 |
Latest News
2 September 2010
The official opening ceremony of the computer training centre situated in the community centre of Shenik village of Armavir marz was held on the 1st of September.
Orange-Armenia Company has supported the implementation of this project with necessary computers and super-speed internet. The centre has been thoroughly renovated and furnished with the joint efforts of Shen and the community. The community medical aid post which is situated in the same building has also been renovated.
With the 1st of September being the Day of Knowledge in Armenia, the first-grade school-children received presents from Orange-Armenia, and the library situated in the same building received 300 pieces of fiction books which had been collected by Orange and Shen employees.
The following were present at the opening ceremony – the Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer of France Telecom/Orange group Mr Mark Fossier, the CEO of Orange-Armenia Mr Bruno Dutoit, a representative of Shen-France Mr Hrayr Hrachian, all the population of the community.
Right after the opening ceremony one of the community members, a highly qualified IT specialist Yervand Ayvazyan, started his work as a system administrator of the computer centre.
9 August 2010
A field seminar on "Organic agriculture and ecology" was held by Shen NGO one of these days in Dprabak community of Gegharkunik marz. The seminar was organised in the frame of project of "Introduction of sustainable land use and biodiversity conservation practices in Dprabak community of Gegharkunik region" funded by UNDP Armenia GEF SGP. The training was planned for 7-11 grade students of 6 communities of Chambarak region. The field-seminar was held in the organic community orchard of Dprabak aiming to present the pilot project of establishing a community unit to the youth of Dprabak and neighbouring communities.
During the seminar Shen NGO specialists presented reports on "Organic agriculture as a prospective direction", "Production of biohumus and preparation of compost mix", "Mechanisms of diagnosing domestic animals". During the second half of the seminar all participants took part in the preparation of a compost mix on the orchard using red Californian worms.
The example of Dprabak community orchard pilot project will not only contribute towards the sustainability and social development of communities, but also will indirectly link the rural youth to with communities.
|
|
 |
|
        
Income Generation Projects in Rural Areas
Updated on 1 March, 2010
Our strategy is to support maximum number of beneficiaries with the available limited resources. Therefore we try to boost activities that potentially result in substantial produce more income for the entire community. We also believe that our best contribution to the well-being of the vulnerable communities will be empowering them to meet their own needs themselves.
New Strategy in Establishment of Orchards: After passing a considerable road, Shen casts an evaluating glance backwards at the way it has covered, analyzes it and defines future directions of its activities. In the result of such evaluation, it was decided to review the strategy of establishing new fruit orchards on barren idle lands. Since 1999, establishment of orchards on unused reserve lands was an important part of Shen's activity. The profits of the orchards are used only for the needs of the local communities.
However, as the time passed, more favorable conditions were created for fostering rural entrepreneurship, and Shen deemed it expedient to support individual farmers who have determination but do not have enough means for establishing orchards on poor lands. One can still find land plots in Armenia which are not cultivated because of their being extremely poor and absence of irrigation. In the beneficiary communities where the potential exists we support private farmers by ameliorating barren and poor lands and rehabilitating irrigation systems.
New agricultural lands are claimed in the following communities: Berdavan - 35 ha, Ayrum - 70 ha, Shenik - 30 ha, Koti - 100 ha, Baghanis - 80 ha, Voskevan - 70 ha, Koghbavan - 30 ha, Lusakn - 100 ha.
Stone collection. It takes hard efforts until the land is ready for cultivation.
Seed Breeding is a Profitable Endeavor: Vardenis-Chambarak sub-region is a high mountainous area and has traditionally been center for potato production. According to experts this area has excellent climatic conditions for potato seed breeding as cold weather makes the plant robust and resistant towards pests and diseases. This is the reason why Shen, along with solving infrastructure rehabilitation and social issues, proposed local farmers to get involve in potato seed breeding as income generation activity.
Bed and Breakfast at the Shore of the Lake Sevan: B&Bs that were created in 2008 in Tsapatagh, Shorzha and Pambak villages successfully operated during the summer months. After passing extensive trainings six more families from the region were involved in this business in 2009. The experience of the pilot projects showed that letting rooms to tourists during summer is profitable.
Bed and breakfast is now available on the shore of Lake Sevan
Handicraft is Reviving in Chambarak: The project designed for women from Chambarak and nearby villages aiming at increasing income through embroidery training was successfully completed. It had started in 2005 and can serve as a good example of project sustainability. A small enterprise called World of Threads was established by our beneficiaries and operates successfully.
Chambarak embroidery school is a reality
|
|
