During the days of the Four-Day Artsakh War in April 2016, young Armenians of Glendale considered it the duty of their soul to come together and support their compatriots in a catastrophe. In 2016, they established the Armenian Eagles Charitable Foundation, which has started showing large-scale support to the residents of Armenia’s borderline villages, particularly the villages of the Tavush region.

Thanks to the assistance, the families of borderline settlements will now be able to work and take care of their daily needs.

“Through our efforts, we want to support villagers so that they feel safe and understand that they have a helping hand and that they can rely on that helping hand. I don’t think you need to wait for help from the side. If you want to do something, you need to take action without any expectations, providing a worker with the opportunity to stay clung to his land and support soldiers, not emigrate from the country. Armenia starts right from the border. We all need think about helping Armenia,” founder of the Armenian Eagles Charitable Foundation Andranik Baloyan said in an interview with Hayern Aysor. Recently, Baloyan, as well as members Vahram Shalvardzyan, Araks Galstyan and programs correspondent of the Armenia-based Border NGO Anahit Nazaryan were hosted at the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia and had a meeting with Minister Hranush Hakobyan.

In Armenia, the Foundation collaborates with Border NGO. Through combined efforts, the two organizations have helped the families of Baghanis village implement their business ideas that the members of the organizations were introduced to during their visit to Baghanis.

“We returned from Baghanis with great impressions. We realized the simple truth that such initiatives make the villagers more than happy and fill them with optimism towards life,” Andranik Baloyan said, adding that they become stronger to carry out pro-national activities when they see all this.

Programs correspondent of Border NGO Anahit Nazaryan told Hayern Aysor that the organization carries out agricultural, educational and cultural programs in Tavush region’s borderline villages and mainly works with families. The organization started out by establishing greenhouse economies and carrying out beekeeping programs. Currently, the organization is applying the model for the development of small family businesses. First, the organization announces about funding for business ideas, after which the villagers present their ideas. The organization assesses the ideas and tries to understand how many of those ideas will be in demand in the market. Later, the organization makes a final decision on which program is preferable.

Five business plans are being implemented in Baghanis village in partnership with Armenian Eagles Foundation. Currently, a sewing factory has been launched, and business ideas in the service sector have been funded. There are works for crushing soil, as well as works for cutting grass.

The organization will also implement the idea of establishing a fish store. If everything is successful, the organization might also establish a small fish farm.

Let us also mention that the organization supports all business ideas only with equipment and doesn’t provide financial assistance. The given person receives the equipment as a gift in case of fulfilling his duties.

“Through our efforts, we want to call on all Diaspora Armenian unions, societies, associations, organizations and individuals to collaborate with us as we continue our efforts. When we return to Glendale, we will definitely present our work to the community in detail so that we gain people’s trust and supporters,” Andranik Baloyan concluded.

Gevorg Chichyan