Exceptional Organizations Making A Difference In Armenia

Len Wicks & Armine Hakobyan Wicks

Origins: Discovery’s ‘Adopt-a-Village’ (AAV) project is the initiative of the husband-and-wife team of Len Wicks who is Australian/New Zealander, and Armenian Armine Hakobyan Wicks. The project aims to beautify villages for tourism and help rural Armenians with direct support projects. The objective of the Origins Project is to open the world’s eyes to the beauty of Armenia and its ancient culture. Together, the two projects are intended to encourage tourism and business, and recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

‘The Adopt-a-Village (AAV) program prepares Armenia for tourism and focuses on strengthening the rural heartland by mentoring every village through a direct relationship with the diaspora and friends of Armenia,’ said Len Wicks, founder of Origins: Discovery. He added, ‘This is intended to stop depopulation that the over-emphasis on the development of Yerevan has actually worsened, which is a security threat. Eventually, this direct relationship might encourage some diaspora to move to the rural heartland, like the founders of AAV have done.’

Len and Armine are building a lodge in an orchard surrounded by water and nature. Areni Lodge is a part of the Adopt-a-Village project which aims at reaching every Armenian village. Aside from Vayots Dzor, the AAV projects also operate in Ararat and Shirak provinces.

The AAV project and the construction of Areni Lodge provide multiple benefits for the area and local people. The project encourages tourism and trade in the area and provides jobs for the locals. It also helps reverse depopulation which has been becoming a major issue on the background of rising ongoing between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

As the village of Areni is located closer to the Armenia-Azerbaijan border where the risk of military conflict is still high, the risk of depopulation is high too. Continuing to build and create is important for many reasons, including keeping the locals in high spirits and with hopes for a brighter and peaceful future.

The Areni Open Air Cultural Museum is sited in Areni, next to the beautiful Arpa River. The Museum’s development is part of the Adopt-a-Village charity program to help strengthen rural Armenia. The Museum will be administered by the Areni Municipality for the benefit of local artisans and the wider community.

Homeland Defender’s Rehabilitation Center (HDRC)

Homeland Defender’s Rehabilitation Center (HDRC) was established in collaboration between the ‘Support for the Wounded Soldiers and Soldiers with Disabilities’ NGO, Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU) and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia. HDRC is equipped with top-rate modern equipment needed for rehabilitation treatment, unparalleled in the region and is operated via the latest methods used in rehabilitation treatment industry and first-class research technologies.

The HDRC is a comprehensive rehabilitation complex. Both initial passive rehabilitation treatment and active treatment are provided at the Center. It provides all the necessary medical services with their interdisciplinary team of specifically trained experts, including rehabilitation doctors, acupuncturists, physiotherapists, psychologists, speech therapists, and other highly qualified specialists.

The center is in the premises of the First Clinical Hospital operated by YSMU which gives them access to the professional services of the university’s teaching and lecturing staff. The university’s hospital, its intensive care unit, laboratory, medical equipment are at the center’s disposal.

A few of the treatments offered at the HDRC include brain and spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, neurological problems, meningitis, encephalitis, radiculitis, neuritis, post-stroke rehabilitation, among others.

The center also provides the services of kinesiotherapy, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, water kinesiotherapy, acupuncture, halotherapy, ergotherapy, paraffin therapy, speech therapist, psychologist, massage, etc. All the experts are highly qualified and leading specialists in their spheres who have taken international training courses in various European countries.

There are two pools available at the center for the disabled patients who can walk and for those who use wheelchairs. The latter is equipped with a transportation crane. A water massage cabin is available for the full body treatment and two separate water massage cabins are available for the upper and lower limbs.

Beauty By Soldiers is a project the HDRC that provides several benefits, including a source of income for the Center, jobs for the veterans and a type of art therapy for their psychological rehabilitation. Natural butterflies bred in special farms around the world are donated to the Center. The soldiers are paid to create unique art compositions in special glass, which are then sold for considerable amounts. They give a second life to beauty without harming nature. All proceeds from the sale of the artworks fund the Center’s various programs.

For more information about the gala, please visit https://www.helpheroes.am/?lang=arm&p=29.

(Vic Gerami is an award-winning journalist and the editor + publisher of The Blunt Post. Gerami is also the host and co-producer of the national headline news + politics program, THE BLUNT POST with VIC on KPFK 90.7 FM (Pacifica Network). )