Launch of ECHO-funded Programme Providing Protection Services to Displaced Families from Nagorno Karabakh

On 26^th October 2021, an official event marked the launch of the programme “Ensuring access to essential protection services for displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenia”, funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department (ECHO) of the European Union.

The programme is providing displaced people with access to essential protection services including child protection, mental health and psychosocial support, childcare assistance, and legal aid through 10 Multi-functional Centres run by local NGOs Mission Armenia and Partnership & Teaching in Yerevan city and Kotayk, Ararat, Syunik, and Gegharkunik provinces. The launch event was held in one of the Multi-functional Centres in Hrazdan town and was attended by representatives of local and international NGOs, the UN, local government, and programme implementing partners. Presentations to introduce the key services and activities of the programme were delivered by Mr. Grigori Hovhannisyan, Head of Base for Action Against Hunger and Mrs. Alla Harutyunyan, Mission Armenia Vice-president.Within each centre, Child Friendly Spaces are being established, or strengthened, to provide a safe environment for structured social activities that promote children’s and caregiver’s psychosocial wellbeing. In addition, HALO Trust is training the local partners’ staff in Explosive Ordnance Risk Education so that they can perform educational sessions in the 10 centres and in schools in border communities. The Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) in Hrazdan and other locations opened their doors to hundreds of displaced and local children just over a month ago. “Here we have centralised our CFS combining child development, social work, psychological care, special services, and explosive ordnance education under one roof”, said Ms. Maria Poghosyan, Programme Manager with Action Against Hunger.

Delivering the welcoming speech on the day  were three such young people who shared their impressions of the centre and expressed their gratitude for the support and caring attitude of the staff, and how they never miss an opportunity to visit - “Here we learn computer literacy and basic computer programming languages, design logos and create games. We didn’t have the chance to learn such things before … We feel safe here,” they said.

The launch event served to raise awareness on the overall humanitarian situation in Armenia following the conflict, and to strengthen the networking of organisations involved in various support programmes for displaced persons.