On Monday, June 10, the Executive Director of the “My Step” charitable foundation, Mrs. Anna Hakobyan, received representatives of the Central Board of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party at the foundation’s central offices: Chairman Mr. Mike Kharabian, Vice-Chairman Mr. Aleksan Garadanyan, and Mrs. Sosi Bulukhyan.
The members of the ADL delegation first congratulated Mrs. Hakobyan on assuming the position of Executive Director of the foundation and wished her fruitful activity. At the same time, they assured her that they are ready to assist the foundation in the implementation of its important programs, adding that cooperation must be ongoing.
Mrs. Hakobyan briefly presented to the members of the ADL delegation the initiatives of the “My Step” foundation that are currently underway or in the planning stage, particularly highlighting the project to establish the “Jrakhrouk” social coffeehouse, which is being implemented in cooperation with the “Jrakhrouk” non-governmental organization.
The “Jrakhrouk” coffeehouse, or simply the “Coffeehouse,” is a social initiative being carried out for young people with disabilities and physical or mental special needs. It aims to serve as a bridge between these young people and society. Only young people with disabilities will work at the coffeehouse, which will increase their contact with society and have a great positive psychological impact. The project is very difficult to implement, but the foundation has already begun preparatory work.
The “Coffeehouse” will also be an art center, where all the items made by hand by young people with physical and mental special needs will be displayed and sold.
Mrs. Hakobyan also presented another project undertaken by the foundation: the building of the “Salvation” center, which is not in good condition and needs to be renovated. It is a day-care center attended by adults with physical and mental special needs.
The foundation has launched, with great difficulty but successfully, the “Successful Women Entrepreneurs” support program. Soon, 42 novice women entrepreneurs will each receive one million drams to develop their businesses. The program is pilot, but the foundation aims to make it ongoing. Several other important programs of the foundation were also presented in summary.
The Chairman of the ADL Central Board, Mr. Mike Kharabian, stressed that helping one another must become a culture for our people, and added that all the programs of the “My Step” foundation will be presented in the best possible way to the ADL’s worldwide party and broad supporter circles, with the zeal to secure maximum support for them.
