2002 Report

Agape 2001-2002 Updates

2001 report and 2002 projects

2001 Annual Ministry Report
2002 Ministry Goals and Projects
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O God and King, please expand our opportunities and our impact in such a way that we touch more lives for Your glory. Let us do more for You!

2001 was an effective year in carrying out new projects and completing the ones started in 2000.

The project of constructing the heating plant for the school in Spitak constructed by AGAPE, which was one of the projects of 2001, was completed at the end of December 2001. The donation of $25000 enabled this project implementation..

The heating plant will heat the first building of the school and provide normal conditions for the students, who suffered for so many years having classes in temporary facilities erected 11 years ago after the earthquake and would still suffer, if not thousands of Methodists in North Carolina, who could not stay indifferent to the awful conditions of the school, which actually was made of containers that serve as classrooms. The capacity of the heating plant is enough to heat not only the first and at the present the only building of the school, but also those two buildings and the sport hall, that are to be built according to the general project of the school.

Reconstruction of the AGAPE Center building in Lachin that was destroyed because of fire incident happened on February 13, 2000 is underway. WNCC working teams under the leadership of the Reverend Jamie Armstrong (Hawthorne Lane UMC) & working team from NCC under the leadership of the Reverend Stan Brown (Oriental UMC) started the reconstruction of AGAPE Center building in May 2001. The local workers continue the construction. A donation of $32100 is provided for this project.

The AGAPE Christian Education Center, that was the most important project of 2000 and the goal of which was solving the problem of the need of extra space for more children willing to join sport, art, computer & other groups and giving an opportunity to more effectively organize the religious classes for the teachers and students of schools, actively functions in Berdzor (Administrative Center of Kashatagh region). The CEC provides opportunities for enriching the religious, cultural and educational life of the community. The AGAPE Center provides classrooms for Christian Education and Bible teaching with accommodations for Sunday School, VBS, Music, Art, Sport, Computer and other educational classes equipped with furniture, computers, TV, VCR, special carpet making device, chess boards, books for English language classes, sport accessories. A combination theater, auditorium and social halls are used for presentation of the arts, for wedding, baptism and other such occasions approved by the Church. The role of AGAPE CEC in changing the dull life of children and young people in the region resettled with refugees, that has no theater, no music hall, no cultural centers, is invaluable. This is the only place, that raises children's excitement and gives an opportunity to the church to attract more children and keep them back from street with its undesirable on children's education impact. The potentials of the CEC in assisting the church to "compete" with expanding in the region sects, especially Jehovah's witnesses, that affects negatively even on the life of habitants, is very great. The priest, his assistant and teachers of computer, carpentry and handwork, chess, wood and stone carving, sewing and English language classes do a great work with children to contribute their Christian education and moral improvement. The playground adjacent to the CEC is still the only place in Berdzor where children have joy and fun.

Our project shares space as a Lachin office, as needed, and hosts visiting work teams. A space for sewing enterprise, office and a warehouse is also being developed on the property that serves for distribution of humanitarian aid. The last hope of many people in Lachin is AGAPE office, where they always find understanding, sympathy and support.

In 2001 there were teams from both Western North Carolina Conference and North Carolina Conference visiting Armenia and Karabagh. They traveled a lot visiting the field work sites of Project AGAPE in Armenia (Bagaran, Yervandashat, Spitak) and in Kashatagh (Lachin) district (AGAPE hospital, Children's home and Lachin Church, AGAPE CEC). Everywhere they visited people expressed their gratitude for the work that project AGAPE carries out in Armenia and Karabagh.

Project AGAPE continues to support Lachin Armenian Apostolic Church that functions since May 31^st1998. Except the financial contribution to the construction of the Church and the donation of $6000 provided by AGAPE that is set aside to pay the Priest $100 per month for five years, the Project continues to quickly respond to requests of Father Atanas - spiritual father of the Church, helping financially and providing whatever is possible that the Church & the Priest need for serving the people.

The sewing enterprise started in June 2000 functions well. Capable sewers recruited for the sewing enterprise and having skills to sew on machines donated by the Project do a wonderful work. It is a self-sustaining project founded on humanitarian base. So, the precondition for the project is providing the Kashatagh hospital & the Children's home with necessary goods (bedding, uniform, curtains, etc.) when needed. The enterprise provides 10 working places and has planned to open more in the future. This is the first development project of AGAPE. The sewing group children of AGAPE Christian Education Center shares the space and the sewing machines during their sewing classes.

The space for the bakery is also ready waiting for equipment & material necessary for the start of the project. Both projects give an opportunity to open working places and will provide many families in Berdzor with job, that is a vital necessity for this region.

Another project - providing border village Bagaran with water supply - is also fulfilled. Project AGAPE provided the village with 6 km (3.72 miles) long pipes shipped from North Carolina and two pumps purchased locally. In addition to $1000 donated in 2000 a financial contribution of $1500 was provided in 2001 to finish the construction of water reservoir, pump station and internal water supply system. The excitement of the villagers carrying water on their shoulders for more than seventy years was great.

Project AGAPE continues to support the AGAPE Children's Home -cooperative venture with the administration of Kashatagh. Work teams from North Carolina provided construction assistance. Funds for the heating, electrical and water systems came from the United Methodist Church. AGAPE continues to support the internal repair efforts of the Children's Home administration.

Staple food items, clothing, medical, educational and hygiene supplies (along with other miscellaneous gifts) are provided regularly for the 50 (at the present) children that reside in the home. Christmas boxes and regularly provided new shoes are not a surprise for children. 15 staff members take care of the children.

· They would like to have a microbus to take children on field trips away from the Home to visit other parts of Armenia and Karabagh. Presently the children are confined to Lachin.They also hope offer programs to train/teach skills that will enable the children to be able to earn a living when they "graduate" from the home at age 17. Some of this could be done in conjunction with the AGAPE Center offerings, and could also include animal husbandry. Heifer Project International will be introduced to Armenia via the work of UMCOR during the next year, and Lachin could be a prime spot for the work of Heifer Project.

· The director of the Children's home would also like have camping equipment. Perhaps these items (tents, sleeping bags, cooking utensils, etc.) could be donated by groups in the States and sent by container.

· The staff is also working with the local administration to set up a fund to offer graduates of the Children's home a stipend upon their departure. This would help graduates to get a decent start on their own when they leave.

Project AGAPE continues to support the AGAPE Hospital - cooperative effort of the Kashatagh administration and AGAPE. AGAPE provides furnishing, medicine, medical equipment, sometimes with food for patients, infant formula for newborns and financial aid (a supplement to the salary of the Head Doctor). This 20-bed hospital provides free health care of Kashatagh district's resettled refugees. This is the only health care available to them and this is the only free health care institution not only in Kashatagh, but also in whole Armenia and Karabagh. That's why people from Goris, Abovyan, Shushi & many other places come here to get free health care. Hospital has already served thousands of patients and has the highest rate of birth not only in Karabagh, but also in Armenia.

There are 12 doctors including the Head Doctor and 22 nurses on the staff of the hospital. Hospital provides about 100 villages of Kashatagh district with health care and distributes medicine and medical supply to recently operating medical rooms (first aid station) in few villages. The financial contribution provided by AGAPE to the hospital helped to buy a new transportation means, that is so vital for the region with such complicated geographical location and awful roads in order to organize an effective health care provision. But the hospital still faces the need of having an appropriate ambulance car. The Van that the Hospital had before, is worn out and serves as a morgue…

At the present the 20-bed hospital is small to satisfy the needs of the growing population of the district. Overcrowding is a recurring problem. Sometimes the corridors are used to admit more patients. There were days, when seven women gave birth to newborns in the same room. Every patient room has at least 3 occupants. We had a proposal from the Governor of Kashatagh district to assist in the project of new 40-50-bed hospital construction. This is number one priority for the district at the present.

The project continues to render humanitarian assistance to targeted vulnerable populations selected on the basis of need in NKR, Kashatagh region, border villages of Armavir marz Bagaran & Yervandashat, Bardzrashen village of Shirak marz, Spitak, Dilijan & Etchmiadzine.

ü Children of Kashatagh region and the new preschool received 67 boxes of Christmas toys.

ü Newborns and pregnant women of the region received 1500 kg of hygiene supplies and 750 blankets.

ü Kashatagh region administration got 6 computers, 4 printers, 1 table, 30 chairs.

ü AGAPE hospital was provided with 126 boxes of medical supplies, 20 boxes of hygiene supplies and 7 boxes of educational supplies.

ü NKR ministry of Social security was provided with 30 boxes of educational supplies.

ü NKR ministry of Social security and refugees in Berdzor got a financial aid of $380.

ü Kashatagh administration received 50 boxes of office supplies and 4 boxes hygiene supplies.

ü An amount of $2000 was provided to start the reconstruction of the AGAPE Center building in Lachin.

ü Spitak school got a financial assistance of $300 to enhance the technical capacity of the computers donated by AGAPE.

ü Refugees in Kashatagh region received financial aid of $470 (on request of the Governor).

ü Distribution of 6922 kg cloths and shoes to the resettled habitants of Kashatagh region administrative center and villages.

ü The Social Security Department of Kashatagh administration received 12 boxes of office supplies and a printer.

ü Kashatagh region telephone station was provided with a computer and a transformer.

ü The Education department of Spitak Mayor's office was provided with 10 boxes of office supplies.

ü Bagaran Water supply project was provided with 35 pipes for internal water supply system and a financial assistance of $200.

ü Refugees of Kashatagh (Lachin) region Berdzor administrative center and the villages received 155 kg blankets and 63 kg hygiene supplies.

ü An amount of $4608 was provided to reconstruct the AGAPE Center building in Lachin.

ü Bagaran water supply project received financial aid of $500 to finish the construction of pump station and internal water supply system.

ü An amount of $1204 was provided to reconstruct the AGAPE Center building in Lachin.

ü Financial aid of $400 was donated to assist the reconstruction of an old 4^th century church called Swallows church in one of the villages of Kashatagh region, the opening ceremony of which was held in October.

ü The medical clinic in Vartanants village of Kashatagh region was provided with 3 hospital beds and 3 mattresses.

ü The sewing enterprise in Berdzor was provided with 1435 kg sewing supplies and hangers.

ü AGAPE Christian Educational Center was provided with 2 blackboards and 44 items of furniture.

ü An amount of $2216 was provided to reconstruct the AGAPE Center building in Lachin.

ü A prepayment of $8464 was provided to start the construction of Spitak school heating plant.

ü Children of AGAPE CEC received 6 boxes of educational supplies, food, books and a bicycle.

ü An amount of $1638 was provided to reconstruct the AGAPE Center building in Lachin.

ü An amount of $562 was provided to reconstruct the AGAPE Center building in Lachin.

ü An amount $11000 was donated for construction of Spitak school heating plant.

ü The new preschool in Berdzor and refugee families received financial assistance of $864.

In 2002 Project AGAPE will continue to address the humanitarian needs of Armenia and Karabagh. The project will continue to refuse all funding that will endanger or prevent it from working in Kashatagh (Lachin). Project AGAPE will remain versatile so as to respond quickly to emergency needs, but also will seek funds to implement development projects, as it is Project's desire that the people we serve may become independent and self-sustaining. The Project will focus primarily on the rural areas of Armenia and Karabagh particularly where there are heavy concentration of refugees and displaced people. Kashatagh district will continue to be one of the Project's top priorities. Project AGAPE will also continue to help with the region's schools and supply food and clothing for the region's inhabitants.

The purpose of Project AGAPE is to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Karabagh and Armenia and to assist other persons living in rural areas by distributing supplies of needed items.

The following spheres are targeted by the Project for humanitarian and benevolent activities;

õ Health Care: provision of medical supplies and equipment, medicine, medical training, especially in rural clinics.

õ Humanitarian aid: distribution of food, clothes (especially winter clothes) and hygiene supplies to refugees and needy people.

õ Agricultural projects which will facilitate the development of agriculture (Bardzrashen).

õ Educational sphere: provide students and teachers with educational supplies, student and teacher kits, books, and implement exchange projects for students and teachers.

õ Development projects with working place opportunities (Bakery in Lachin, Sewing Micro-Enterprise in Lachin with expansion in sock manufacturing, Carpet-making enterprise).

õ Capital construction (primary in Lachin and earthquake zone) through financial assistance and work teams' involvement (the first work team from WNCC has planned to visit in April 2002):

· Reconstruction of the AGAPE Center building in Lachin that was destroyed because of fire incident happened on February 13, 2000.

õ "Face to Face" is an opportunity project for people from North Carolina to see and experience Armenia and Project AGAPE's work in Armenia and Karabagh, to find the possible spheres and ways of assistance, to share their valuable experience and knowledge with their Armenian colleagues, especially in the spheres of small business, textile, business & management, education, health care, agriculture, industry, manufacture, crafts/trade, metallurgy and law.

õ "Peace Program" is a project that hopes to bring youth from Karabagh along with youth from Azerbaijan to North Carolina. The purpose of the project is to improve the psychological adaptation of war-affected children, which will be a small, but necessary element in conflict resolution. The first attempt in June 1999 proved to be effective improving the psychological adaptation of those children and fostering understanding of Christian/Muslim children. We hope that the Project will be able to carry out another such project involving more children from both parties.

The unique feature of project's financing that accepts only church donations and individual sharing puts some limitations in the size of projects and is accompanied with some difficulties of their fulfillment, but in the same time makes possible helping the most needy people in Kashatagh/Lachin region, that have remained out of the sphere of international community's humanitarian compassion…

) THERE ARE MANY TOUCHING LETTERS OF GRATITUDE ADDRESSED TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN NORHT CAROLINA, WHO CANNOT BE INDIFFERENT TO THE NEEDS OF THEIR SISTERS AND BROTHERS IN CHRIST IN ARMENIA & KARABAGH.

Here is a letter from mother of seven children: three of them were born in Lachin:

“We've resettled in Lachin since 1996. We leave in awful conditions. My husband doesn't work, neither do I. Our three children were born in Lachin and from the day of their birth till now they should be grateful for their lives and leaving to the Project AGAPE. They were born in AGAPE hospital, they grow in cloths provided by AGAPE, they eat infant formula and food given by AGAPE. The toys they use in the new preschool and the school supplies in the school are also from AGAPE. There isn't any place in Lachin where we go and not deal with something that is a gift from your organization. I don't know what would happen to my children if not AGAPE. I am one of about 60 families in Lachin that have five or more children and can tell with confidence, that each of those families would say the same. We use the cloths and shoes with a hope that there will be another distribution till the previous ones are worn out. AGAPE was in the role of father for my children. I don't know how to thank people helping our family and the families like ours. I owe them my children's life, as without their compassion and kind hearts I would not be able to take care of them and it's frightening even to imagine what might happen to them. Thank you for the save lives of my children…

≋ PLEASE ACCEPT OUR SPECIAL APPRECIATION TO ALL THE CHURCHES WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED FINANCIALLY OR MATERIALLY TO THE PROJECT AND TO THOSE WHO HAVE PROVIDED FUNDS TO UNDERWRITE THE COST OF SHIPPING CONTAINERS.

PLEASE BE CONFIDENT THAT THROUGH YOUR LOVE AND SHARING THOUSANDS OF ARMENIANS HAVE FOUND NEW HOPE…