Marie Izmirlian Children’s Home is getting ready for holidays

Kids at Marie Izmirlian Children’s Home have concluded the year with a festive New Year program.

A small part of the 103 mentally and physically handicapped children living in the facility were actively involved in the program, while the majority enjoyed it sitting next to the guests. Some of these children attend special schools and clubs, but those with limited mobility have to be home schooled, as the educational institutions are not adapted to their needs. Acting director of the children’s home Armine Petrosyan told Mediamax that although the facility became specialized in 2013, it still lacks in terms of access and convenience for disabled kids. Izmirlian Foundation provided funding for improvement of the building this year, installing elevators and wheelchair ramps and helping solve the issues of security and heating. Izmirlian Foundation’s Country Director for Armenia Lusine Galajyan says that the children’s home is under constant supervision and care. They carry out programs based on the needs and requirements of the facility: soon the home will have a cold storage room, which is a necessity for food safety. “It’s important to secure good living conditions, but we want to change the vector of our work a bit and put more emphasis on the children’s development. In particular, we plan to focus on the kids who are to turn 18 and leave the home soon. We want to discuss this issue with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and figure out what kind of comprehensive program we can create, what skills we can teach to prepare the children for independent life,” she explained. Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Zaruhi Batoyan was among the guests. She addressed the children after the festive program, encouraging them to study well. “We as the adults, the people responsible for you, the staff of the ministry must do everything possible for you to get education, attend school, enjoy your childhood and live happily,” she said.