Clean Kitchen Social NGO-“Subscription to “Clean Recipe” Food System” project
Budget: 3,780,000 AMD
Project period: November 1, 2022- September 30, 2023 (11m)
Tavush region, Gandzakar community
The project aimed to improve the socio-economic conditions of the Gandzakar community by encouraging healthy eating habits and providing easier access to nutritious food for older and vulnerable people. A Social Entrepreneurship initiative was set up by the NGO, offering a food subscription service to help both beneficiary households and regular citizens. This initiative used a flexible pricing strategy to generate income and ensure its long-term viability. It provided affordable healthy food to the beneficiary groups while selling the same food at standard market prices to the general public.
Argina NGO-“Supporting Households’ Self-Occupation” project
Budget: 3,830,000 AMD
Project period: November 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023 (11m)
Lori region-Lori-Berd community
The project's goal was to provide job opportunities for women from underprivileged families by involving them in farming. The Argina NGO created a Social Enterprise (SE) that grew Lemon verbena tea and sold it to different groups, including individuals and private companies. To achieve this, the project trained women from low-income families in how to grow the tea in their own homes to make money. The SE bought the tea plants grown by these women, increasing the product supply and helping the enterprise grow faster.
Community Mobilization and Support Center NGO-“Created by residents for individual and community development” project
Budget: 3,994,000 AMD
Project period: November 1, 2022-October 30, 2023 (12m)
Lori region-Alaverdi community
The goal of the awarded sub-grant project was to contribute to the raise of the socio-ecological resilience and living standards of the deprived groups of the consolidated Alaverdi community through provision of new skills and promotion of employment within the framework of the "Green Camp" eco-rural SE. Eco-kitchen under the “Green Camp” Social Enterprise was set up where national, rural and non-traditional food made from chemical-free natural products for both vegetarians and people with other preferences was prepared. To equip needy and disadvantaged people with skills necessary to get employed in gastro and hospitality sector organizations, trainings were provided to 30 residents of Alaverdi community. Some of them, who successfully accomplished the training courses were employed by the SE to prepare eco-food.
ARM Strong Community Development Center NGO-“Occupation School in Shirak Region” project
Budget: 3,860,000 AMD
Project period: November 1, 2022 – October 31, 2023 (12m)
Shirak region-Gyumri
The goal of the project was to increase opportunities for unemployed young people of rural areas of Shirak region to receive necessary knowledge about various high-demanded areas through establishment of SE. The project was designed as a response to changing nature of labor market and ongoing inconsistency between higher education and offers from the job market. The lack of quality education has caused a reality, where some areas always lack a labor, whereas other areas have an excess of it. Unemployment has always been one of the main issues in Shirak region, and this project aimed at decreasing the level of unemployment among young segment of targeted communities. The following digital training courses were offered to young people from low-income families: media, SMM, animation, web and graphic design. Some of the training participants were offered a job by Media Lab, others started internship in partner organizations.
Direct Democracy- “Intercommunal Transportation Issue and Ways to Mitigate Community Poverty” project
Budget: 3,195,000 AMD
Project period: November 1, 2022-April 30, 2023 (6m)
Lori region-Spitak, Pambak communities
The goal of the project was to develop a recommendation package tailored to improve the quality of the transportation services of Spitak and Pambak communities. Some settlements of Pambak and Spitak consolidated communities lack proper transportation services and, there was an urgent need to improve them for citizens and deprived families. In order to prepare recommendation package on improvement of the quality of the service and present it to the LGs, the project team identified low-income/beneficiary residents, conducted needs assessment and identified main gaps of quality of transportation services. Assessment results served as a basis for organizing a local petition. Over 500 citizens from the Spitak community endorsed the petition advocating for improved transportation services. Subsequently, the signed petition results were presented to the Spitak LG which approved the raised question.
Moreover, the Spitak Community Council took a step further by applying to the National Assembly of the RA. The aim of this action was to urge a revision of the existing law on community transportation. The mechanism initiated by the Spitak Community Council represents a unique participatory approach that draws the National Assembly’s attention to urgent community issues.
“Ahnidzor” Development Foundation- “Creating equal opportunities for elderly people” project
Budget: 4,000,000 AMD
Project period: November 1, 2022-August 31, 2023
Lori region-Tumanyan community, Ahnidzor settlement
The project aimed to improve social and cultural life of elderly and young citizens of Ahnidzor settlement of Tumanyan consolidated community through establishment of a Community center. In close collaboration with local authorities of Tumanyan consolidated community and with engagement of community key actors, such as artists, agriculturists, elderly people specialized in various arts and crafts, experts and ordinary citizens, the project team designed the concept of the Community center established in Ahnidzor. The team launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise money and other assets to renovate and equip the Center. The Center offered cultural, non-formal educational and leisure activities for the entire community.
NGO Center NGO- “Participatory budgeting in Tumanyan community”
Budget: 2,500,000 AMD
Project period: November 1, 2022-May 30, 2023 (7m)
Lori region-Tumanyan community
The primary goal of the project was to improve the social policy of the Tumanyan consolidated community designed for the low-income families. For this, the team monitored the existing social strategy of the targeted community and identified the main needs and gaps of the social programs offered by the LG. Based on the analysis a proposal was presented to the mayor to revise the social policy and promote self-occupation of deprived persons by funding 2-3 business ideas to be implemented by 2-3 beneficiaries of the social assistance program. The new policy developed by the NGO Center was approved by the Tumanyan LG. Following this, the social worker identified 3 needy families interested in launching their own small businesses. Based on the need assessment results conducted by the social worker, NGO Center team purchased necessary equipment for the beneficiaries to start their businesses.
As a sustainability measure, the project team formed a Committee responsible for conducting future needs assessments for the beneficiaries.
The new model aimed to activate and empower beneficiaries to overcome poverty by launching small businesses. This pilot initiative was successfully approved and adopted by the Tumanyan Municipality as a new social strategy.
YCCD-“Innovative Approaches Directed to Improvement of Cultural Life and Reduction of Unemployment” project
Budget: 2,500,000 AMD
Project period: November 1, 2022-July 31, 2023 (9m)
Tavush region-Dilijan
The project aimed to improve the cultural life of Dilijan community and foster reduction of unemployment rate through organization of fairs and cultural events.
YCCD mobilized artists, cultural institutions and vulnerable citizens to come up with new solutions and approaches regarding organization of cultural events. The project team organized DiliTon, an annual signature event in Dilijan aimed at creating income generation opportunities for Dilijan-based artists and craftsmen from low-income families. DiliTon received co-funding from the Dilijan Municipality, which provided transportation for citizens, booths and sanitation services. The craftsmen and artists from low-income families got a unique opportunity to generate income ranging from AMD 30,000 to 300,000.
Apart from this, YCCD developed a recommendation package on reduction of the multidimensional poverty in Dilijan community and submitted the proposal. The recommendation suggested to allocate AMD 2,000,000 from the community budget to NGOs to support them in generating ideas for multidimensional poverty reduction.
Lightning NGO- “Promotion of women's self-employment” project
Budget: 1,902,250 AMD
Project period: November 1, 2022-April 30, 2022 (6m)
Shirak region-Gyumri
The goal of the sub-award project was to contribute to the reduction of unemployment among women in Akhuryan and Gyumri communities by enhancing entrepreneurial knowledge, skills and opportunities. This project was selected for funding as it was planning to address one of the five dimensions of poverty - “access to decent job opportunities”.
The Lusapayl NGO located in Shirak region, worked with the local Social Unified Services to identify the target group based on the criteria that describes them as poverty-affected. The intervention to break the cycle of poverty, included: improving basic financial literacy, enterprise running, social media marketing for services and other skills combined with practical workshops in the beauty industry. Ten selected women from the poverty-affected families were then trained to become nail-masters and hairdressers, and upon completion of the course, be ready to either start their own service or find relevant employment. The project supported the provision of training, practical workshops and obtaining of necessary tools and equipment to launch their services as business or get employment.
“We” Youth NGO-“Financial Literacy School” project
Budget: 1,992,000 AMD
Project period: November 1, 2022 – April 30, 2023 (6m)
Lori region-Vanadzor
The project goal was to increase financial literacy among youth of Vanadzor and Spitak communities by providing them with necessary training courses and creating labor market opportunities. In addition to the financial literacy trainings, the project team collaborated with the Unified Social Service: representatives of the Service provided lectures on main employment services and the strategies to reduce the unemployment rate. Participants also had a site visit to the office of Financial System Mediator to get acquainted with available financial services.
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“The ‘Community Poverty Reduction Know-How’ project is implemented with the financial support of the European Union by a consortium of CRRC-Armenia, EPF, EDRC, and Matevossian Foundation. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the consortium and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.”