Embassy Initiatites Community Self-Help Fund Project at Arabkir Kindergarten

June 1, 2005

On June 1, the U.S. Embassy inaugurated the new boiler house of the Kindergarten in Arabkir, Yerevan. A grant of $12,000 from the U.S. Government and contributions from the local community funded the procurement of two heavy-duty boilers and installation of piping in the kindergarten building which had been capitally renovated with the contributions from the local government and community leaders earlier this year.

This project is one of a series of U.S. Government "Community Self-Help Fund" initiatives in Armenia. At a formal grant ceremony on November 9, 2004, the U.S. Embassy announced the second round of Community Self-Help Fund projects, including the Kindergarten in Arabkir. The second round of projects awarded grants to ten communities in eight marzes.

The Community Self-Help Fund assists local communities to implement small, grassroots projects that address their most urgent needs. Communities themselves help decide which projects deserve attention from the donor community and must garner the support of local businesses and communities if a project is to be considered for a grant. In the case of the Kindergarten, members of the Arabkir District of Yerevan contributed significant time and resources in order to ensure the success of this project. The U.S. Embassy would like to thank the community of the Arabkir District as well as the Yerevan Mayor's office for their commitment and partnership toward this project. This project has proved once more that only through strong cooperation between community members, local government and donors it is possible to achieve sustainable results that will benefit Armenia in the long-term.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) manages the project through their implementing partner, Save the Children. For further information about the program, please contact Save the Children (tel. 56-23-35, or on the web at http://www.cshf.am/).