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January 16, 2014
Agricultural Project Supports Syrian Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
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A Syrian-Armenian family stands in front of tractors donated to them by AGBU and the Cherchian Family Foundation. -
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State-of-the-art tractors and other agricultural equipment are helping displaced Syrian-Armenian farmers plant new roots in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. -
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A new tractor drives to Nagorno-Karabakh, where AGBU has launched an agricultural program for Syrian Armenians in collaboration with the Cherchian Family Foundation and local authorities.
Displaced Families Receive New Tractors and Equipment
As Syria’s war continues, AGBU is helping displaced Syrian Armenians put down new roots in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR). AGBU, in collaboration with the Cherchian Family Foundation and local NKR authorities, is distributing state-of-the-art tractors and agricultural supplies to families in need, allowing them to plant a new future.
In its first few months, the agricultural program has served over two dozen families, among them experienced farmers. Forced to flee their homes, they left behind almost everything, including agricultural equipment, the main source of their livelihoods. Now, many are resettling in Kovsakan, in NKR’s southwest. Their adopted town sits on the fertile banks of the Voghj River, where the farmers have already sowed wheat and barley. While those crops grow, they’re continuing to harvest something else: hope.
Hovig Eordekian, deputy director of the AGBU Armenia Representation office, commented, “This project gives Syrian-Armenian farmers the resources and tools they need to support themselves as they adapt to their new lives. We are so pleased to help these families with a fresh start, knowing that they are also contributing to the sustainable development of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. We all look forward to seeing what their farms produce, and to working together as they continue to make the transition into their new communities.”
With a generous donation from the Cherchian Family Foundation, AGBU has purchased three new tractors, disk harrows, seeders, fertilizer and pesticide systems, and equipment storage space. The initiative is part of AGBU’s expansive relief efforts in response to the crisis in Syria. Across the country, AGBU volunteers are delivering food, healthcare, shelter and emergency assistance to thousands of Syrian Armenians struggling to survive. In Armenia and Lebanon, where thousands more have found refuge, AGBU is distributing housing stipends, grocery coupons and school fees.
Providing academic scholarships is also a key part of AGBU’s work. To date, the AGBU-Gulbenkian Tuition Program has administered over $150,000 to close to 340 students in Armenia. Developed in partnership with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and Armenia’s Diaspora Ministry and Education and Science Ministry, the program supports the higher education of Syrian Armenians who have been forced to leave their country.
As the devastating conflict unfolds with no end in sight, this aid is a critical lifeline for countless families.
AGBU’s humanitarian work on the ground is made possible by donations to the Humanitarian Emergency Relief Fund for Syrian Armenians. To make a contribution to this critical cause, please visit www.agbu.org/syriarelief.
To make a pledge by phone, please call +1-855-AID-AGBU (243-2428) from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm (EST).
You can also send checks to:
AGBU Emergency Relief Fund
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022.
Please make checks payable to AGBU and indicate “Emergency Relief Fund” in memo line.
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