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 confidentin 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