Gyumri’s resurgence aided by Fund for Armenian Relief

by Florence Avakian

Published: Friday September 17, 2010

Students at Gyumri's IT Center, supported by the Fund for Armenian Relief. Florence Avakian

Gyumri, Armenia - Twenty-two years ago, it was a city devastated by a massive earthquake. Today, Gyumri is alive and well, with daily signs of progress everywhere.

Contributing to the resurgence of Armenia's second largest city with a population of 130,000, are several projects created, organized and financed by the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) which started its projects in Gyumri with the specific focus on earthquake relief.

On a recent trip to Armenia, I visited this burgeoning city with Margarita Piliposyan, Deputy Director of FAR Armenia. In the past several years, many new buildings and homes have been erected mostly with American and European funding.

One of the most vital establishments in Gyumri is the Margaret and Nishan Atinizian Senior Center which opened in 2000. It feeds some 200 indigent elders daily in two shifts, providing both a nutritional homemade meal, and access to showers.

A life-saving institution

Most of the recipients are women, some unmarried, some widows, or those whose children left the country and have not returned. Their life stories encompass a hand to mouth survival, with no funds for medicine, or utilities. Their existence would be all the more desperate without the FAR Soup Kitchen.

One of the most heart-rending stories was that of 69-year old Ashod Yergararyan, who grew up in an orphanage. A widower whose three children died in the earthquake, he is a cancer survivor, and victim of a stroke. He lives on $45 a month, with no gas or electricity. "I would starve if this Soup Kitchen did not exist," he said quietly.

Seventy-year old Haiganoush Sarkissian whose two daughters and son perished in the earthquake, suffers from high blood pressure. She cannot afford the necessary medication, or the high electric bills on the $45 remittance she receives from the government.

Seventy-three year old Nina Bedrossian who lost both parents at age three and grew up in an orphanage, and never married, is handicapped. She fractured her pelvis and ankle and lives in a hostel. Unable to afford medicine, or utilities, she lights her room with candles.

Also unable to buy drugs is divorced 60-year old Vartan Khadrian who recently suffered a heart attack, and receives only $30 from the government, as does 74-year old Lamarra Vartabedian whose blind husband was beaten to death during Armenian pogroms in Baku in 1990.

Providing the daily healthful meals, and a friendly, comforting, and supportive environment, is a dedicated staff, including Marina Bazayeva, FAR's Shirak Department Director working here for 14 years, Gagik Lachikian, Shirak Coordinator for 13 years, and Gor Simonian who is the Soup Kitchen Coordinator.

For five days in July, 18 students partaking in the ACYOA Armenian Service Program trip to Armenia joined the staff in the Soup Kitchen preparing and serving the meals, talking with the elders, and cleaning up. "It was a very rewarding experience," said one of the participants.

A model school

From the soup kitchen, we traveled to the Octet Music School, another of the successful FAR enterprises in Gyumri. More than 20 years after the 1988 earthquake which completely destroyed the original school which was founded in 1976, it is rated as one of the best schools in Armenia even though it is still housed in temporary aluminum shelter known as domig.

The world famous Armenian-American musician Serj Tankian who was on a concert tour of Armenia in August, pledged to help fundraise for the rebuilding of the Gyumri School which will cost $250,000. So far, $72,000 has been raised. Tankian follows rock musicians Ian Gillan (of Deep Purple) and Tony Iommi (originally with Black Sabbath and most recently with Heaven and Hell) who have also pledged their support for a new school building.

The school which teaches instruments and voice to the more than 200 students from ages six to sixteen, has received acclaim for its performances during festivals throughout Armenia.

The school is state-owned, with FAR supporting it with all the musical instruments, tuition fees for the most vulnerable students, as well as travel fees when they travel to festivals in Yerevan and other locales.

During my visit, school director Haroutune Asatrian, who has been with the school for 30 years introduced, with unbounded enthusiasm, the students who presented a standout concert performance playing beautiful folk melodies on authentic Armenian instruments.

"These students have received the top prizes in Armenia," he announced proudly. And 17-year old singer Nune added, "We can't imagine our life without music. It's in our souls."

Economic development

A third achievement for FAR is the Gyumri Internet Technology Center (GITC) program which aims to make sure that young professionals will not contribute to the brain drain, but instead live, work, and contribute to the flourishing of the Gyumri and Shirak regions.

A post graduate high technology project emphasizing web technology and computer engineering, it entails a two year full time program, after which students receive a certificate, and are eligible to secure positions in technology and information programming.

Since the program began, close to 60 students have graduated, with 80 percent employed in professional positions with companies such as Boomerang (software), Synergy (software, data base development, website development), Instigate Designs (chip designs, computer engineering) whose center is located in Yerevan, Virage Logic (chip design) also centered in Yerevan, and Shirak Technologies - a GITC founder. Three graduates have been hired by GITC itself.

"Eighty percent of the graduates have stayed in Gyumri. There is no brain drain here," stated Amalya Yeghoyan, Deputy Director of GITC in Gyumri. "When the students come here, they're depressed. This program gives them hope, but it is a very expensive enterprise."

The cost is $5000 per student every year. They have received a grant from USAID for $29,000 to train the educators. "All students pay $300. The rest is covered by FAR which has a dedicated group of donors."

"The government of Armenia decided to advance this development program. When they saw GITC, they decided to expand it here," Yeghoyan noted.

Twenty-four year old Christina Gulbekian, who was studying chemistry and biology at the Pedalogical Institute in Gyumri, changed her occupation to web development in an effort to enhance her professional future. She works at GITC as a web developer. "I like the fact that I can create on my own," she said. "I want to help my city in any way I can."

The sun was setting behind the timeless mountains as I left this city with its historic as well as new structures that dot the skyline.

There is a sense of comfort in knowing that this beautiful region, once in sheer devastation, is seeing a vibrant rebirth with great hope for the future.