About AMD 16.5 billion ($41,250,000) worth of projects, of which AMD 15 billion ($37,500,000) are in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). In 2022, this is the numerical index of the works carried out by ‘Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund. As in 2021, as well as last year, the foundation continued the mission of developing the border communities of Armenia and Artsakh.
Haykak Arshamyan (Executive Director of ‘Hayastan’ Foundation) - The needs are many. Drinking water is a problem, irrigation water is a big problem, etc. And the fund will direct the money collected from last year's fundraising and the money collected this year to the border communities.
The French local branch of the Foundation has undertaken a mission to provide agricultural assistance to those living in border communities. Residents are provided with the necessary resources to engage in agriculture.
Haykak Arshamyan - Provision of beehives, provision of seeds, seedlings, saplings, that is, we are talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars, these are not small projects. Also provision of greenhouses.
Haykak Arshamyan, Executive Director of ‘Hayastan’ Foundation, resumes the housing construction projects from last year's work. Although the pandemic and war in 2020 delayed the start of construction work in Gyumri, by the end of 2022, another 36 families living in shacks received apartments in Mush district.
Haykak Arshamyan - We set very strict criteria that these people should not have an apartment at that time or should not have received an apartment from state support. Those families must have many children and must live in dormitories.
Housing construction works continued in Artsakh with the funds collected by the fund. Artsakh residents who lost their homes as a result of the 44-day war will be given a roof by the end of the year in Ivanyan, Ajapnyak and Tigran Mets districts.
Haykak Arshamyan - We are talking about 80 houses in Ivanyan, we also have apartment buildings in Ivanyan community, which are right in front of the airport, some of them will be put into operation again. And, I think, at least 200-300 families from Artsakh will have houses this year.
The closing of the Berdzor Corridor (Lachin Corridor) by Azerbaijan hindered the work of the All-Armenian Fund in Artsakh at the end of the year. Due to the humanitarian crisis in the besieged Artsakh, the construction was stopped.
Haykak Arshamyan - We asked the builders not to do business because they can't, that is, even if we don't say it, they can't do anything because there is a serious problem of fuel there, there is also a serious problem of goods, and they have to make purchases themselves, which is not possible at the moment.
In order to provide urgent humanitarian support to Artsakh, a donation section has been opened on the foundation's website. The fund's local bodies, organizations and individuals in different countries have already joined the fundraising.
Artsakh residents will also receive support from the $11 million collected for the 2022 telethon. Haykakan Arshamyan considers the amount of donated money sufficient.
Haykak Arshamyan - Of course, yes, our potential, the pan-Armenian and Diaspora potential, is much greater, and we were convinced of it during the same 44-day war, but we must always take into account the current situation, as well as the geopolitical situation, as well as the economic crisis that prevails in the world today.
In 2022, the ‘Hayastan’ Foundation has exceeded the volume of implementation of the programs planned for the year. In 2023, along with housing construction, school construction works will begin in the border regions. Outpatient clinics will be built for residents of Tavush, Gegharkunik and Syunik provinces.
