THANK YOU

Dear partners at  Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley and Habitat for Humanity Delaware County, 

On behalf of our partner families we would like to thank you for your tithes of $14,313.26 ($7313.26-HFH of  St. Vrain Valley, 3 families served, $7000-Delaware County HFH, 3 families served ) received between August to October, 2014.  Thanks to your support, we were enabled to  serve 6 more families within the framework of Housing Micro finance project in Armavir and Gegharkunik regions.

Please see below the names of the families that befitted from your tithes:

Ashot Hovhannisyan

Arayik Grigoryan

Avetik Hakobyan
Astghik Movsisyan

Hovhannes Hambardzumyan
Harutyun Harutyunayan

To learn more about the families and how your support impacted their lives see 4 family stories below. 

Our goal is to continue to make a difference in the lives of the people. Your support is a great motivation for us and gives us courage and energy to move towards our goal of building better future for families living in substandard housing conditions. 
Thank you again for your partnership and dedication to Habitat for Humanity Armenia's mission. 

Ashot Hovhannisyan's family

The young family of Hovhannisyans was happy to welcome us in their new house in Aknashen village of Armavir region.  The family consisting of Ashot (32), his wife Lolita (21) and their one-year-old daughter Anna have started the renovation of their own house in partnership with Habitat Armenia.   At the moment they live in a tiny rented apartment in the village.

“We are moving from one place to the other all the time,” Ashot says, “finally we were given a chance to have a permanent shelter to call home. I am happy my daughter will grow up in healthy conditions and will have her own corner.”

They have installed new doors and windows and have plastered the walls, ceilings and flooring. Now they have stopped the work because of the weather conditions and will go on with the renovation in spring.

“I hope that next time you visit us we will have already settled in our newly renovated home. I will; be happy to host you and celebrate my housewarming with you. ”Ashot said.

Arayik Grigoryan's family

Arayik and his family of 9 live with an extended family in their ancestral home in Aghavnatun village, Armavir region.  Arayik was very excited to show us his own house that was being renovated through Habitat’s intervention.  He was happy to share that he will be moving to the new house with his wife Gohar (30) and two children; Ashot (10) and Lusine (7) in spring next year.

“We can’t wait to complete the house. It is amazing to see the progress day by day,” Arayik says.

Arayik is a truck driver and usually goes to Russia for migrant construction work in summer.  Gohar helps Arayik’s parents with agricultural activities in their garden.  Arayik could not find words to express his gratitude to Habitat.

Arayik said, “It is very hard to share home with a large family. My children don’t have privacy and don’t have enough space to do their lessons. In winter, we have to gather in one room to reduce heating costs. The upcoming year will be different for our family. We will have our own place to call home.”  

Thanks to Habitat Armenia’s support their long awaited dream will soon become a reality. They have already and installed new doors and windows and will finish the interior renovation by spring. 

Avetik Hakobyan's family

Avetik (52) lives in an old ancestral home with his wife Susanna (50) and two sons; Hayk (28) and Andranik (24). According to the Armenian tradition the youngest son of the family stays at the ancestral home as the successor of the family.  Three generation of the family lived in the house before it was passed to Avetik.  

“The house is very old and some parts are molded,” Susanna said, “besides, it is very costly to heat it in winter.”

Now the house needs interior and exterior upgrades. The roof leaks in the living room and there was not kitchen and bathroom unit. The toilet is an outdoor hole in front of the house.

Avetik was excited to show us the changes he has already made. He is a construction worker and does the work with his oldest son Hayk. They have already built the kitchen and bathroom unit and have changed the windows.  They had to interrupt the works because of winter and will restart it in spring.

“Thank you for your contribution in the welfare of my family. It would take us years to do the renovation ourselves. Now we can think of expanding our family due to your support,” Avetik shares. 

Astghik Movsisyan's family

This family of seven was in the middle of renovating their living room and kitchen when Habitat arrived. The family consists of grandparents, Astghik Movsisyan, her husband, and their three children, ages 4, 10, and 12. The house is small; it has a narrow hallway that leads into the living room, and to the right, a kitchen. There’s currently three bedrooms, one for the grandparents, one for the parents, one for the two children, and the oldest sleeps on the sofa in the living room. To keep warm in the winter, everyone gathers into the living room and sleeps around the woodstove.

The first thing our team noticed was the paintings mounted on the wall and the creative glass design on each bedroom door. This is my first time entering a home that is unlike the other traditional Armenian home.

“When I was young, my parents introduced me to art, and I want to inspire and pass this to my children. Art is a great form of expression, and hobby,” said Mr. Movsisyan.

Mr. Movsisyan is a migrant construction worker, and his wife is a homemaker. This house was built in 1963, and the intention is for the home to continue to stay in the family.

“I am so thankful for Habitat’s low income loan. Without it, I will not be able to renovate my home to make it safer for my family. It is hard to work oversea and leave my wife, aging parents, and young children in Armenia. But after this renovation, I will feel better about my absent.”

It was refreshing to meet such a creative family and the love Mr. Movsisyan has for his family is apparent. Our team looks forward to these field visits because of families like the Movsisyans.

Until next time, keep thinking positive thoughts!

Love,

Toquyen Doan

Peace Corps Volunteer

Armenia 2013-2015

THANK YOU

Dear Tim Ruggles and partners at Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County, 

On behalf of our partner families we would like to thank you for your donation of $9,000 received in July 2014.  Thanks to your support, we were enabled to  serve 3 more families within the framework of Housing Micro finance project in Tavush and Gegharkunik regions. 

Please see below the names of the families that befitted from your tithe:

Lusine Khachatryan

Nora Aghamalyan

Khachik Gasparyan

To learn more about the families and how your support impacted their lives see 2 stories below. 

Our goal is to continue to make a difference in the lives of the people. Your support is a great motivation for us and gives us courage and energy to move towards our goal of building better future for families living in substandard housing conditions. 
Thank you again for your partnership and dedication to Habitat for Humanity Armenia's mission.