Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) The Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) is a non-profit organization that uses community-led approaches to reducing rural poverty, with a particular focus on children. The organization was founded by Dr. Garo H. Armen in 2000. COAF funds and implements education, health, social, economic and infrastructure programs in rural Armenia. COAF provides access to clean water, electricity, gas, and roadways, as well as other essential resources including schools, health clinics and community centers. The organization directly funds, implements and oversees its programs with a support staff on the ground in Armenia. To date, COAF has raised $17 million and currently operates in 22 rural villages with no political affiliation. System of a Down, a metal band native to Armenia, has contributed to COAF through the selling of T-shirts (giving all proceeds to the worthy cause.
From 2000 – 2004, the organization provided funding for philanthropic activities in Armenia, including a partnership with the U.S. State Department to fund the deployment of bomb-sniffing dogs to the site of the former Nagorno-Karabagh Conflict. COAF raised $100,000 for the effort.
In 2004, COAF launched ground operations in Armenia. The organization currently employs a staff of about 20, with a headquarters in New York City and field offices in Armenia. While COAF now works to both fund and implement projects, the organization originally provided funding for philanthropic programs benefitting Armenia.
COAF's mission is to “secure a future for children in Armenia’s impoverished rural villages through improved education, health care, community life and economic conditions.” To achieve this, COAF directly funds and implements programs that address the areas essential to healthy childhood development and the long-term eradication of poverty in rural Armenia.
COAF first introduced the Model Village Project, a form of integrated rural development in 2004 in the village of Karakert, located in Armenia’s Armavir province. The program launched with financial backing from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) district of Armenia. It focuses on addressing issues affecting everyday life in rural Armenia, seeking to provide long term, sustainable solutions to those problems.
With the main focus of COAF's efforts has been on education, the programs have expanded in recent years to bring intellectual, creative, social and civic enrichment opportunities to rural communities.
The US Agency for International Development and the World Bank have pointed to the Model Village Project as a stellar example of sustainable development throughout the world, noting specifically the unique approach to development through a novel model of partnership between public and private sectors.
The Model Village Project has now been expanded to include the following villages: Argina, Shenik, Dalarik, Lernagog, Myasnikyan, Arteni, Yervandashat, Hushakert and Baghramian.
Villages and Programs
COAF serves (in various capacities and intensity) 28,000 people in these 22 villages: Karakert, Lernagog, Dalarik, Myasnikyan, Shenik, Argina, Arteni, Aragatsavan (including Tlik Getap), Hatsik, Sardarapat, Yervandashat, Bagaran, Vanand, Hushakert, Baghramyan, Artamet, Talvorik, Arevadashat, Getashen and Koghbavan.
Aragatsavan
Creativity Lab
Rehabilitation 1000 m of an irrigation pipeline
Rehabilitation of 200 square meters of intra community road
Professional Orientation Program funded by HSBC Future First
Annual health screenings for women (pap smears, breast and thyroid)
Bi-annual eye screenings
Argina
Playground and bus stop
Annual health screenings for women (pap smears, breast and thyroid)
Bi-annual eye screenings
Argina Ambulatory, partial renovation
Professional Orientation Program funded by HSBC Future First
Arteni
Arteni School 1, rehabilitation of elementary school and installation of a Creativity Lab funded by VIVA CELL MTS
Arteni Ambulatory: Co-funding community contribution and enhancement with dental equipment and supplies
English Access Microscholorship Program in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan
Professional Orientation Program funded by HSBC Future First
Baghramyan
Annual health screenings for women (pap smears, breast and thyroid)
Bi-annual eye screenings
Bagaran
Emergency renovation and basic supplies to the Health Post
Annual health screenings for women (pap smears, breast and thyroid)
Bi-annual eye screenings
Dalarik
Dalarik School
Dalarik Kindergarten-partial renovation
Rehabilitation of Dalarik Ambulatory in conjunction with World Bank
Dalarik playground and public park
After school clubs and summer camps
English Access Microscholorship Program in partnership with the U.S. embassy
Professional Orientation Program funded by HSBC Future First
Annual health screenings for women (pap smears, breast and thyroid)
Bi-annual eye screenings
Interest free loans to startup businesses
Co-funded community contribution to MCA-Armenia's rehabilitation of a 5.7 km irrigation canal
Drinking water project in conjunction with the World Bank
Hushakert
Humanitarian provision of food to socially vulnerable families in conjunction with the Open Society Institute
Provision of calves to socially vulnerable families In cooperation with Hiefer International
Annual health screenings for women (pap smears, breast and thyroid)
Bi-annual eye screenings
Karakert
Full Rehabilitation and furnishing of Karakert School 1
Full Rehabilitation and furnishing Karakert School 2 in partnership with UNDP and USAID
Full Rehabilitation and furnishing Karakert Kindergarten 1
Full Rehabilitation and furnishing Karakert Kindergarten 2
Full Rehabilitation and furnishing Karakert Ambulatory in partnership with UNDP and USAID
Full Rehabilitation and furnishing of Karakert Cultural Center in partnership with UNDP and USAID Rehabilitation of a 10.3 km of irrigation pipeline and emergency rehabilitation of dilapidated sections of the technical water network
Construction of a Public Park
After school clubs and summer camps
English Access Micro-scholorship Program in partnership with the U.S. Embassy
Professional Orientation Program funded by HSBC Future First
Annual health screenings for women (pap smears, breast and thyroid)
Bi-annual eye screenings
Interest free loans to start-up businesses
Lernagog
Full Rehabilitation and furnishing of Lernagog School
The first in Armenia Creativity Lab established
Full Rehabilitation and furnishing of Lernagog Ambulatory
Full Rehabilitation and furnishing of Lernagog kindergarten
After school clubs and summer camps
English Access Microscholorship Program in partnership with the U.S. embassy
Professional Orientation Program funded by HSBC Future First
Annual health screenings for women (pap smears, breast and thyroid)
Bi-annual eye screenings
Interest free loans to startup businesses
Myasnikyan
Full Rehabilitation and furnishing of Myasnikyan School
Full Rehabilitation and furnishing of L’Enfant Jesus Health Care Center
Cooperation with Levon Galchian Arts & Crafts Center
After school clubs and summer camps
English Access Microscholorship Program in partnership with the U.S. embassy
Professional Orientation Program funded by HSBC Future First
Annual health screenings for women (pap smears, breast and thyroid)
Bi-annual eye screenings
Interest free loans to startup businesses
Sardarapat
Creativity Lab supported by America Bank
After school clubs including English Access Microscholorship Program in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan
Shenik
Capital Reconstruction and refurbishment of Shenik School and sport complex in partnership with UNDP and USAID
Shenik Kindergarten
Renovation and refurbishment of Shenik Health Post in partnership with USAID
Vanand
Emergency renovation and basic supplies to the Health Post
Annual health screenings for women (pap smears, breast and thyroid)
Bi-annual eye screenings
Yervandashat
Full reconstruction of drinking water reservoir with capacity of 150 cubic meters in partnership with UNDP and Yervandashat municipality
Annual health screenings for women (pap smears, breast and thyroid)
Bi-annual eye screenings
The remaining communities that are included in the above list of 22 beneficiaries received only health screenings.
