Armenian Caritas

"Aregak" Day Care Center for Children with Multiple Disabilities in Gyumri

Start: 2008

Justification

Disabled people are separated and isolated from the rest of the society because they are seen as an embarrassment or weakness for the entire family. In many cases, one family member is given for the responsibility of caring for the disable individual. This person becomes the only source of human contact that disabled person receives. Another concern is that Armenians in general are not aware of or sensitive to the living condition of disable people.

There are no places for these individuals to go where they can socialize with other society members or learn to perform useful tasks. At the same time the caregivers start considering the individual with multiple disabilities as a burden because they have no time for themselves and they also get kind of isolated.

According to Armenian Caritas research especially children with multiple disabilities are deprived of normal living conditions. They do not get social services either from state structures or from other organizations and they are doomed to remain secluded in their homes. They cannot socialize and great part of the time they are isolated in their families and rooms.

Goal

To enable children with multiply disabilities and their families of Gyumri city of Shirak Marz to integrate into the society and be equally treated by providing a range of supportive services

Objectivies

• Improve the life quality of 30 children with multiple disabilities and their families in Gyumri,
• Give children with multiple disabilities the opportunity to gain basic operational skills which they can use in their daily lives by providing them with social and developmental services.

Beneficiares

30 children with multiple disabilities living in Gyumri, Shirak region. More than 150 family members of the disabled children included in "Aregak" DCC.

Activities

• Day Care Center,
• Provision of hygiene and medical care
• Provision of nourishment,
• Organization of art, leisure activities and social events,
• Psychological rehabilitation and life skills development,
• Organizing psychological and art therapy,
• Organizing educational activities,
• Social and psychological consultations.

Partners: The project is being implemented by the financial assistance of Caritas Austria

Project manager: Armen Martirosyan