Villages in Armavir District Benefit from Training in Reproductive Health, Dental and Eye Care Program

Armavir District, Republic of Armenia, July 24, 2006 — COAF continues to upgrade and expand the healthcare component of its Integrated Rural Development Program in Armavir. During eight weeks in June and July 2006, the communities of Argina, Dalarik, Karakert, Lernagog, Myasnikyan and Shenik were the beneficiaries of the scheduled screening stops by the dental and eye care mobile clinics. Also in this period, COAF conducted training in all six communities in reproductive health and rights. These three projects were implemented through partnered agreements with the Armenian Dental Society of California (ADSC), Armenian Eye Care Project (AECP), and Counterpart International (CI), respectively. 

The first of these recently completed initiatives is the dental care project that benefited 233 schoolchildren. In a series of scheduled stops on the school grounds of each of the Model Cluster communities, children were diagnosed and treated in the mobile dental clinic. The two dentists and nurse on board of the ADSC mobile clinic are highly qualified and experienced in providing the needed screening and treatment in a confined environment.

Similarly, the AECP Bringing Sight to Armenian Eyes initiative brought the Mobile Eye Hospital to the Model Cluster villages to identify eye problems, screen patients and provide follow-on treatment, as needed. In this year’s program, 433 adults and 1,143 children were examined. Of those examined, 192 adults and 87 children were diagnosed with problems and treated and 31 adults and 55 children were referred to specialized hospitals for follow-on treatment. Additionally, 46 adults from socially disadvantaged families received free prescription glasses.

The third project is an integral part of COAF’s Community Health Education (CHE) program. Raising Awareness of Women in Reproductive Health and Rights was realized with funding from CI. The goal of the project was to improve the quality of life of women in Model Cluster communities. Specifically, the project aimed at identifying reproductive health risks and violation of women’s rights and raising their awareness on reproductive rights, behavioral risks and prevention of gender-based violence. During the project implementation period, COAF conducted focus group discussions and surveys, developed educational materials for training 30 trainers, who subsequently held training sessions for larger groups throughout the Model Cluster. In addition, information pamphlets were published and distributed widely. The project benefited around 1,400 women from COAF’s six communities.

COAF is is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that seeks to reverse the impoverished conditions affecting significant numbers of Armenia’s children by revitalizing Armenia’s villages and implementing projects that provide immediate and sustainable benefits to children and youth.

The Armenian Eye Care Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing ophthalmologic care to the Armenian people through five primary programs. These include 1) direct patient care; 2) medical training and education, including training in Armenia and U.S. ophthalmology fellowships; 3) public education and awareness; 4) research; 5) strengthening the Armenian eye care delivery system through capacity building. The organization is governed by a volunteer board of directors.

The Armenian Dental Society of California (ADSC) was founded in 1993 and since its inception has undertaken various projects both in the US and Armenia. One of ADSC’s major undertakings for the past few years has been its Sponsor a Smile Project.  With the aim to address the lack of access to dental care in Armenia and through the acquisition and conversion of a bus to a mobile dental clinic, ADSC has been able to reach out to distant communities in Armenia providing dental care to thousands of schoolchildren.

Founded in 1965, Counterpart International (CI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to building a just world through service and partnership. CI’s program areas include agriculture, civil society, public policy and advocacy, social, rural and urban development.  The representation of CI in Armenia focuses primarily on the protection of human rights and humanitarian assistance. It has also an important grants program to support the activities of local non-governmental organizations.

CONTACTS: Sunny Uberoi, (212) 994-8206; or e-mail info@coafkids.org