A run-down apartment building in Yerevan, Armenia

Focus on Armenia

For a small country, Armenia has plenty of character and a history that spans millennia.

Stretching across the mountains of the southern Caucasus, Armenia is recognised as being the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301 A.D.

The capital city, Yerevan, founded in 782 B.C. bears the marks of time as its architecture tells the story of its Christian history through to the sorry legacy left after the horrific earthquake of 1988 and collapse of Communist rule in 1991.

With over 45% of the country's total workforce employed in agriculture, it is hardly surprising that Armenia produces some of the finest fruit and vegetables in the world, amongst which apricots, peaches, pomegranates and grapes take pride of place.

Armenia's recent past has, however, left a terrible legacy of poverty and sub-standard housing which the country is struggling to come to terms with. The misery of the terrible earthquake in 1988 that left thousands dead, injured and homeless was exacerbated with the collapse of the country's Communist government in 1991. Just as those left homeless by the earthquake were struggling to get back on their feet, the Communists fell and with them went the economy.

The result is evident today as many of the country's population of 3 million are still living in poverty – domiks (large canisters in which aid was distributed at the time of the earthquake) now act as "temporary" homes, almost twenty years after the event whilst many other people are still living in the cellars of half built homes.

Habitat for Humanity was invited to work in Armenia in 2000; in six years, we have built 168 homes at an average cost of £3,439 each. The homes are simple and decent but built in accordance with the home-partner families' needs with reinforced steel framing to give the best possible protection in the eventuality of future earthquakes.

Faith, hope and hard hats
Let every child in the world have a place to play

Karekin II,The Supreme Patriarch and Catholicus of All Armenians joins Habitat for Humanity to build in Yerevan in April 2007

Faith, hope and hard hats

Following the success of last year's project, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicus of All Armenians (the Head of the Armenian Church) is once again joining with Habitat for Humanity and volunteers from around the world to build 37 homes around the country between April and October 2007.

"The Armenian Apostolic Church is delighted to launch this event once again with Habitat for Humanity. It's not only a celebration of people coming together to help families in need, but it's also an important step toward removing the blight of poverty housing in Armenia," says Archbishop Vicken Aykazian of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The Haroyan family of the Khor Virap village is the first selected among the 37 families. Sahak, 43, and his wife Piruza, 36, are vegetable farmers currently residing in a neighbour's basement with their three children, ages 18, 16 and 14. Economic hardship has forced the family to live in the basement for seven years, as they have been unable to raise enough funds to complete their own home. Piruza suffers rheumatism in her legs due to the humidity. " With your help, we will finish and move to our new house by the next winter," Piruza told the visiting Habitat team.

The Armenian Church signed a historic partnership with Habitat for Humanity in April 2006, aiming to combat poverty housing in Armenia and worldwide. The first "Catholicos Karekin II Work Project" was held in Gavar, Armenia, where a building was renovated in partnership with 24 families, with an additional 13 homes built around the country.

Since Armenia declared Christianity as the state religion in 301 A.D. the Holy Armenian Church has represented the whole of the Armenian nation. The Supreme Patriarch and Catholicus of All Armenians sits at the head of the Church, which is now represented all over the world. The event is a huge step for Habitat for Humanity in Armenia; not only in the building of the 37 homes but in receiving the blessing and support of the most influential man in the Armenian Church.

The Halajyan family

Let every child in the world have a place to play

"When I get older, I will spend my first wage on buying a house for my parents." This is the confident claim of twelve-year old Armen, sitting with his older brother Ara in the six metre square living space above the shop owned by his parents.

Hovhannes and Ruzanna were married in 1987 with a dream, like most of us, to raise their family in a safe and healthy environment.

Taking a loan of 10,000 rubles (remember, this was still in the Soviet era) Hovhannes acquired a small plot of land and began to build the family home he and Ruzanna had dreamed of. When the Communist government fell and inflation spiralled, the couple quickly realised that their dream was a long way from being realised.

Ara was born in 1989 followed by Armen in 1990, the family were forced to move to the unfinished home and lived in one room until they were offered the shop living quarters in 1992.

"What should have been my children's best years," says Hovhannes, "were spent in a cold dark place. When we were first married, Ruzanna and I wanted the best of everything for our children but our dreams seemed to disappear, no matter how hard we worked for them to come true."

In 2005, still desperately clinging to the hope of a simple, decent place to live, the Halajyans were selected by their local Habitat for Humanity family selection committee to build.

The summer of 2005 was a special one for the family. The boys helped with the building throughout the school Summer holidays and by Christmas they had moved in and for the first time enjoyed the beauty of a winter where they could return to a warm and safe place.

A new home has not stopped Ruzanna dreaming: "Let every child in the world have a place to play with toys; let each mother keep an eye on her children with peace of mind and let every father in the world feel himself stronger by the success of his children."