Today is International Children’s Day. Ahead of this day Orange Foundation and World Vision Armenia are launching a project which will enable all Orange customers to participate in a philanthropic project and support those Armenian children whose families due to financial difficulties cannot keep their children home and deliver them under the care of state institutions. By sending SMS to 1234 short number, Orange customers can donate 100 AMD and by sending SMS to 5678 short number – 500 AMD. At the end of each month Orange Foundation will double the amount donated through SMS donation and will transfer that amount to World Vision Armenia. World Vision Armenia has many years of work experience with vulnerable families living in difficult financial conditions. By the efforts of its experts and social workers World Vision Armenia will organize professional works with these families. Such works aim to improve social and economic conditions of such families, thus, enabling parents to keep their children home. “Children have always been under the care of Orange Foundation. However, there are children who need more care and attention. Key objective of this project is to enable our customers to donate and support children, who have parents, but who have to live in orphanages because of financial difficulties of their families. The amount donated by our customers will be doubled by Orange Foundation. This is a project which should bring together Orange and its customers for a good purpose. We hope that due to this project many children will experience tangible positive changes in their life,” said Bruno Duthoit, Chairman of the Board of Orange Foundation. The project will last 1 year during which Orange Foundation will regularly provide information regarding the donated money and the children and families who will be the beneficiaries of this project. By the efforts of the employees of World Vision Armenia part of the donated money will be used to meet everyday needs of the families, such as, food, clothes, etc., and the rest will be used to create a small family fund which will help the families to live independently in future. With its projects World Vision Armenia has supported many families in keeping their children home. At the moment many families from remote regions of Armenia, such as, Syunik, Tavush and Shirak, who need help to meet their children’s general needs and keep them home, are shortlisted. Families have been chosen according to the following criteria: large families and families living in very difficult social and economic conditions. These families live in a healthy moral and psychological environment, and this support will help them to become a full member of society and educate healthy children and citizens. “Today children who have been taken back home from orphanages and their families need support. Our goal is to provide this children the possibility to continue enjoying care and love of their parents and familiy members and we, in our turn, will do our best to provide better living conditions for these families and give hope for better future,” said Graham Strong, World Vision Armenia Country Director.

---