Actions Speak Louder Than Words!
The results of the sociological survey conducted by the students of Yerevan State University within the framework of standard practices of the Chair of Social Work and Social Technologies.The purpose of the sociological survey was to study how the programs of the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia (FCHA) contribute to reducing and/or overcoming the condition of poverty of Armenian families. A total of 100 families were surveyed, which, at the time, represented 20% of the organization’s beneficiaries.
Based on the survey, the following was reported:
Among the beneficiary families surveyed, 87.5% were homeless and 12.5% needed critical housing renovation to preserve the structure of their existing homes. .  As a result of the FCHA program, housing conditions of the beneficiary families improved considerably. In addition, the self-employment rate more than tripled, increasing from 11.1% to 40.3%, further proving the effectiveness of the program in reducing poverty.  |
• Thanks to this program, not only did housing conditions improve, but there was also an increase in the self-reliance among the family members. Owning a home allowed them to become more independent and confident in their abilities to support their families. • Beneficiary families actively participated in the construction of their homes. The majority of the families surveyed consisted of five or more members. This corresponds to FCHA’s main objective to provide assistance to larger families. • FCHA works with as much transparency as possible with its beneficiary families - 80.5% of the beneficiaries said they were informed about the program from friends, community officials, or the mass media. • 90.3% of the beneficiaries were satisfied with the terms of the loans offered by FCHA, proving that the loan amount was accurately and fairly calculated. Because FCHA’s staff remained in close contact with its families, 97.2 % of loan payments were made on time. • After participating in the FCHA program, the financial stability of the beneficiary families increased by nearly 27%. Furthermore, 98% of the beneficiaries testified that the program brought positive changes to their lives. |
The survey justifies the necessity and efficiency of the FCHA program in Armenia. FCHA’s housing program stabilizes the social condition of vulnerable families by giving them an effective solution to reducing and overcoming poverty.
Presented by Yerevan State University Social Work and Social Technologies Chair Lecturer,Yuliana Melkoumyan
Partnership with Heifer International On 4-5 November Heifer Project International Armenian Branch Office Study Tour group consisting of 19 Area Volunteer Coordinators from the USA visited Lori Region, the village of Debed to meet the families assisted within the framework of Heifer Armenia & Fuller Center for Housing Armenia Partnership. Fuller Center for Housing Armenia, in partnership with Heifer Armenia, is implementing a program that helps the beneficiary families to establish small farms by providing them a pregnant heifer on condition that the first calf will be passed on to another needy family after three years. Giving resources to the families who already have their own decent house Fuller Center for Housing Armenia together with Heifer Armenia give them the opportunity for life betterment: imagine families who once dreamed of having a decent home are also given the opportunity to live better. This is also a good way to enable them pay back the zero-interest loans (only by selling the 60 % of the milk, they can pay back the loans). The project is enlarging, and now we also provide families with sheep and bees. Up to now 100 Fuller Center for Housing Armenia beneficiary families were provided with cows, 42 families with bees and 15 families with sheep. This year already 35 families from Khachik village passed on the gift - the heifer to other Fuller Center Armenia beneficiary families thus providing another 35 families with resources and the opportunity for life betterment.
Armenia Marriott Hotel Annual Build with Fuller Center for Housing Armenia
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"… I have always dreamed of having a home like those in big cities with all the necessary accommodations… we did not know where to go, where to live… we have been living in a one roomed metal container, called domik, for a long time, the roof of which was deteriorated and it was leaking when raining… Of course, it is already a vain to speak about any kind of accommodation… it was just a room full of dangers: snakes and scorpions from under the floor and water leaking from the roof… says 18 years old Narine, the eldest daughter. The Mouradyans were not able to save funds from their income and build the house in 10 years, nor they could qualify to take loans from banks. 
On July 16, 2011 KPMG Armenia staff members joined Fuller Center for Housing Armenia volunteers from USA in Dasht village, Armavir region, at building site helping to build the Gyozalyans’ house, a single mother’s house. 
June 6, 2011 -Cascade Insurance 13 Staff members joined Fuller Center for Housing Armenia beneficiary family of Davtyans at the building site in the village of Ashnak, Aragatsotn region. 
Cascade Insurance looked forward to this event understanding that prosperity can be achieved only by united and hand in hand work. Only by this way we can help families to have basis for sustainable future.
