Sponsor a Child in Armenia

If you would like to sponsor a child in Armenia then you can choose between the Children's Village at Kotajk, and the Children's Village at Idjevan (opening in 2009). If however you would like to support community programmes like those below you could sponsor one of the villages or make a regular donation.

Community projects in Armenia

Armenia is a "landlocked" republic with Georgia to the north and Turkey to the west. There have been great changes since the Soviet Union break-up in 1991. Once considered the Soviet 'silicon valley', Armenia collapsed economically when its old markets crumbled. Poverty is widespread with about two thirds of the population living below the poverty line. In turn, families with under-five year olds comprise almost two thirds of the poor. Chronic malnutrition among children under-fives rose from 12 per cent in 1998 to 14 per cent in 2000.

In 2006, SOS Children's Villages Armenia began a family programme in Gyumri, which is in the north-west of Armenia about 75 miles from Yerevan, the capital. Gyumri was badly affected by the earthquake that hit Armenia in1988. The plan was to help 200 vulnerable children and their families in practical ways: children are given help with their education and with after school activities while their parents are given help to find jobs.

SOS Children works with two NGOs in Gyumri to ensure the programme is sustainable and effective. The programme is supporting 217 children and 112 families, who are at particular risk. As a result of the programme, families have become more self-reliant and have found jobs. Children are at less risk of being abandoned. We will also develop similar programmes with new partners in Kotayk and Yerevan with the aim of developing a national programme to strengthen families and prevent the abandonment of children.