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This edition of ArmeniaNow marks the fifth anniversary of the founding of the HyeSanta charity campaign.

In 2003, we first challenged our readers to extend much-needed help to unfortunate families like many here whom ArmeniaNow journalists encounter in the course of our routine reporting. Your immediate response justified our belief that this online journal could serve as a bridge to compassionate readers who may never set foot in Armenia, but whose hearts are always here.

Beyond the immediate gesture of offering relief, we also wanted to establish a tradition in Armenia that had not been a feature of the media community here. Through HyeSanta we wanted to teach advocacy journalism in Armenia – to demonstrate that the powerful tool of information can be an instrument for the good of social welfare.

Additionally, ArmeniaNow wanted to demonstrate to our sponsors that their charity to us reached beyond our self-serving needs and that our aim was to turn “donations” into “investments”. We exist due to the generosity of the Armenian General Benevolent Union who, since 2003, has funded ArmeniaNow as part of its multi-faceted program of philanthropy in Armenia. For the past two years, the Armenian Assembly of America has also supported us. Though HyeSanta was independently created by ArmeniaNow, we hope these respected institutions who have helped ArmeniaNow will also feel satisfaction in that their belief in us is repaid in help to others through this charity effort.

Finally, five years ago it was our hope that HyeSanta would become a demonstration of the willingness of local Armenians to help each other. The highest achievement of the program may be that, now, HyeSanta receives equal help internally, as from the outside world. This year, for example, VivaCell MTS communications company through its director Ralph Yerikyan has contributed to HyeSanta as part of that company’s mission to lead other corporations in Corporate Social Responsibility.

The local office of the Tufenkian Foundation has been a mighty assistance to HyeSanta almost from the beginning. And, this year, the Hyastan All Armenia Fund has funded the production of videos produced by Shoghakat Television (of the Armenian Apostolic Church) which will be posted on this site next week.

Shoghakat itself has been an invaluable partner of HyeSanta, as video documentaries of the stories our reporters tell have reached audiences around the world, where communities receive broadcasts of Armenian public television programs.

This year, HyeSanta has the good fortune of assistance from (USAID-sponsored) International Research and Exchanges Board.

We are pleased, too, that the work of HyeSanta has earned attention from public figures here including elected officials. Parliamentarian Anahit Bakshyan has been a loyal supporter even before representing her Heritage Party in the National Assembly. Among other help, she has provided transportation for deliveries to HyeSanta families through the services of the Yuri Bakshyan Foundation. And, following last year’s program the Office of (then) Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan was instrumental in assisting one of our subjects who needed medical treatment in Germany.

Over the years, HyeSanta has engaged in the most basic of assistance such as installing window panes, to, this year, helping build entire houses. Cows purchased through HyeSanta funds now have offspring that are being passed to other needy families. Through the generosity of our readers/viewers, subjects of our articles and documentaries have gotten surgeries they couldn’t have afforded, have received prosthetics for missing limbs, have enrolled in universities on funds donated through the program. . .

Politicians, physicians, teachers, businessmen have contributed skills and/or money. But none of it would be possible without the many unsung donations we get from faceless and often nameless contributors whose Paypal message may be our only contact.

Thank you for implicitly sharing our belief that “it is better to help a few, than to ignore everyone”. Please go to the HyeSanta donation page, and choose your method of donating.

John Hughes
Editor, ArmeniaNow

Armine Petrosyan
Director, HyeSanta Foundation
Source: http://www.armenianow.com

Permanent link:  http://www.armpress.com/armenianow/2008/12/23/1444/

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