Warm Winter

"Warm Winter" is one of the humanitarian projects of Armenian Caritas which started in 2004 in Gyumri. In 2005 Vanadzor City joint the project, and in 2010 also Gavar.

The main goal of the project is to support that poor old people who have health problems are able to ensure normal heating at their houses and avoid deteriorations of their health problems.
2009-2010 Warm Winter project was funded by Open Society Institute, Caritas Germany and Caritas Spain.

This time the project could help 775 beneficiaries. Mainly beneficiaries at Home Care for Elderly in Gyumri, Vanadzor and Gavar cities, Day Care Centers for old people in Gyumri and Tashir were involved in the project. Armenian Catholic Church, Armenian Apostolic Church, Fund for Armenian Relief, Ashotsk Hospital and Our Lady of Armenia Convent in Gyumri provided a list of 200 very poor people who were assisted by the project.

Caritas developed a scheme based on the experience of the previous years, which enables us to respond to the need of beneficiaries in a timely, accurate and fair manner. We conduct a survey and reveal the need on how the beneficiary will organize the heating. Most of them used gas or electricity. Later on a certain amount, this year 43000 Armenian drams (80 Euros) are transferred to the gas or electricity account of the beneficiary. 30 people preferred wood as they don't have neither electricity nor gas at their houses.

The total budget of the project was 53.500 Euro plus 25.000 US Dollars; 50.000 Euros were provided by Caritas Germany, 3500 by Caritas Spain and 25.000 USD by Open Society Institute.

One of the important achievements of the program is also the involvement of volunteers. The beneficiaries directly communicated with the volunteers who tried to offer their help to old people while visited them during the needs assessment phase. 25 volunteers were involved in conducting the needs assessment, collecting documentations and carrying out social assistance at the houses of the old people.