Artsakh Humanitarian Assistance
Beschermde donatie
Hello, my name is Alex Ouzounian, I am an American Armenian who has been living in Yerevan, Armenia for the past two years.
On September 27, 2020, fighting began between Azerbaijan and the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). The fighting has continued since then. Nearly everyone who lives in Artsakh has been affected by the war. Many have lost family members, friends, homes, and businesses. Covid-19 has also affected the citizens of the region. According to doctors in Artsakh, 40-60 percent of people who have received Covid -19 tests have tested positive*. As a result of the continued shelling of the region by the Azerbanji military, many citizens who have tested positive are seeking safety in basements with others who do not have Covid-19. This has made slowing down the spread of the virus very difficult.
As of November 1, 2020, an estimated 70,000 people*, many of which are women and children have been displaced. Many have escaped the war and arrived in the Republic of Armenia without essential items. We are looking to raise money to provide food, hygiene products, medication, clothing, and housing to as many refugees as possible.
Here is a breakdown of how the donations will be distributed:
⅓ of donations will go to the Homeland Development Initiative Foundation (HDIF) - a nonprofit based in Armenia which works to initiate, facilitate, and nurture sustainable economic opportunities in rural villages, towns, and cities throughout Armenia as well as vulnerable groups. HDIF creates jobs that pay above minimum wage in Armenian communities and commits to regional economic development.
The donations to HDIF will be used to pay for winter clothing to be made by women in villages around Armenia and distributed to the Artsakh families.
⅓ of donations will go to the Fund for Armenian Relief - a nonprofit based in Armenia and the United States. FAR focuses on areas of education, child protection, economic development, healthcare, and social services. Since September 27, 2020, FAR has provided more than sixty tons of food, living essentials, hygiene supplies, and school supplies to about 16,000 Artsakh residents who are now temporarily in Armenia. The ⅓ of donations will go towards this cause.
The final ⅓ of donations will be used by fundraising leader, Alex Ouzounian and the other members of the project to purchase clothing, food, medication, and other essential items for the families who have arrived in Armenia from the Republic of Artsakh since the breakout of the war.
As many of you know, the Armenian community around the world is well connected. And that is even more so within Armenia. Through our friends, family, and other contacts in Armenia, we are in contact with more than 100 refugees, most of which are within 30 minutes of Yerevan, but some are in other cities or villages in the country. For the families that are within a 30-minute radius of Yerevan, Armenia, we will be personally delivering these essential items to the families. For the families that are outside of this region, we will be working with FAR and others to send the purchased items to them.
With your assistance, we can support the people of Artsakh in this time of need.
-Alex Ouzounian
* Artsakh Covid Information
*Refugee Information Artsakh October 2020
On September 27, 2020, fighting began between Azerbaijan and the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). The fighting has continued since then. Nearly everyone who lives in Artsakh has been affected by the war. Many have lost family members, friends, homes, and businesses. Covid-19 has also affected the citizens of the region. According to doctors in Artsakh, 40-60 percent of people who have received Covid -19 tests have tested positive*. As a result of the continued shelling of the region by the Azerbanji military, many citizens who have tested positive are seeking safety in basements with others who do not have Covid-19. This has made slowing down the spread of the virus very difficult.
As of November 1, 2020, an estimated 70,000 people*, many of which are women and children have been displaced. Many have escaped the war and arrived in the Republic of Armenia without essential items. We are looking to raise money to provide food, hygiene products, medication, clothing, and housing to as many refugees as possible.
Here is a breakdown of how the donations will be distributed:
⅓ of donations will go to the Homeland Development Initiative Foundation (HDIF) - a nonprofit based in Armenia which works to initiate, facilitate, and nurture sustainable economic opportunities in rural villages, towns, and cities throughout Armenia as well as vulnerable groups. HDIF creates jobs that pay above minimum wage in Armenian communities and commits to regional economic development.
The donations to HDIF will be used to pay for winter clothing to be made by women in villages around Armenia and distributed to the Artsakh families.
⅓ of donations will go to the Fund for Armenian Relief - a nonprofit based in Armenia and the United States. FAR focuses on areas of education, child protection, economic development, healthcare, and social services. Since September 27, 2020, FAR has provided more than sixty tons of food, living essentials, hygiene supplies, and school supplies to about 16,000 Artsakh residents who are now temporarily in Armenia. The ⅓ of donations will go towards this cause.
The final ⅓ of donations will be used by fundraising leader, Alex Ouzounian and the other members of the project to purchase clothing, food, medication, and other essential items for the families who have arrived in Armenia from the Republic of Artsakh since the breakout of the war.
As many of you know, the Armenian community around the world is well connected. And that is even more so within Armenia. Through our friends, family, and other contacts in Armenia, we are in contact with more than 100 refugees, most of which are within 30 minutes of Yerevan, but some are in other cities or villages in the country. For the families that are within a 30-minute radius of Yerevan, Armenia, we will be personally delivering these essential items to the families. For the families that are outside of this region, we will be working with FAR and others to send the purchased items to them.
With your assistance, we can support the people of Artsakh in this time of need.
-Alex Ouzounian
* Artsakh Covid Information
*Refugee Information Artsakh October 2020
Organisator
Alex Ouzounian
Organisator
Racine, WI
