Improvement of Social Conditions of Single Mothers in Gyumri, Gavar, Vanadzor and Artashat.

Project Duration: 2019.01.02 – 2019.09.08

Number of Beneficiaries: 120 beneficiaries

Location: Gyumri, Vanadzor, Gavar and Artashat

Background:  The amount of monthly income of the Armenians is considerably lower than the supposed sum to fully suffice them to organize their lives in a normal way.  At present single mothers in Armenia cannot afford themselves to fully meet their basic needs to organize their daily routines. In general, social-economic situation of single mothers in Armenia during the past 25 years has not changed; just the contrary, it has taken a turn to the worse .Free of charge health care service is accessible only for those who are granted with special privileges. To ensure better health care and a better life quality, the government has insignificant allocations for seniors and people with disabilities. The number of governmental and non-governmental programs directed to resolve issues relevant to single mothers  is very limited, as far as those programs are mainly directed towards the most vulnerable groups of elderly people. In many cases, they have limited access to beneficial and humanitarian aids assistance from governmental structures, social security departments, health care facilities, or benevolent non-governmental organizations.An estimated 42 percent of people in Armenia are living below the poverty line, according to a study conducted in 2017 by the Sociometer research center. One of the main causes of poverty in Armenia is a lack of jobs. The majority of men leave the country to earn wages in Russia. Some researchers estimate that almost 14 percent of the Armenian population has emigrated to find employment elsewhere.In order to combat this problem, Armenia needs to create more job opportunities within the country. Currently, one-fourth of jobs in Armenia are low-paying jobs; thus, Armenia needs to create more middle-income positions.

Around 70 percent of women in Armenia are unemployed and only 55 percent of women who are of working age are active in the economy. It is obvious that the single mothers are in many respects particularly affected by the enormous economic and social problems. Armenian Caritas, based on its great expertise in implementing social projects  is aimed to improve the living conditions of 30, the most vulnerable  single mothers in Gyumri, Vanadzor, Gavar and Artashat   by provision of  medications , wood, food commodities , hygienic items and stationery for their children.

Goal: Improvement of the social  conditions of 30 single  mothers in Gyumri, Vanadzor, Gavar and Artashat(120 beneficiaries).

Objectivies: To assist single 30 mothers( 90 children)  in providing food commodities, hygienic items, stationery, text books, blankets/linen/towels , wood, diesel fuel for heating purposes, medicine etc.

Partners:  United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Budget: 30 000 $

Project manager: Gagik Tarasyan

Coordinator: Inna Maghakyan