and implemented training sessions in 10 communities on State Health Entitlements. 113 community members participated in training sessions.
- ADP organized health-related training sessions for communities’ health care providers on "Integrated Management of Child Diseases”, "Neonatal component”, "Supervision of healthy child”, "Pre and post birth care” themes. During training sessions the participants received participation certificates and health-related information materials.
- Jointly with HHF grant project the ADP organized health-related training sessions for communities’ members on ”First AID”, "Hygiene and Disease prevention”, "Reproductive health issues”, "Child Care”, "Family Planning”, "Diabetes”, "Blood pressure and Hypertonic”, "Timely and Targeted Advice” themes. During training sessions the participants received health-related information materials.731 community members participated in training.
- In 4 beneficiary communities established Mother Support Groups. MSGs are engaged in ongoing consultations among mothers of 0-5 aged children, keeping them aware about rights on health care sector, to carry out advocacy in close cooperation with local health posts and ambulatories.
Economic Development
- In the frame of the Economic Development program organized and implemented training and workshops on some economic themes for the farmers of the communities.
- ADP provided to 1 farmer of Karinj community 35 goats for the goat breeding development in the community, and in future in the frame of program to involve other farmers from the community in the goat breeding for the community economic development.
- To promote tourism development in the region Alaverdi ADP supports small and medium entrepreneurs of Tumanyan region: Akhtala, Haghpat, Alaverdi city and Odzun to create tourism information booklets and webpage.
- ADP carried out the community drinking water system repair and irrigation waterline system renovation in 4 communities: Kachachkut, Akhtala, Chochkan and Ayrum.
- ADP collaborated with "Junior Achievements” NGO implemented "Applied Economic” trainings for the teachers and schoolchildren of the ADP beneficiary communities. In the result of trainings schoolchildren with their knowledge on applied economic participated in competitions, visited some successful business centers, developed and implemented small business plans and 40 children participated in summer camp organized by «Junior Achievement» NGO in Tsaghkadzor.
Civil Society
- One community based organization was established, the active involvement of the CBO in ADP communities has been supported through activation and mobilization of community active groups in 10 communities of the ADP.
- With the Citizen Voice and Action tool focus group discussions have been held around the sectors of Education and Healthcare and LSG with participation of service providers and service users (with participation of 1,023 community members from 10 communities).
- The capacity of local government representative improved through organized training on legislation, LSGs’ state standards, LSGs’ authorities, Development projects and the participatory budget’s development, budget’s performance’s report, community engagement and other topics for 10 community mayors and 10 LG accountants.
- Disaster preparedness survey conducted in 10 communities of the ADP and Disaster Preparedness Plans elaborated per community.
- 25 children from 10 communities participated in training on disaster preparedness plan and first AID in "Lore” Camp.
Alaverdi ADP office
52 Zoravar Andranik st., Alaverdi, Lori marz
Tel. +374 (060) 49 10 06
