Armenian
community centre for vulnerable children and families
Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.
Previous
| Next
A boy with hearing problems plays at the new Child Center
World Vision MEERO, http://meero.worldvision.org
World Vision MEERO, http://meero.worldvision.org
A new community child centre has been opened in
Shengavit community of Yerevan, Armenia, with the aim of assisting vulnerable children and their families.
World Vision established the community centre in close cooperation with Shengavit community.
The newly refurbished centre provides children and their families with the services of a pediatrician, psychologist, neurologist, speech therapist, art therapist, social worker, and lawyer, as well as material support. World Vision currently manages the centre but within a year it will be transferred to Shengavit community.
"Children with special needs in Armenia have very limited access to professional support. Here they are treated individually and our specialists prepare them for a full-fledged life," said World Vision Armenia Child Protection Program Manager Marina Hovhannisyan.
The opening ceremony, attended by representatives of local NGOs, kindergartens and schools, and community members, was marked by the blessings of Father Barsegh of Ararat Diocese, who underlined the importance of the new centre for the whole community.
The ultimate aim of the centre is to help vulnerable children to integrate into mainstream education and society, and to prevent them being institutionalised and abandoned. The specialists also help children and their parents by protecting them from social discrimination, supporting them financially, and organising training and round tables that aim to raise their awareness on their rights.
World Vision established the community centre in close cooperation with Shengavit community.
The newly refurbished centre provides children and their families with the services of a pediatrician, psychologist, neurologist, speech therapist, art therapist, social worker, and lawyer, as well as material support. World Vision currently manages the centre but within a year it will be transferred to Shengavit community.
"Children with special needs in Armenia have very limited access to professional support. Here they are treated individually and our specialists prepare them for a full-fledged life," said World Vision Armenia Child Protection Program Manager Marina Hovhannisyan.
The opening ceremony, attended by representatives of local NGOs, kindergartens and schools, and community members, was marked by the blessings of Father Barsegh of Ararat Diocese, who underlined the importance of the new centre for the whole community.
The ultimate aim of the centre is to help vulnerable children to integrate into mainstream education and society, and to prevent them being institutionalised and abandoned. The specialists also help children and their parents by protecting them from social discrimination, supporting them financially, and organising training and round tables that aim to raise their awareness on their rights.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
