Thursday, October 2 2014

At the beginning of the year a project started through VivaCell-MTS & Fuller Center for Housing Armenia partnership aimed at assisting 25 families from borderland villages of Armenia. VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian and Fuller Center for Housing Armenia team visited Yervandashat village to share with three families their long-waited happiness.

Three more families from the borderland village of Yervandashat meet autumn happily and proudly without fear that it will leak from the roof during rainy weather or there will be necessity of burning fire for having hot water. The damp walls, the moldy ceiling and the wind time whistling windows are already in the past.

''A few months ago there wasn't even hope that the summer would be so productive and the cherished dream of mine, my family and my fellow villagers would come true. I'm very thankful to the project that helps not only build homes but also lives, not only walls but also hope, not only roof but also belief in the future,'' shared Varuzhan Avagyan, whose family has been living with his parents and brother's extended family for many years without basic necessities. 

At five-month period six houses were renovated and two half-constructed houses built in the village of Yervanadashat through this project. 

"Entering new home is symbolizing the birth of a new beginning in the family life - renewed hopes, new aspirations, new plans, weaved with love and from love, leaving all misfortunes, frustrations in the past. It's becoming especially important in the borderland. By renewing the hopes of our compatriots living on the very edge, we all put vital strength into them, make them feel stronger, and by that we restate our declared mission and national objective out loud – our fathers lived in this country, we live in this country, and afterwards, our children will be living in this country, our common descent home Armenia. Every stone that we put on the stone, adds to the vital powers of our souls, our joint national spirit. We will stand firm on this sacred soil, forever, we must, and this is our message to everyone in the country and outside it", noted VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian.  

''Our partnership with VivaCell-MTS is very productive and now we are the eyewitnesses of the results. By the end of the year 25 families from four borderland villages of Armenia will live in their decent homes. The project helps our compatriots living on the border feel that they are not alone on the border, that even the walls of the home help be stronger and it is safe when the walls of that home are solid,'' said Ashot Yeghiazaryan, Fuller Center for Housing Armenia President. 

To remind, VivaCell-MTS has invested 55 million AMD for the housing project in the borderland villages of Armenia and Fuller Center for Housing Armenia has undertaken the implementation of the project. 

VivaCell-MTS (K-Telecom CJSC) is Armenia's leading telecommunications operator, having the widest 2G/3.75G/4G network reach and spreading a wide range of Voice and Data services all across Armenia. Having the best of the Armenian people interest at heart since its launch on 1st July 2005 and in a short period of time VivaCell-MTS has managed to build a nationwide network and a considerable customer base.  VivaCell-MTS drives innovation and aims at always being at the forefront of any development serving the Armenian mobile communications market.  The company follows the guidance provided by ISO 26000 (International Standard of Social Responsibility). For more information, visit www.mts.am Mobile TeleSystems OJSC ("MTS") is the leading telecommunications group in Russia and the CIS, offering mobile and fixed voice, broadband, pay TV as well as content and entertainment services in one of the world's fastest growing regions. Including its subsidiaries, the Group services over 100 million mobile subscribers. The Group has been awarded GSM licenses in Russia, Ukraine, Turkmenistan, Armenia and Belarus, a region that boasts a total population of more than 200 million. Since June 2000, MTS' Level 3 ADRs have been listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol MBT). Additional information about the MTS Group can be found at www.mtsgsm.com
Fuller Center for Housing Armenia is a non-governmental, charitable organization that supports community development in the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh by assisting in building and renovating simple, decent and affordable homes, as well as advocating the right to a decent shelter as a matter of conscience and action.  FCHA provides long-term, interest-free loans to low-income families. The monthly repayments flow into a Revolving Fund, which is used to help more families, thereby providing a financial foundation for sustainable community development. 

Since 2008 the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia has assisted 350 families.

For more information, please visit www.fullercenterarmenia.org or email us at [email protected]