COAF Diary

Within its education development component, COAF invited experts from the National Exam and Testing Center to the community of Dalarik to participate in a meeting with graduates from the Model Cluster communities. Both students and school principals were provided with the most updated information regarding the exam process and recent changes in university admission system.

COAF supported two laboratory doctors from Miasnikian Polyclinic to be engaged in two-week training at the National Institute of Health. As a result of these trainings, the Miasnikian Polyclinic laboratory staff will start carrying out cytological examinations of cervix (Pap tests).

COAF’s partnership with the Armenian Eye Care Project (AECP) resulted in the screening of a total of 1,352 rural residents, including 988 school children and 364 adults from six cluster communities. 19 patients underwent surgeries in AECP mobile eye clinic and 44 children were referred to specialized care in regional eye clinics. Additionally, health education seminars on eye care were held, targeting the adult population of the cluster, including teachers, parents and nurses.

COAF and Cascade Credit held a press conference to introduce the specially tailored lending program to the communities of the Model Cluster, launched in March 2008, and to report on interim results of the joint partnership. The goal of the project is to increase the number of small and medium size enterprises and to stimulate the rural economy.

Dr. Garo Armen, COAF founder and chairman of the Board, appeared on the “Hayrenik-Spyurk” (Homeland-Diaspora) talk show on Armenia TV. Dr. Armen presented the activities of Comprehensive Rural Development Program in the cluster of six communities in Armavir District of Armenia in 2008 and spoke of COAF’s vision and plans for the upcoming 5 years.

The Lernagog School student Satenik Ghazaryan was declared one of five winners at the National Essay Writing Contest organized by “Save the Children” and Armenian Ministry of Education and Science in conjunction with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. The contest attracted over 100 entries from all regions of the Republic of Armenia and had the theme “Limits of Tolerance”.

638 children and adolescents were engaged in the activities of 30 youth clubs operating in 5 communities of Armavir District, focusing their efforts on six areas of development: agribusiness, ecology, healthy lifestyle, civic education, logics and journalism/public relations.

Community health education trainings were completed in Argina, covering topics such as prenatal care, cervical and breast cancer prevention, child care and healthy lifestyle. A total of 35 community volunteers and youngsters participated in the trainings, followed by a five-day training of trainers (TOT) for 9 nurses from Argina and Karakert communities of the Model Cluster.

As part of World No Tobacco Day, celebrated worldwide on May 31, Lernagog School hosted an event organized by the members of the youth club on healthy lifestyle in close cooperation with COAF health education team. The first part of the event was built on question and answer scheme on smoking and non-smoking issues, accompanied by illustrative slides on the damages caused by active and passive smoking, and recommendations towards quitting smoking. The second part of the event was dedicated to the performance, played by the school children themselves, with the goal of advocating tobacco-free environment and conducting healthy lifestyle among youth and adults.

As part of COAF-CARD (Center for Agribusiness and Rural Development) partnership, Milk Collecting Station started its works in Lernagog. 21 farmers became members of this enterprise and will have increased income from milk collection and disbursement in the weeks to come.

COAF initiated the training of obstetric nurses from Lernagog, Karakert and Miasnikian at the National Institute of Health. Topics covered during the training included prenatal care, gynecological procedures, and women’s reproductive health care.

COAF and Heifer International in Armenia organized two-day Training of Trainers (TOT) within the framework of “Creation and Development of Youth Clubs” project through 30 youth clubs operating in four villages of the Model Cluster and one neighboring Hushakert. The focus of this program is on training youth in agribusiness, ecology, healthy lifestyle, civic education, logics and journalism/public relations. A minimum of 350 teenagers are expected to directly benefit from enrollment in these extracurricular club activities.

Due to the joint efforts of COAF, IREX (International Research and Exchange Board) and OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe), the libraries of Model Cluster schools were enriched with contemporary literature on general pedagogy, including modern teaching methods, and social studies.

Dalarik and Lernagog communities of the Model Cluster became venues for establishing 2 clubs in innovative technologies. The program makes an integral part of COAF after school activities and intends to provide twelve-month classes on graphic design, photo taking, and application of innovative digital equipment and utilization of programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Premier.

COAF held its monthly meeting with the mayors of Cluster Communities. The agenda included topics in connection with community participation and input in the implementation of cluster-wide projects (Psycho-Social Project and Shrjadardz Monthly), gas supply in Shenik, site development projects in Dalarik, Karakert, Lernagog and Shenik, and establishment of community development funds throughout the whole cluster.

Within its education development component, COAF initiated the three-day training of 6 teachers of Civic Education from cluster communities in the capital Yerevan. The training was carried out as part of “Citizen” project sponsored by the US Department of Education.

COAF held a meeting with the administrative staff of Model Cluster schools, including schools principals, deputy principles and head teachers. The meeting was devoted to the presentation of past and current programs in the area of education, and introduction of main topics of COAF Education Program Concept Paper, which has been worked out in compliance with the Education Development Program for Armenia for 2008-2015.

Through the financial support from COAF, Step by Step Foundation launched trainings for kindergarten care takes and primary school teachers from Dalarik, Karakert, Lernagog, Miasnikian, Shenik and neighboring Arteni communities. The training also included a trip to pre-school educational institutions in the capital Yerevan with the aim of experience exchange.

The infrastructure rehabilitation continued on the sites of the Lernagog Ambulatory, Lernagog Kindergarten and Miasnikian Mother and Child Health Center.

Jointly with UNICEF, COAF launched the “Development of Comprehensive Child Protection Training Manual” through a roundtable held. The project aims at building the capacity of professionals working with children and creating a unified and integrated approach to addressing children’s needs in Armenia. 36 dignitaries from the Government of Armenia, National Assembly, universities, national institutes, international organizations and NGOs participated in the event.

Classes on computer literacy and trainings on system administration were completed in Karakert, Lernagog and Shenik communities, involving 33 rural residents. The training is continuous and intends to engage larger number of participants.

As part of the Psycho-Social project implemented throughout the cluster, seminars on psychological and social issues were held in Argina, Miasnikian and Shenik communities including such topics as “Efficient parenting: comprehensive approach to psychological development of a child”, “Impact of family members interrelations on a child”, “Description of social work”, “Law on civil status in Armenia”.

Community health education trainings were completed in Dalarik and Shenik, covering topics such as prenatal care, cervical and breast cancer prevention, child care and healthy life. A total of 111 community volunteers and youngsters from two villages participated in the trainings.

624 school children in Dalarik moved to their fully refurbished new school. The school has been reconstructed as part of infrastructure rehabilitation component and is the ninth building completed by COAF since late 2005. The revitalized Dalarik School has a usable area of 3,300 sq. meters and offers heating in winter season, access to water, clean and safe indoor toilets and comfortable desks and chairs.

Kanaka Construction Company under the direct supervision and daily control by COAF construction supervisors and engineers restarted the renovation works on the sites of the kindergarten and health clinic in Lernagog. The two buildings will be ready for use at the beginning of June 2008, of which the local kindergarten will benefit 50 children and the health clinic will serve 2,370 residents of Lernagog.

COAF partnered with Heifer Armenia to assist 85 underprivileged families from Dalarik, Hushakert, Lernagog, Karakert and Misanikian cluster communities. The cooperation is aimed at providing gravid heifers to underprivileged families and promoting the ‘passing on the gift’. The formation of youth clubs also makes part of this joint partnership.

The contract for the reconstruction of the roof of Miasnikian Mother and Child Health Center was awarded to Akhuryan Coopshin LLC. The works will be implemented phase by phase. The Miasnikian Mother and Child will serve the entire population of Miasnikian as well as 23,160 residents of 15 communities included in Baghramian Region of Armavir.

COAF Health Educator completed trainings on prenatal care, child care, cervical and breast cancer prevention and healthy lifestyle for community volunteers and youth in Lernagog. These trainings are held on a continuous basis and Dalarik is the next village to benefit from this health education initiative.

COAF and UNICEF Armenia signed a bilateral cooperative project agreement on “Comprehensive Child Protection Training Manual for Pre-service and In-service Institutions”. The goal of this project is to develop a training package for professionals working with children throughout Armenia..

COAF launched a series of community meetings in the villages constituting the Model Cluster with the aim of presenting the projects completed in 2006-2007, reporting on the status of ongoing projects, listening to new suggestions and recommendations and verifying the priorities set up by villagers themselves.

Step by Step Charitable Foundation with the financial support from COAF restarted training program on modern methodology of education for teachers from COAF’s cluster villages. Topics to be covered during these trainings include cooperative learning, child-centered classrooms and thematic planning.

All 198 trainees of COAF’s Community Health Education for 2007 in Dalarik, Lernagog and Miasnikian were awarded with certificates of course completion. Topics of training courses included healthy lifestyle, hygiene and prevention of common diseases in children, management of chronic diseases, prenatal care, cervical and breast cancer prevention. In addition, 56 medical staff from all cluster communities, including physicians from Baghramian, Yervandashat and Houshakert was trained in Continuing Medical Education in algorithm for emergency intervention, medical manipulation and interpretation of ECG.

COAF partnered with Cascade Credit CJSC to introduce business loan packages to the villagers of the Model Cluster communities. In this connection presentations were held in respective villages and over 300 applications were submitted. The goal of the partnership is to increase rural public awareness and provide villagers with financial services and agricultural leasing to stimulate their economic livelihoods.

Within the framework of community health education and health promotional materials to accompany the respective trainings, 1,000 copies of leaflets on Diabetes were developed by COAF Health Program team and published. The leaflets are distributed to the cluster population in accordance with the schedule of trainings and relevant topics covered.

With the set-up of computer laboratories in the villages of Karakert and Lernagog, classes on computer literacy were launched. Additionally, COAF initiated local capacity building for 4 trainees to be educated on system administration and management.