After Hetq published an article about two young brothers with serious health problems in its October 15 issue (10,000 Drams and Some Old Clothes from the Social Services Ministry), the family was visited by social workers from the Ghazarian Benevolent Foundation, who expressed the desire to help the children.

The Ghazarian Foundation was established in 1999 by American-Armenians Zuhrab and Seta Ghazarian in California.  The aim of the foundation is to find philanthropists willing to help poor families in Armenia.  The funds of the Foundation consisted of donations from the family members at first, but their relatives, friends and even other people soon joined them.

When we spoke to foundation president Seta Ghazarian, she expressed a wish to meet with other families who were in even greater poverty and despair.

There are families in Armenia in which children are constantly half-starved; many of them do not have houses and live in metal shacks.  Those children inherit their parents' misfortune, because their education and health are neglected in such conditions.  Naturally, such people can never raise themselves out of this situation on their own.

Perhaps the neediest mother I have ever met was 18-year old Anahit Mkhitaryan, who is raising her child in a metal shack, with a worn bed sheet in place of a door.  Anahit's home, which in reality is an abandoned construction site shack, is located in the village of Nerkin Charbakh, in the Shengavit district.  Without revealing her personal history, let me just say that she does not have parents and was brought up by her aunt.  What children's items and clothes Anahit possesses were donated to her by the Ghazarian Foundation.  She also receives money from the foundation - the dram equivalent of 50 dollars - every month.  Her baby’s father does not work, but continues to live in that space, appearing and disappearing as he pleases.  There is, of course, no water, gas, or toilet facilities in the shack.  The foundation workers informed the district doctor about the conditions of the mother and her newborn child.

Liana Mayilyan and her family also live in Nerkin Charbakh, once again in a metal shack, which they bought a few years ago for 50 dollars.  Liana's husband needs psychiatric care, but doctors refuse to keep him in a psychiatric hospital.  Liana is concerned for the safety of her two small children, because her husband is unpredictable and sometimes prone to violence.  This shack has no water or toilet either.  The Ghazarian Foundation has found a donor for them too, and they receive 50 dollars on a monthly basis.  The family also receives a social allowance of 16,000 drams.  This family of four survives on around 30,000 drams a month.  "Psychiatric care is very costly, I cannot make the payments necessary to keep my husband in hospital.  I am afraid to move or speak at home,  so that he doesn't get angry or hurt us.  He is very suspicious, and keeps saying strange things to himself, “ Liana said.

Seta Ghazarian, founder and president of the Ghazarian Foundation, visits these families from time to time, along with social workers.  The Foundation has more than 200 beneficiaries; the neediest families are given monthly support in the form of 50, 100, or 150 US dollars.  The children of 60 of the needy families attend a kindergarten supported by the Foundation in the village of Ptghunk.  The Foundation helps the other beneficiaries by improving their living conditions, giving them clothes and food.  The Foundation workers noted that state structures, especially municipal administrations, usually avoid giving full information about the needy families in their communities.  That is why the Foundation staff does their own research, visiting kindergartens, boarding schools and hospitals.

The mission of the Foundation also includes helping children in need of medical treatment.  "I would first of all like to help - with the support of our foundation and donors - those families in which the children are in need of urgent medical assistance," said Mrs. Ghazarian.

Two children being raised by a single mother received medical aid through the Foundation.  Seta Ghazarian had first met four-year-old Erka Minasyan at Boarding School #202 in Shengavit.  The child had had a fever for two months because of tonsillitis, as a result of which she became cross-eyed and her vision weakened.  "The doctors said that an operation was necessary, but I had no money.  Her illness got worse last year; she was sick all winter," said Erka's mother Manushak Minasyan.  The Foundation transferred 150,000 drams to pay for the operation.

Four-year-old Yura also lives in the Shengavit Boarding School.  He needed urgent surgery as well.  His vision was growing worse due to congenital strabismus.  He has been living at the boarding school since he was two; his 18-year old mother has no home to take him to.  Yura's eye was operated upon thanks to the Foundation as well.  

The Ghazarian Foundation founded the Paros (Lighthouse) Foundation in Armenia last year.  Paros implements two programs - Huysi Chrag (Lantern of Hope) for financially insecure families and Aragil (Stork) for pregnant women and children up to one year old.

52-year old Alvard Barsgheyan said that Seta and her son Hrach had given her a new lease on life.  "When Mrs. Seta came to my house, I was sewing bed sheets for money; the tumor on my breast would bleed, but I had to support my children somehow.  She came and took me to the hospital; I'll never forget how this stranger of a woman waited until they had examined me and then said that she would pay for the treatment.  I refused to be operated on, because I was afraid.  Mrs. Seta has been helping me since that day; her son is the sponsor of my three children, sending 150 US dollars a month and medication, to help me fight this disease.  I never cease to bless these people and their work," said Alvard.