Gavar, Gegharkunik Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Habitat for Humanity 2006

One of the recurring themes that I’ve worked on at Hetq Online has been homelessness, and have made frequent posts on the same subject matter on this blog. However, while many people in Armenia consider homelessness to only mean those living on the streets, in Western terms it generally refers to those living in temporary or sub-standard accomodation with no chance of owning, or even renting, adequate accomodation in the future.

At the other extreme, researchers propose a broad and inclusive definition such as that adopted by the United Nations when it declared the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. According to this definition, a “homeless” person is not only someone without a domicile who lives on the street or in a shelter, but can equally be someone without access to shelter meeting the basic criteria considered essential for health and human and social development. These criteria would include secure occupancy, protection against bad weather, and personal security, as well as access to sanitary facilities and potable water, education, work, and health services.

On that basis, with each year bringing a new generation of young adults, the need for low cost accomodation in Armenia becomes more urgent in the long term. Gone are the days of the State supplying free apartments, and the construction of exclusive luxury apartment blocks in central Yerevan that push the price of homes beyond the reach of even those on otherwise adequate incomes doesn’t help either. Which is why it was interesting to recently receive an email from Habitat for Humanity (HFH) in Armenia.

More than fifty percent of families in HFH Armenia’s focus area live in deteriorated housing with cramped quarters and limited water and heat. Construction on these homes began prior to the severe economic crisis in Armenia and halted after family savings were lost. Once forced to abandon the dream of completing their home, families often live in an unfinished basement or cellar: basically a large hole in the ground with a dirt floor and makeshift roof.

Other families live in domiks, or metal containers brought to Armenia as temporary shelter following the devastating 1988 earthquake. Many families have been living in these containers for more than a decade, even though domiks are unbearably hot in the summer and only makeshift stoves fight off the extreme cold in winter.

HFH Armenia is helping families complete their own half-finished houses. Locally mined building materials such as the tufa-stone are used in this construction. The average monthly payment equals approximately USD $20 with a 20 year mortgage.

Anyway, today I returned from a day trip to Gavar with HFH Armenia to see their latest project which has the support of the Armenian Church. The visit was a brief one to take a look in advance of taking more photos for what will likely be an exhibition held when the project is complete. The HFH Armenia web site has more details.

Habitat for Humanity and the Armenia Apostolic Church announced a partnership today aimed to combat poverty housing in Armenia and worldwide. The partnership highlights the common goals shared between Habitat for Humanity and the Armenian Church.

“Habitat for Humanity and the Armenia Apostolic Church share a commitment to help those in need, to advocate for the poor and to transform dehumanizing conditions that perpetuate poverty,” said Jonathan Reckford, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity International. “This new partnership is a blessing that will allow us to serve more families in need both in Armenia and worldwide.”

The agreement puts an official stamp on the already existing and flourishing relationship between the Armenian Church, the Armenian people and Habitat for Humanity.

[…]

The agreement launches an annual home-building event, entitled “ Catholicos Karekin II Work Project: An Armenian Building on Faith Project ”. The first event will take place in Armenia, Sept. 5-9, 2006. Thirty-seven homes will be built with families in need - symbolizing 36 worldwide Dioceses, plus the Holy See, representing the Catholicos of all Armenians - near the Armenian capital city, Yerevan. Armenian churches are encouraged to galvanize teams to fundraise and to join the build.

[…]

In Armenia, a country of 3 million nestled in the southern Caucasus, 45% of the population lives in poverty, according to the Council of Europe. Thousands live in metal “domiks”, iron shacks erected for temporary earthquake relief, which act like refrigerators in the winter; and boilers in the summer.

Habitat for Humanity Armenia has been working with families in need since 2000, and provided homes for more than 1,000 people.

For more information access the HFH Armenia web site here. Incidently, such projects are made more poignant for Armenia given the need to concentrate more on the regions of the country. Moreover, this year’s Armenia-Diaspora Conference will focus on those parts of the country — read almost everywhere outside of Central Yerevan — that need attention.

Gavar, Gegharkunik Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Habitat for Humanity 2006