12 January 2015
Over €2500 raised for disadvantaged children from Vardenis, Armenia
On January 11, 2015, AGBU Holland held a fundraiser in Almelo, the Netherlands to benefit underprivileged Armenian children. For the past four years, AGBU Holland and the Dutch non-governmental organization (NGO) PAX Kinderhulp have collaborated in organizing four-week program for twenty disadvantaged children from the town of Vardenis in Armenia.
The program is designed to introduce the children to Dutch culture and society. In Armenia, many live in orphanages or in bunkers without heat, electricity or running water. During their stay, the children—aged eight to twelve—stay with host families in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands and participate in an array of cultural activities. “It is wonderful to see how excited the children seemed to be by what they are seeing in Holland. We try to introduce them to the educational and fun side of the country, taking them to historical sites as well as on skating and sports outings,” says Cobi Alink, the director of PAX Kinderhulp Apeldoorn.
As part of the program of activities, AGBU Holland partnered with Homenetmen and the Armenian Church in Almelo to organize a fundraiser for the children. The day began by attending mass, where the children were welcomed by representatives of each of the organizations. “PAX Kinderhulp is crucial in that it gives the children and their families hope for the future,” says Harout Palanjian, AGBU Holland board member.
After mass, the AGBU Holland Youth Committee organized a party for the children with a number of traditional Dutch games. “The children had a blast! The most beautiful thing was to see some of the shy, quiet children take over the dance floor and start enjoying themselves once Armenian music started playing,” said Anoush Apstok, AGBU Holland Youth Committee member.
Continuing last year’s tradition, AGBU Holland honored the children’s visit by creating a painting with their handprints and names. The paintings will be exhibited at the Gulbenkian Hall in the Armenian Church in Almelo.
Profits from the fundraiser—totaling € 2836—were donated to the Armenian children from Vardenis and PAX Kinderhulp Foundation. “It is truly wonderful to work with a Dutch organization like PAX Kinderhulp, which has made it its mission to help Armenian children in need. Though their means are limited and they run largely on donations, they do everything in their power to ensure that the children have an unforgettable experience in the Netherlands,” says Adis
Nazareet, AGBU Holland’s PAX coordinator.
To learn more about AGBU Holland, please visit http://agbuholland.nl/en/
For more information about PAX Kinderhulp, please write to info@paxkinderhulp.nl.
Established in 1906, AGBU (www.agbu.org) is the world’s largest non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through educational, cultural and humanitarian programs, annually touching the lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the world.
For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit www.agbu.org.
