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US Ambassador and Mrs. Heffern visit AGBU Hye Geen Pregnant Women's

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  • US Ambassador and Mrs. Heffern visit AGBU Hye Geen Pregnant Women's

    AGBU Press Office
    55 East 59th Street
    New York, NY 10022-1112
    Phone: 212.319.6383
    Email: [email protected]
    Website: www.agbu.org

    PRESS RELEASE

    Monday, June 10, 2013

    US AMBASSADOR AND MRS. HEFFERN VISIT AGBU HYE GEEN PREGNANT WOMEN'S
    CENTER IN TALIN

    On Saturday, May 18, US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern, his wife
    Mrs. Libby Heffern, Former Chairman of the AGBU Western District
    Committee of California Haig Messerlian and AGBU Armenia Director Arpi
    Vartanian visited the AGBU Hye Geen Pregnant Women's Center in Talin.

    During the Ambassador's Diaspora Tour in the USA last December,
    Ms. Sona Yacoubian, Chairperson and Founder of AGBU Hye Geen Southern
    California, invited Ambassador and Mrs. Heffern to visit the AGBU Hye
    Geen Pregnant Women's Centers in Armenia and meet the expectant
    mothers to better understand the realities facing women and their
    families in Armenia's regions today.

    Ms. Yacoubian remarked, "The AGBU Hye Geen Committee welcomes the
    interest and the appreciation shown by Ambassador and Mrs. Heffern. We
    consider the Pregnant Women Centers in Armenia a priority. Healthy
    newborns and healthy, educated mothers are essential to safeguard the
    future of our homeland. I also thank Haig Messerlian and Arpi
    Vartanian for their assistance in arranging this visit."

    Messerlian, Vartanian and Ani Aslanian, Project Coordinator of the
    AGBU Hye Geen Pregnant Women's Center in Talin, described the Center's
    activities, accomplishments and challenges. The 20 mothers-to-be were
    delighted to share their impressions and have a frank discussion about
    their everyday challenges. Ambassador and Mrs. Heffern, proud parents
    of five children and grandparents to one child, welcomed the
    opportunity to interact with the women, learn about their concerns,
    and share their experience and ideas.

    To date, AGBU Hye Geen Pregnant Women's Center in Talin has served
    close to 160 women and their healthy babies.

    Mrs. Libby Heffern said, "It was wonderful to see so many Talin women
    actively participating in the center. I really believe that proper
    prenatal care is the most precious gift for their children."

    Ambassador Heffern stated, "Thanks to the Armenian General Benevolent
    Union for its great work in Armenia. Its Women Centers all over the
    country are prime examples of what AGBU does for the Armenian
    people. Libby and I had a heart-warming visit to the center in Talin,
    where we met two dozen pregnant women and discussed their lives,
    families, challenges and opportunities."

    Several constructive suggestions were offered. AGBU Hye Geen Pregnant
    Women's Center Talin is already exploring ways to turn those ideas
    into reality.

    Messerlian, Vartanian and Aslanian thanked Ambassador and Mrs. Heffern
    for their visit and enthusiasm, and expressed appreciation for their
    support to Armenia and the Armenian people. Messerlian added that
    their meaningful visit and conversation with the participants meant a
    great deal and would be remembered by all for years to come.

    The first AGBU Hye Geen Pregnant Women's Center in Armenia was
    established in 2002, in Gyumri, with the goal of improving the health
    of pregnant women and reducing infant mortality rates and complicated
    pregnancies. In 2006, the second Center was opened in Vanadzor. In
    2009, the Talin Center was established, replacing the Gyumri
    Center. In 2011, the Nora Injijian Center was launched in
    Yeghvard. Most recently, the Arshagouhi Tavitian Center was opened in
    2012 in Yerevan. Maintaining a constant number of 20 pregnant women
    per site, the Centers have become a place for women to discuss
    concerns, receive medical exams & pre-natal care, learn through
    individual and group consultations with experts and form long-lasting
    bonds with one another. These Centers have become possible through the
    efforts of AGBU Southern California Hye Geen Southern California. To
    date, the Centers have served over 1,400 healthy babies and
    mothers. For more information about Hye Geen, visit www.hyegeen.com

    Established in 1906, AGBU (www.agbu.org) is the world's largest
    non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
    preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
    educational, cultural and humanitarian programs, annually touching the
    lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the world.

    For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please
    visit www.agbu.org.

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