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Tamar Gasparian raises concerns over Armenian-American-funded women's shelter
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2012-08-25-tamar-gasparian-raises-concerns-over-armenian-american-funded-women-s-shelter
Published: Saturday August 25, 2012
Related Articles
Battered women find refuge at `Lighthouse' shelter
Open letter to Mrs. Seta Ghazarian
Founder of Paros "Lighthouse" Armenian Charitable Foundation USA
www.parosfoundation.org
Dear Mrs. Seta Ghazarian,
My name is Tamar Gasparian, I live in New York and for several years I
have worked and volunteered for various non-profit organizations in
both New York and Yerevan. I also recently graduated from City
University of New York with an MA in Urban Affairs focusing on
non-profit fundraising and management. As a non-profit professional
and as an Armenian, I am writing to raise my concern regarding your
organization and its director - Naira Muradyan.
The first time I had heard about your organization was in an Armenian
documentary made by Tehmine Yenoqyan, where Christine Gevorgyan
briefly mentions about being evicted from the Lighthouse shelter. I
could not believe that a non-profit organization founded with
donations by Armenian-Americans to help abused mothers and pregnant
women can treat its beneficiaries in such a harsh way, especially
Christine, whose daughter Angeli was born with a cleft palate. I
immediately contacted the director of the film about how to get in
touch with Christine, so I can understand better why the Lighthouse
shelter wouldn't let her and her baby stay. She told me a few things
but asked me not to tell anyone because Naira Muradyan threatened her
by saying, "Be careful what you say, you have a sick child and a
husband in jail."
After a few months, when my boyfriend Rafi Hovsepian and I were
traveling in Armenia, we arranged to meet with Christine and talk to
her in person. When we asked Christine why she couldn't stay at the
Lighthouse shelter, she told me the story of how Naira Muradyan had
mistreated her. For example, Ms. Muradyan had told Christine that
Angeli is a sick baby (just because she had a cleft) and they will not
keep her sick baby at the shelter. She was forced to clean the
bathroom at the shelter (she was eight months pregnant at the time)
and wash the dishes after the staff ate.
Christine also told us that the staff would always go through the
donated clothing first; taking the nice things for themselves and
leaving the remaining unwanted items for the beneficiaries. I was
speechless.
I spoke with a few other people just to be sure that Christine was not
exaggerating, and her stories were confirmed. However, Ms. Muradyan
has threatened some of the people I spoke with, and they now refuse to
speak publicly.
So had Christine, but I told her that if she doesn't stand up for
herself and all the other women who have been mistreated in that
shelter, no one else would. So she gathered her courage and wrote me a
letter explaining all the details of what went on at that shelter, and
how Naira is mistreating the beneficiaries.
Christine is a brave woman, and that is the reason why we decided to
support her in the first place. I sent the letter she wrote to
www.hetq.am and asked the organization to investigate. The result is
this article in English:
http://hetq.am/eng/articles/17446/lighthouse-foundation-director-muradyan-"who-are-you?".html&fb_action_ids=4028731954510&fb_action_t ypes=og.recommends&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggreg ation_id=288381481237582
In Armenian: http://hetq.am/arm/articles/17446/du-vabshe-ov-es-du-gites-es-ov-em-harcnum-e-laythaus-himnadrami-tnoreny.html
Naira Muradyan is not even hesitating to call Christine "a person
useless for society" to the reporter of Hetq. I wonder based on what
qualifications did you hire Naira Muradyan to become the director of
your organization?
I am looking forward to hearing your opinion and explanation. Perhaps
you had no idea about Naira's behavior, and even if that's the case it
doesn't comfort me. As a founder of the organization it is your
responsibility to hire and develop staff that will never mistreat or
humiliate any beneficiary, especially abused and neglected women.
In addition, I would like to learn more about your organization's
operations and your employee development and evaluation process.
I hope that your foundation will dismiss Naira Muradyan and apologize
to all of the beneficiaries who have suffered because of her actions
and misbehavior.
I will make sure these incidents get us much public attention as
possible. Charity is not a private business, and your organization is
dealing with a vulnerable population. As a member of society, I have a
right and obligation to watch and make sure that organizations like
yours are doing what they say they are doing and assure that all the
donations are going to the people and the causes for which they were
donated.
I am not denying that your shelter has probably helped many single
mothers and abused women, but even one neglected beneficiary is one
too many. I will not tolerate this, and I know there are MANY people
out there that will sign under this letter as they join me with their
comments under the article.
Sincerely,
Tamar Gasparian
P.S. Many of our friends, Rafi and I have allocated some money to help
Christine and Angeli. We went shopping with her while in Armenia and
asked her to pick anything she needs for the baby and herself. All she
picked was a bar of soap, diapers, milk and toothpaste. That's how shy
and modest she is.
Then Rafi and I used our own judgment to purchase food and supplies
for the baby. Christine kept telling us it is enough; she doesn't need
more because there are other people who have already helped her.
I am telling this to show you Christine's character. She is a very
humble and grateful human being. She is also a loving and brave
mother, because despite the advice to have an abortion or give the
baby to an orphanage after her birth, she never gave up on her child.
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2012-08-25-tamar-gasparian-raises-concerns-over-armenian-american-funded-women-s-shelter
Published: Saturday August 25, 2012
Related Articles
Battered women find refuge at `Lighthouse' shelter
Open letter to Mrs. Seta Ghazarian
Founder of Paros "Lighthouse" Armenian Charitable Foundation USA
www.parosfoundation.org
Dear Mrs. Seta Ghazarian,
My name is Tamar Gasparian, I live in New York and for several years I
have worked and volunteered for various non-profit organizations in
both New York and Yerevan. I also recently graduated from City
University of New York with an MA in Urban Affairs focusing on
non-profit fundraising and management. As a non-profit professional
and as an Armenian, I am writing to raise my concern regarding your
organization and its director - Naira Muradyan.
The first time I had heard about your organization was in an Armenian
documentary made by Tehmine Yenoqyan, where Christine Gevorgyan
briefly mentions about being evicted from the Lighthouse shelter. I
could not believe that a non-profit organization founded with
donations by Armenian-Americans to help abused mothers and pregnant
women can treat its beneficiaries in such a harsh way, especially
Christine, whose daughter Angeli was born with a cleft palate. I
immediately contacted the director of the film about how to get in
touch with Christine, so I can understand better why the Lighthouse
shelter wouldn't let her and her baby stay. She told me a few things
but asked me not to tell anyone because Naira Muradyan threatened her
by saying, "Be careful what you say, you have a sick child and a
husband in jail."
After a few months, when my boyfriend Rafi Hovsepian and I were
traveling in Armenia, we arranged to meet with Christine and talk to
her in person. When we asked Christine why she couldn't stay at the
Lighthouse shelter, she told me the story of how Naira Muradyan had
mistreated her. For example, Ms. Muradyan had told Christine that
Angeli is a sick baby (just because she had a cleft) and they will not
keep her sick baby at the shelter. She was forced to clean the
bathroom at the shelter (she was eight months pregnant at the time)
and wash the dishes after the staff ate.
Christine also told us that the staff would always go through the
donated clothing first; taking the nice things for themselves and
leaving the remaining unwanted items for the beneficiaries. I was
speechless.
I spoke with a few other people just to be sure that Christine was not
exaggerating, and her stories were confirmed. However, Ms. Muradyan
has threatened some of the people I spoke with, and they now refuse to
speak publicly.
So had Christine, but I told her that if she doesn't stand up for
herself and all the other women who have been mistreated in that
shelter, no one else would. So she gathered her courage and wrote me a
letter explaining all the details of what went on at that shelter, and
how Naira is mistreating the beneficiaries.
Christine is a brave woman, and that is the reason why we decided to
support her in the first place. I sent the letter she wrote to
www.hetq.am and asked the organization to investigate. The result is
this article in English:
http://hetq.am/eng/articles/17446/lighthouse-foundation-director-muradyan-"who-are-you?".html&fb_action_ids=4028731954510&fb_action_t ypes=og.recommends&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggreg ation_id=288381481237582
In Armenian: http://hetq.am/arm/articles/17446/du-vabshe-ov-es-du-gites-es-ov-em-harcnum-e-laythaus-himnadrami-tnoreny.html
Naira Muradyan is not even hesitating to call Christine "a person
useless for society" to the reporter of Hetq. I wonder based on what
qualifications did you hire Naira Muradyan to become the director of
your organization?
I am looking forward to hearing your opinion and explanation. Perhaps
you had no idea about Naira's behavior, and even if that's the case it
doesn't comfort me. As a founder of the organization it is your
responsibility to hire and develop staff that will never mistreat or
humiliate any beneficiary, especially abused and neglected women.
In addition, I would like to learn more about your organization's
operations and your employee development and evaluation process.
I hope that your foundation will dismiss Naira Muradyan and apologize
to all of the beneficiaries who have suffered because of her actions
and misbehavior.
I will make sure these incidents get us much public attention as
possible. Charity is not a private business, and your organization is
dealing with a vulnerable population. As a member of society, I have a
right and obligation to watch and make sure that organizations like
yours are doing what they say they are doing and assure that all the
donations are going to the people and the causes for which they were
donated.
I am not denying that your shelter has probably helped many single
mothers and abused women, but even one neglected beneficiary is one
too many. I will not tolerate this, and I know there are MANY people
out there that will sign under this letter as they join me with their
comments under the article.
Sincerely,
Tamar Gasparian
P.S. Many of our friends, Rafi and I have allocated some money to help
Christine and Angeli. We went shopping with her while in Armenia and
asked her to pick anything she needs for the baby and herself. All she
picked was a bar of soap, diapers, milk and toothpaste. That's how shy
and modest she is.
Then Rafi and I used our own judgment to purchase food and supplies
for the baby. Christine kept telling us it is enough; she doesn't need
more because there are other people who have already helped her.
I am telling this to show you Christine's character. She is a very
humble and grateful human being. She is also a loving and brave
mother, because despite the advice to have an abortion or give the
baby to an orphanage after her birth, she never gave up on her child.