Aurora Initiates a Strategic Shift in the Artsakh Aid Program

The Initiative to focus on supporting sustainable social development projects in the region

February 22, 2021 – Yerevan, Armenia – The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative has announced a fundamental upgrade of its Artsakh Aid program, which from now on will be focused on assisting projects that support and facilitate the region’s long-term social development. The program, launched by Aurora in the aftermath of the war, had earlier been providing urgent humanitarian aid to the people of Artsakh on the basis of the #AraratChallenge crowdfunding initiative. In addition, the Aurora Co-Founders Noubar Afeyan, Vartan Gregorian and Ruben Vardanyan have donated on behalf of Aurora $1 million to Hayastan All Armenian Fund for Artsakh aid programs.

This new stage will be characterized by a shift towards sustainability, intended to ensure long-term impact, and will include funding projects that support micro and small enterprises, restore infrastructure, and boost economy. In the meantime, the Initiative remains committed to preserving and promoting Armenian legacy in the region and will also keep on assisting projects that provide direct aid to the underserved communities in Artsakh.

“Following the ceasefire established between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Aurora played an important role in providing immediate relief to the Armenians of Artsakh facing a grave humanitarian crisis. Today, strategic solutions are needed on the ground, and we are very excited to be one of the first to bring long-term social development back to the agenda and to support the projects that fuel it,” said Narine Aghabalyan, Head of Aurora’s Artsakh program.

Having already acted as one of the key humanitarian leaders of the region, Aurora plans to bring the Initiative’s partners together to share best practices at a conference that will be organized in April, as well as to engage experts from the Armenian Diaspora and to contribute to the development of a humanitarian platform designed to connect all stakeholders under the auspices of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative. Since the launch of its humanitarian aid program for Artsakh, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative has already allocated a total of $581,740 (300,660,500֏) to support fifty-seven  local and international projects listed below.

Infrastructure Restoration

1. Supporting water supply restoration in Tagavart (in cooperation with Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure) – $20,000 (10,400,000֏) (NEW);
2. Supporting the renovation of the Chartar Hospital – $15,000 (7,800,000֏) (NEW);
3. Assistance in repairing the electric generator of Stepanakert Republican Hospital – $10,500 (5,400,000֏);
4. Assisting the Stepanakert City Administration in restoring Kindergarten #3 – $10,000 (5,100,000֏);
5. Supporting housing and renovation in Artsakh for the people affected by the war (in cooperation with We Are Armenians Charity Foundation) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏);
6. Assisting in the restoration of a military hospital in Martakert (in cooperation with the Support Our Heroes Foundation) – $15,000 (7,800,000֏);
7. Support in restoration of infrastructure of Martuni City $20,000 (10,400,000֏) (in cooperation with Martuni City Administration)
8. Providing 20 tires for Artsakh ambulance cars (in cooperation with the Artsakh Ministry of Health) – $1,631 (830,000֏);
9. Assisting in restoring secondary school №1 in Martakert (in cooperation with Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Artsakh) – $20,000 (10,200,000֏);

• Assistance in restoring school №2 named after Mesrop Mashtots in Martuni hit by aerial bombardment (in partnership with Love Does Foundation) – $26,500 (13,600,000֏).
• Supporting in the improvement of infrastructure of the Rehabilitation Center named after Caroline Cox in Stepanakert – $10,000 (5,200,000֏);

Social Development and Entrepreneurship

• Providing furniture and other goods to a school and a kindergarten in Askeran and to Martuni regions (in cooperation with the Artsakh Ministry of Education, Science and Culture) – $5,200 (2,700,000֏)
• Supporting the development of an online platform that engages Diaspora’s resources to mitigate the humanitarian crisis and to boost local economy (in cooperation with AMIA) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏);
• Assisting in the creation of job opportunities for women affected by the war in textile industry (in cooperation with Bari Mama) – $7,000 (3,640,000֏);
• Supporting professional trainings and job opportunities creation for displaced women from Artsakh (in cooperation with Hay Mayrer Charity Organization) – $2,885 (1,500,000֏);
• Creating safe spaces for children to participate in sport and educational programs in Artsakh (in cooperation with GOALS Armenia) – $4,800 (2,500,000֏);
• Supporting the Made in Artsakh program to create job opportunities in Artsakh (in cooperation with Support Market) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏);
• Creating new job opportunities for the displaced people from Artsakh relocated to the Syunik Region of Armenia (in cooperation with NEF; the foundation will also match Aurora’s funding) – $15,000 (7,800,000֏);
• Supporting the development of the Nakhshun Hadrut brand – $2,500 (1,300,000֏) (NEW);
• Supporting displaced persons from Artsakh starting small business projects (in cooperation with AMIA) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏) (NEW);
• Co-funded project to supporting vocational culinary training for Artsakh families in partnership with Yeremyan Projects) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏) (NEW);
• Supporting settlers from Shushi contributing to beekeeping development in Tavush (in partnership with Narekatsi Art Union “Shushi”– $10,000 (5,200,000֏) (NEW);
• Supporting the production of post-coma recovery equipment, designed and manufactured in Armenia during the war (in cooperation with QaylTech) – $7,000 (3,640,000֏);
• Assistance in founding a bakery in Stepanakert for the purpose of free distribution of bread for 6 months and for providing new jobs (in cooperation with Tikoonq Initiative Group) – $10,000 (5,100,000֏).

Urgent Humanitarian Aid

• Contributing to the acquisition of ambulances for Artsakh (in cooperation with Support Our Heroes Foundation) – $20,000 (10,200,000֏)
• Assisting in resettlement of displaced persons from Shushi in Stepanakert and other Artsakh localities (in cooperation with the Shushi “Narekatsi” Art Union and the “Hrant Matevosyan” Foundation) – $12,500 (6,500,000֏);
• Providing urgent humanitarian assistance to the population of 8 villages in Martakert Province (Nor Maraga, Nor Aygestan, Nor Seysulan, Nor Karmravan, Nor Haykajur, Mataghis, Hovtashen, Talish) in cooperation with Martakert Municipality and the Ministry of Finance of Artsakh – $10,000 (5,100,000֏);
• Providing 1,425 bedding sets to the temporarily displaced people from Artsakh relocated to Armenia – $18,200 (9,360,000 ֏);
• Making 450 warm jackets for the people of Artsakh at the Stepanakert Clothing Factory – $12,000 (6,075,000֏);
• Humanitarian aid program assistance for 600 Artsakh residents affected by the war (in cooperation with the Bari Mama Foundation) – $12,500 (6,400,000֏);
• Providing 710 heaters to the temporarily displaced Artsakh families – $7,800 (4,056,000֏);
• Assisting in providing urgent humanitarian support to displaced people in Artsakh (in cooperation with Street Workout Armenia) – $10,000 (5,200,000֏);
• Educational and psychological support program for the displaced people from Artsakh in Vayots Dzor (in cooperation with the Vayots Dzor Regional Youth Center) – $2,800 (1,456,000֏);
• Supporting emergency cluster munitions and other explosives clearance operations in civilian areas to allow the safe return of displaced people to Artsakh (in cooperation with HALO Trust; the organization will also match Aurora’s funding) – $25,000 (13,000,000֏);
• Supporting the underprivileged people affected by war via a grant to the Artsakh Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Housing – $10,000 (5,200,000֏);
• Supporting providing shelter and food to 83 Artsakh families affected by the war (in cooperation with Mission Armenia Charitable Foundation) – $4,700 (2,444,000֏);
• Supporting 10 displaced families farming poultry in Askeran – $10,000 (5,200,000֏) (NEW);
• Providing humanitarian aid to displaced Artsakh families in Armenia (in cooperation with Round Table – Armenia) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏) (NEW);
• Assistance in acquiring household appliances for families in Artsakh (in cooperation with the “Armenians, Join” Foundation) – $10,000 (5,200,000֏) (NEW);
• Providing meals to the Shushi youth studying in the Stepanakert Vocational School (in cooperation with the Artsakh Ministry of Education, Science and Culture) – $10,000 (5,200,000֏) (NEW);
• Simultaneous support for low-income families producing agricultural goods in the regions of Armenia by purchasing goods from them for the people affected by the war in Artsakh (in cooperation with Azhdahak Foundation) – $3,900 (2,000,000֏) (NEW);
• Assisting the Traveling Doctors of Armenia Foundation in organizing at-home medical services for the wounded (with limited mobility) in the hard-to-reach regions of Artsakh and Armenia – $10,000 (5,100,000֏);
• Purchasing vital medication for senior citizens residing in Artsakh (in cooperation with Miasin Foundation) – $2,000 (1,020,000֏);
• Purchasing 55 folding beds for the forcibly displaced people from Artsakh (in cooperation with the VIVA Foundation) – $3,000 (1,530,000֏);
• Providing orthopedical items to injured soldiers (in cooperation with VIVA Foundation) – $7,000 (3,640,000֏);
• Providing support to wounded soldiers with mobility issues from Artsakh and Armenia (in cooperation with Arites Tour Тeam) – $2,000 (1,040,000֏);
• Supporting a training program for locals in Artsakh dedicated to using acupuncture for pain relief and mental health care in war and post-war context (in cooperation with EliseCare NGO) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏);
• Supporting building a mobile clinic to provide the health care services necessary for the rehabilitation of the wounded soldiers and civilians in Artsakh (in cooperation with EliseCare NGO) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏);
• Assistance in purchasing furniture for Stepanakert Schools – $10,000 (5,100,000֏);
• Contributing to providing meals for 166 people currently housed in Sevan, Dilijan, Yerevan for 15 days (in cooperation with Victory-2020 Foundation) – $10,000 (5,100,000֏);
• Contributing to providing meals for 65 children and adults from Artsakh currently housed in Holy Mother of Armenia Catholic Center (Gyumri) for 30 days – $9,750 (5,000,000֏);
• Supporting food delivery to 300 people in the border village of Norshen (in cooperation with Dilijan Nor Shin Initiative Group) – $5,000 (2,600,000֏);
• Purchasing essentials for 200 Artsakh families temporarily relocated to Armenia (in cooperation with House of Hope Foundation) – $3,000 (1,530,000֏);
• Providing 50 kits with essentials to the children forced to relocate from Artsakh to Armenia (in cooperation with Global Shapers) – $2,050 (1,050,000֏);
• Supporting providing essentials’ kits to 85 newborn children from Artsakh (in cooperation with Prolife) – $10,000 (5,200,000֏);
• Providing clothing to the vulnerable families in Artsakh (in cooperation with Patagonia Inc. and Haypost USA CORP. Project initiated by Seda Ambartsoumian) – $5,600 (2,912,000֏), of which is $4.7K in-kind contribution;
• Christmas Miracle for Artsakh, bringing joy to children affected by the war in Armenia and Artsakh (initiated by Margarita Vardanyan and Diana Petrosyan) – $70,054 (36,430,000֏), of which $15K is in-kind contribution.