HFH Armenia Beneficiaries, Rind, Vayots Dzor, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Habitat for Humanity 2006

Yesterday’s Armenia Now reports that Habitat for Humanity have started up construction again now that the spring is here. The organization helps families with sufficient income enough to pay back an interest free loan to build their own home or complete those they’ve already started. I blogged extensively about Habitat for Humanity last year when I documented their work in Aghavnadzor, and especially Gavar for an exhibition that was launched to mark the final phase of the Karekin II Catholicos Work Project.

Anyway, Habitat for Humanity are particularly successful in Armenia in part because of the interest in such activities from Diasporan Armenians who volunteer to take part in the construction activities usually through their churches. Of course, that’s not to say that foreigners don’t come to get involved. As with other countries that Habitat work, they do. There are also some local volunteers too.

Volunteers of different ages and professions from Armenia and United States came to the village specifically to help rural families to raise their house, representing Habitat for Humanity international organization which provides long-term, non-profit loans for the contraction of the houses. While the organization deals with legal issues, the volunteers put their backs to the task of getting up houses.

The Aronyan family is one of the three families being supported by Habitat for Humanity in Khor-Virap and is one of 297 families’ who have benefited from the Armenian office of Habitat throughout the country. The organization has allocated 3 million dram ($8,500) to complete the works on the house which the Aronyans started to construct 10 years ago.

“For 10 years each year we were managing to go little ahead,” says Sahak Aronyan, the head of the family of five.

[…]

“Already hopeless we learned about the organization which provides loans for 20 years. We applied and it worked. We hope to finish by August,” says Aronyan who currently with his family live in the basement of his relatives’ house.

The Armenian Habitat for Humanity supports community development in the country by assisting in building and renovating decent and affordable homes. Homeowner families are chosen by Family Selection Committee according to their need and ability to repay a loan.

The full article is here, and some of my posts and many more photographs taken last year of HFH Armenia working in Aghavnadzor and Gavar, which includes links to additional information, click here.