Syunik-Development NGO in collaboration with regional government organized one-week meeting-discussion entitled “Social and Educational Problems of Vayots Dzor Consolidated Communities and Ways of Solution”. The project is carried out within the framework of Syunik NGO’s Social Development Program, supported by the German organisation Brot für die Welt- Protestant Agency for Diakonia and Development. The project creates a platform for active community members come together to discuss problems in their communities, make suggestions, and organize necessary discussions. Representatives from NGOs, local authorities, educational institutions, and responsible persons for the economic development project in the consolidated communities of the region participated in the meeting.
High ranking guests were attended during the official opening of the project, such as Trdat Sargsyan, governor of the region, Nane Asatryan, deputy governor of Vayots Dzor region, and Primate of the Diocese Archbishop Abraham Mkrtchyan. In their greeting speech they wished the participants an effective and fruitful discussion.
Meeting-discussion was carried out in a theoretical and practical format. Separate working groups of the consolidated communities worked to identify social and educational problems in their communities and suggested ways of possible solutions. Expert working group had a great contribution to the discussion, such as: Avag Gabrielyan, Head of the Department of Education, Culture and Sport of the region, and Tsoghik Babayan, a leading specialist in health and social administration. Discussion was facilitated by the Head of the Regional Development Programs and Analysis Division Aram Kostanyan and Syunik-Development NGO employee Hayarpi Aghakhanyan.
The aforementioned works, final findings of the discussion, the set of suggestions, ways of solutions developed by the working groups will help to develop and compile Annual Work Plans of the communities more effectively that are developed based on community strategic development plans. Overall, the project aims at supporting developing a qualified community development plan (CDP) under active participation of communities that effectively address key needs.
It is worthwhile to mention that one of the most important achievements of the project is the change of the environment and the formation of a new culture in targeted communities. Processes such as community participation, participatory decision-making, and their presentation to the local authorities are the first manifestations of new culture. Syunik-Development NGO plans to have similar meetings and discussions within the framework of its “Social Development in Vayots Dzor region” program.
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