The Impact of Your Support: Changing Lives Through the AGBU Global Relief Fund

The AGBU Global Relief Fund was not only critical in our ability to immediately respond to the 2023 Artsakh crisis, but it has also allowed us to continue to serve the displaced population today as they rebuild their lives in Armenia.

CRISIS RESPONSE: EMERGENCY AID

Once the decree was signed on September 29th, 2023 declaring that Artsakh will cease to exist come 2024, over 100,000 individuals found themselves forcibly displaced and fleeing to Armenia. Seemingly overnight, Armenia’s population increased by 3.4% putting undue strain on an already overwhelmed nation. AGBU immediately responded, and in those first few months of the crisis alone distributed:

• 400,000 warm meals and 31,000 food packages for Artsakh Armenians through a partnership with World Central Kitchen.
• 14,000 space heaters to those living in temporary shelters, making it possible for 60,000 individuals to find added comfort in their new dwellings during the cold winter.

LONG-TERM INVESTMENT IN HEALTH AND WELLNESS

After 10 months of blockade, those who came from Artsakh arrived in Armenia severely malnourished and with pre-existing conditions that had gone largely untreated for the better part of a year. To accommodate the critical need for medical services and support for these displaced Armenians, the AGBU Claudia Nazarian Polyclinic is now offering:

• Expanded Services: Initially set up in 2017 when tens of thousands of Armenians fled their homes in Syria during the Civil War, the Polyclinic has now expanded from part-time to full-time operation.
• Added Medical Specialties: New to the Polyclinic is a Pediatrician and Psychologist –both of whom have joined the medical team to care for our youngest population and the many patients needing psycho-social support to tackle trauma, PTSD, and other mental health issues stemming from the war, displacement, and loss of a loved one.
• Medical Equipment, Supplies, and Medication: The acquisition of state-of-the-art medical equipment and supplies allows the Polyclinic to deliver first-class medical support (e.g. an electrocardiogram and ultrasound machines for diagnostic testing and treatments). Since access to medication can be a significant barrier for Armenians from Artsakh, the Polyclinic has introduced a medication assistance program to ensure that all patients have access to the treatment plan needed, without financial barriers.

AGBU Camp Nairi, originally founded in 2020 as a summer camp for the children of fallen soldiers, involves two 2-week sessions in the Lori region with programming specifically designed to address the loss experienced as a result of the war. Thanks to donor support, Camp Nairi has been able to expand and evolve with the changing needs of its community and, in addition to the summer sessions, is now offering weekend family wellness retreats with trained professionals focusing on trauma and recovery.

• In just 2 days, 200 people had already registered to take advantage of this new opportunity, which started this February.
• These sessions will serve a total of more than 2,400 individuals in a span of just 5 months, pausing in July when the overnight summer sessions begin again, with an expected attendance of 400+ children for summer 2024.

LAYING THE PATH FORWARD

AGBU is committed to ensuring our beneficiaries are on the path to financial stability by offering a customized series of business training courses, free English classes, and job placement opportunities, including company matches and mentorship programs.

• Subsidies from the Armenian Government will cease later this year, making employment readiness an urgent priority.
• Job placement will help displaced individuals develop a sense of permanence and feel comfortable establishing their lives in Armenia for the long-term future.

YOUR SUPPORT

While we are putting much effort into the programs above, we are also working with the population to determine other opportunities to assist and support them as new needs arise. Thanks to your support, AGBU can continue to broaden the reach of our relief programs and services - bringing our communities worldwide one step closer to feeling safe, stable, and secure.

To stay up to date on our programs and activities, please visit agbu.org/global-relief and follow us on social media where you can see more timely updates and photos from on-the-ground in Armenia.