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ARMENIA FUND REVITALIZES ONE OF SHOUSHI'S OLDEST VILLAGES
asbarez
Wednesday, November 16th, 2011
Construction in Shoushi is part of Armenia Fund's projects
Among the many rural communities in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
(Artsakh) facing the possibility of depopulation is the village of
Mets Shen, which is the oldest settlement in the Shoushi Region. It
has a population of 119, most of whom are seniors.
The village economy is small and consists primarily of bee-keeping,
agriculture, and cattle-breeding. Over the years, the community has
seen serious declines in these key sectors, largely because the next
generation is leaving at alarming rates.
Like many others in rural Armenia, the youth of Mets Shen have been
leaving in search of opportunity and something more than what their
hometowns are able to offer.
For years, Mets Shen has lacked the necessary funding to build public
institutions to support civic life and community development. The
mayor's office is in the town's dilapidated telephone station, its
health clinic is in a run-down hospital, and the library is nothing
more than a room in the community's aging school. Mets Shen doesn't
even have a public hall to host gatherings or community events.
The village mayor, Mikayel Ossipyan, sees these issues as the
principal reasons behind the community's population problems. "Few
young people remain in the village while the problems we face as a
community persist," Ossipyan explains.
But thats all about to start changing soon. Armenia Fund is nearing
completion on the construction of a community center for Mets Shen.
The project is being sponsored by Armenia Fund Lebanon and individual
donors in Armenia and Artsakh. Once complete, the two-story, 195
square-meter building, will house the mayor's office, a medical clinic,
library, and community hall. The facility will also include training
centers for vocational skills and handicrafts.
The center represents a new beginning for the village, according
to Mayor Ossipyan, who explains how the project is kick starting
other major efforts to rebuild this community. "The community center
will revitalize the village and I'm hopeful that our youth will stay
put," he says. "We're also working hard to address the potable-water
issue, all in a concerted effort to prevent our village from being
depopulated."
Armenia Fund believes that community centers are crucial to the social
and economic development of rural regions in Armenia and Artsakh. They
help provide public services, foster a more dynamic civic life, and
ultimately give residents with one more compelling reason to continue
living and working in their hometowns.
As such, Armenia Fund deeply believes that the preservation and
revitalization of any community depends not only on its schools,
hospitals and access to resources, but also on the health of its
civil society.
asbarez
Wednesday, November 16th, 2011
Construction in Shoushi is part of Armenia Fund's projects
Among the many rural communities in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
(Artsakh) facing the possibility of depopulation is the village of
Mets Shen, which is the oldest settlement in the Shoushi Region. It
has a population of 119, most of whom are seniors.
The village economy is small and consists primarily of bee-keeping,
agriculture, and cattle-breeding. Over the years, the community has
seen serious declines in these key sectors, largely because the next
generation is leaving at alarming rates.
Like many others in rural Armenia, the youth of Mets Shen have been
leaving in search of opportunity and something more than what their
hometowns are able to offer.
For years, Mets Shen has lacked the necessary funding to build public
institutions to support civic life and community development. The
mayor's office is in the town's dilapidated telephone station, its
health clinic is in a run-down hospital, and the library is nothing
more than a room in the community's aging school. Mets Shen doesn't
even have a public hall to host gatherings or community events.
The village mayor, Mikayel Ossipyan, sees these issues as the
principal reasons behind the community's population problems. "Few
young people remain in the village while the problems we face as a
community persist," Ossipyan explains.
But thats all about to start changing soon. Armenia Fund is nearing
completion on the construction of a community center for Mets Shen.
The project is being sponsored by Armenia Fund Lebanon and individual
donors in Armenia and Artsakh. Once complete, the two-story, 195
square-meter building, will house the mayor's office, a medical clinic,
library, and community hall. The facility will also include training
centers for vocational skills and handicrafts.
The center represents a new beginning for the village, according
to Mayor Ossipyan, who explains how the project is kick starting
other major efforts to rebuild this community. "The community center
will revitalize the village and I'm hopeful that our youth will stay
put," he says. "We're also working hard to address the potable-water
issue, all in a concerted effort to prevent our village from being
depopulated."
Armenia Fund believes that community centers are crucial to the social
and economic development of rural regions in Armenia and Artsakh. They
help provide public services, foster a more dynamic civic life, and
ultimately give residents with one more compelling reason to continue
living and working in their hometowns.
As such, Armenia Fund deeply believes that the preservation and
revitalization of any community depends not only on its schools,
hospitals and access to resources, but also on the health of its
civil society.