Tufenkian Foundation: summary of 2006 activities

Ongoing reforestation program in Armenia

As we move into 2007, the Tufenkian Foundation wishes all of you a happy, prosperous, and productive new year. At the same time, we wish to share some highlights from our past year?s activities across Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh:

Our Armenian Forests NGO continues to expand its efforts to promote environmental awareness and stewardship. In the realm of reforestation, we have built upon earlier efforts by restoring an additional 100 hectares of forest near Ara Mountain, and have begun supervising the restoration of 1200 ha in Tavush, in a project funded by the World Bank.

In community development, we have established youth groups in 10 different areas, actively developing new parks, restoring old parks and degraded forests, cleaning up polluted areas, furthering local ecotourism, and lobbying for better environmental protection measures.

Our media and awareness activities have garnered approximately 100 news stories devoted to the environment, while we continue to develop an environmental art contest for youth. We also continue to support and air an important series of environmental documentary films, produced by VEM Media Arts and co-funded by us.

Last but not least, in Spring 2006 we co-founded the EcoArmenia Save Our Forest Campaign with several organizations, aiming to shift Armenia away from deforestation and toward reforestation. The coalition?s activities are already underway.

Our Yerevan Branch continues its activities in diverse areas that include strengthening civil society, protecting civil and consumer rights, supporting vulnerable families, and offering creative paths for talented youth.

We have continued supporting the “Vem” radio station, initially established by the Foundation in partnership with VEM NGO. Our “Manana” youth center continues to win international prizes for films, photographs, and other media produced by its teenage journalists. The “Zangakatun” program ? founded in Yerevan, Medzamor and Vanadzor ? works to revive and strengthen 150 vulnerable families, while helping their children with self-development.

Most recently, we helped establish the Ararat Center for Political Analysis, which deals with some of Armenia?s most pressing public policy issues. Alongside these programs, we also carry out small projects helping to strengthen newly established NGOs, publishing books, and doing research in different areas.

Our Stepanakert Branch continues its emphasis on resettling Karabagh?s strategic border zones. The new Arajamugh Village is nearing completion of Phase I, with 18 houses built, inhabited, and with corresponding infrastructure already in place. Phase II is now underway, consisting of land cultivation and the construction of a school ? the latter in partnership with the California-based Armenian Educational Foundation. Meanwhile, our projects in Kashatagh (Lachin) also bore fruit, with the official opening and operation of a health clinic and flour-mill, both of which serve basic needs in this vital-yet-underdeveloped region. Our Kashatagh projects also include rehabilitated grape vineyards (providing much-needed employment), gravel road construction, natural building workshops, as well as a Mobile Internet project providing free instruction to underprivileged children. Elsewhere in Karabagh, we have developed cultural and educational programs that include refurbishing the Shushi Museum and expanding our “Taghandavor Yeridasardner” scholarships for talented youth.