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WAITING FOR HOMES: MANY ORPHAN GRADUATES IN ARMENIA REMAIN WITHOUT HOUSING DESPITE STATE PROGRAMS
Society | 05.12.14 | 12:08
Photo: agbudiscoverarmenia.wordpress.com
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
A total of 350 alumni that graduated from Armenian orphanages in
different years are in the housing waiting list for several years
already, while their turn never comes. Leaving the institutions
they face the problem of homelessness and numerous social hardships
being left without control. After they turn 18 they continue living
in orphanages, at their relatives' places or in some NGOs. Annually
their number grows by another 35.
Nikolay Nalbandyan, the director of the orphanage in the town of
Gavar, some 120 kilometers away from Yerevan, said that four of the
orphanage graduates continue living in the dormitory building located
near the orphanage.
"They are not registered at the orphanage anymore, but if they
have nowhere else to go, would we just kick them out? The orphanage
continues paying for the food, electricity, gas before they receive
their own flats," Nalbandyan said.
Lilit Avetisyan, 25, in 2006 moved from the Gavar orphanage to the Our
House NGO in the town of Echmiadzin. This is an organization where
the beneficiaries sign a contract with the organization to continue
their education at educational institutions during the five years of
their stay there.
"I was supposed to live here till 2010. It is four years already that I
have lived here by an additional contract. I have been on the waiting
list since 2007, I do not even believe that I will ever receive an
apartment. I work at a printing house, and I get a salary of 40,000
drams," Lilit said. "I cannot even rent a place on that money, or
pay for my expenses."
Many graduates, just like Lilit, are on the waiting list of the 'State
Support for Orphanage Graduates' program, which however stopped in
2008. The program was launched in 2003 and as a result graduates
from 1991 who appeared in the streets or lived in different places
after leaving the orphanages were registered in the list. Among 503
registered graduates 149 received flats during the years of 2003-2008.
A long waiting list of graduates was created after 2008 when the
government stopped the program after the scandalous revelations
made by the Audit Chamber. Huge means belonging to the program
were misappropriated. In July 2010 it was officially announced that
misappropriations reached 1 billion, 237,500,000 drams (about $2.8
million).
Astghik Minasyan, the head of the Social Support Department of the
Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, said that the government is
realizing a program called 'Housing for Socially Vulnerable and People
in Special Groups', within which orphanage graduates received flats
in Maralik.
"Unfortunately, many of them refused the housing. The biggest problem
is that they cannot find work in Maralik. Next in the program is
buildings located in Yerevan's Tbilisian Highway. Everybody wants to
get the housing in Yerevan, which is related to the same work pool
problem," she said.
Our House NGO Director Tigranuhi Karapetyan does not consider it right
that graduates of barely 18 are sent to Maralik or Spitak without
a job or future support. Karapetyan thinks that the program must be
amended to address all problems.
Consultant of the Ombudsman Anna Safaryan said that many graduates of
orphanages turn to the Ombudsman's office. Many of them complain that
their turn never comes, and others - of the quality of the housing
they were already provided with.
"After leaving the orphanage the state, skip for providing housing for
several cases, does not support or get interested in the future of this
children anyhow," Safaryan said. "Graduates with disabilities appear in
even graver conditions as they have only one path to choose - to the
nursery home or to a psychiatric center. The state does not undertake
any measures for those with disabilities, whereas in specialized
orphanages the number of children with disabilities exceeds that of
those without disabilities. There is still a lot to be done here."
http://armenianow.com/society/59095/armenia_housing_orphans_program
Society | 05.12.14 | 12:08
Photo: agbudiscoverarmenia.wordpress.com
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
A total of 350 alumni that graduated from Armenian orphanages in
different years are in the housing waiting list for several years
already, while their turn never comes. Leaving the institutions
they face the problem of homelessness and numerous social hardships
being left without control. After they turn 18 they continue living
in orphanages, at their relatives' places or in some NGOs. Annually
their number grows by another 35.
Nikolay Nalbandyan, the director of the orphanage in the town of
Gavar, some 120 kilometers away from Yerevan, said that four of the
orphanage graduates continue living in the dormitory building located
near the orphanage.
"They are not registered at the orphanage anymore, but if they
have nowhere else to go, would we just kick them out? The orphanage
continues paying for the food, electricity, gas before they receive
their own flats," Nalbandyan said.
Lilit Avetisyan, 25, in 2006 moved from the Gavar orphanage to the Our
House NGO in the town of Echmiadzin. This is an organization where
the beneficiaries sign a contract with the organization to continue
their education at educational institutions during the five years of
their stay there.
"I was supposed to live here till 2010. It is four years already that I
have lived here by an additional contract. I have been on the waiting
list since 2007, I do not even believe that I will ever receive an
apartment. I work at a printing house, and I get a salary of 40,000
drams," Lilit said. "I cannot even rent a place on that money, or
pay for my expenses."
Many graduates, just like Lilit, are on the waiting list of the 'State
Support for Orphanage Graduates' program, which however stopped in
2008. The program was launched in 2003 and as a result graduates
from 1991 who appeared in the streets or lived in different places
after leaving the orphanages were registered in the list. Among 503
registered graduates 149 received flats during the years of 2003-2008.
A long waiting list of graduates was created after 2008 when the
government stopped the program after the scandalous revelations
made by the Audit Chamber. Huge means belonging to the program
were misappropriated. In July 2010 it was officially announced that
misappropriations reached 1 billion, 237,500,000 drams (about $2.8
million).
Astghik Minasyan, the head of the Social Support Department of the
Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, said that the government is
realizing a program called 'Housing for Socially Vulnerable and People
in Special Groups', within which orphanage graduates received flats
in Maralik.
"Unfortunately, many of them refused the housing. The biggest problem
is that they cannot find work in Maralik. Next in the program is
buildings located in Yerevan's Tbilisian Highway. Everybody wants to
get the housing in Yerevan, which is related to the same work pool
problem," she said.
Our House NGO Director Tigranuhi Karapetyan does not consider it right
that graduates of barely 18 are sent to Maralik or Spitak without
a job or future support. Karapetyan thinks that the program must be
amended to address all problems.
Consultant of the Ombudsman Anna Safaryan said that many graduates of
orphanages turn to the Ombudsman's office. Many of them complain that
their turn never comes, and others - of the quality of the housing
they were already provided with.
"After leaving the orphanage the state, skip for providing housing for
several cases, does not support or get interested in the future of this
children anyhow," Safaryan said. "Graduates with disabilities appear in
even graver conditions as they have only one path to choose - to the
nursery home or to a psychiatric center. The state does not undertake
any measures for those with disabilities, whereas in specialized
orphanages the number of children with disabilities exceeds that of
those without disabilities. There is still a lot to be done here."
http://armenianow.com/society/59095/armenia_housing_orphans_program