Lebanon, Italy, USA, South Africa, Portugal, Costa Rica, Vietnam, Syria, Brazil, Malaysia, Zimbabwe… the UWC Dilijan volunteer team with members of different nationalities have come to prove that philanthropy knows no nationality and became advocates of the family’s right to live with dignity.
In October a new but already a productive partnership started with UWC Dilijan College. Three days 15 volunteer members joined Fuller Center for Housing Armenia in Dian Village of Aragatsotn Region to help Hamazaspyan family in need of decent housing build their home.
This was also a great way of team building and fostering in an out of a college environment. The volunteers worked hard 3 days doing graveling and concreting work. The family members kept telling that they would have done the work the volunteers did in 3 days in more than a month period.
The only breadwinner of Hamazaspyan family, Sargis, is 25. He lives withhis mother and two sisters in a two room deteriorated house, without basic housing conditions – no kitchen, no bathroom, concrete floors and wooden ceiling… In 2002 doctors found a dangerous formation on Sargis’s left cheek. He has been operated several times; doctors lost hope that they could save his life. Fortunately, after six months Sargis began to recover. But some time later his face deformed. It even makes difficult for him to see. Doctors said that it was an infection and they could do nothing.
A few years ago his father started the construction of their new house, but the illness didn’t allow him finish it; he passed away in 2015 from liver cancer.
“To see the work from our hands truly creating something, and something with meaning, was the most rewarding thing I could have hoped for… Sargis and his family made us feel so comfortable that the project does not truly deserve the term work. Our team is hoping to return to the family at our next opportunity to continue the relationship we have begun.” – UWC Dilijan student from USA
”Our house is deteriorated and it can be destroyed at any moment. I could not even imagine that there will be people who will help us build our home. I am unable to express my gratitude… and now these young people from different countries have come to help with the constructionof our house; they are not our relatives or friends but work so hard as if they build their own house…” shared the mother of the family, Mrs. Anahit.
To remind, Hamazaspyan family house is being built through the generous financial support of Mrs. Arlene Hajinlian from NY and other generous donors. In 2016 the family will move to live in their new decent home.
