WATERTOWN, Mass.—During the 2008-2009 academic year, the Armenian Relief Society Central Executive Board—along with several ARS regional entities—allocated more than $500,000 to educational programs both in Armenia and the Diaspora.
“Alongside our decades of continuous assistance to educational efforts in the Diaspora, we are obligated to initiate similar programs in Armenia – particularly in Artsakh and Javakhk,” said Chairperson of the ARS Central Executive Board, Vicky Marashlian, who recently returned from Javakhk, bringing with her the blueprints of the very first ARS “Soseh” Kindergarten in that region.
“The ARS has always given priority to the education of coming generations. In this context, according to their ability, ARS entities functioning in various countries give their utmost to meet their regional needs in the realm of education,” stated the ARS Central Executive Board member in charge of the scholarship program, Maida Melkonian.
The ARS assistance to education takes place on several levels: scholarships to university students; direct grants to learning institutions; scholarship grants to needy students of grade and secondary schools, as well as sponsorship of ARS one-day and regular schools functioning in many regions of the Diaspora. It is in this context, that over the 2008-2009 scholastic year, the ARS South American entity spent $3,000, ARS of Eastern USA $59,450, ARS of Western USA $78,000, ARS of Canada $141,600, ARS of France $104,000, ARS of Lebanon $61,133, ARS of Syria $29,465, ARS of Jordan $3,265, ARS of Jerusalem $1,000, ARS of Cyprus $3,770, ARS of Greek Macedonia and Thrace $1,425, ARS of England $1,611, ARS of Australia $2,000 for their educational programs. Similar regular allotments are made also by the ARS entities of Athens, Kuwait, Bulgaria and other ARS entities.
“On top of these pan-Armenian expenditures one must add the ARS Board-supervised Eremian Scholarship Fund. And in spite of the fact, that the Fund had not generated enough income this year, the ARS Board granted $11,400 in scholarships to 19 college students from the Diaspora, Armenia and Artsakh”.
“It is worth mentioning,” concluded the Treasurer of the ARS Board, Muriel Parseghian, “that, independently of scholarships and direct grants to schools, the ARS sponsors the “Soseh” Kindergartens network in Artsakh, the “Best Student” and “Orphans Education” programs. All this is made possible through donations by ARS entities and individual sponsors. I appeal to all Armenians to assist us with their generous donations, so that we may continue to promote Armenian schools and students, worldwide. Your donations can also be made via the Internet, by visiting our web site at www.ars1910.com”.
