GLENDALE—The “We Are Gyumri” committee in collaboration with Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Western United States Homeland Initiative Program partnered with the Orange County chapter of the Knights and Daughters of Vartan, and the Armenian Territorial Development Fund to support the renovation of a kindergarten and day school in the Nanulik community of Gyumri.
Nanulik Kindergarten was constructed after the Gyumri earthquake in 1988 with temporary wooden cottages that were connected to each other by concrete and stone corridors. Prior to construction, the temporary constructed cottages were totally exhausted. The sanitary and physical conditions of the building were insufficient. The building did not have heating, water and sewage systems. The heating of the building was inefficient due to insufficient thermal insulation of the building and severe weather conditions in Gyumri during winter.
The micro-project at Nanulik Kindergarten and Day School removed the old cottages and constructed a new building at the same location. The new two-story building, built to meet current seismic requirements, has several play and rest areas, a sterile room for visiting doctors and nurses, classrooms, dedicated areas for children’s naps, a kitchen, and dining area. Outside the building, a large yard houses a playground, complete with sand pits and lots of room for the students to play, learn, and explore. There are currently 50 students enrolled from the ages of 2-6, with others from neighboring communities excited to enroll with additions of more class options. The total scope of work for the renovation effort lasted less than one year.
“We’re excited to have been a part of the effort to rebuild the Nanulik Kindergarten and Day School,” said Garine Izmirlian of the We Are Gyumri Committee. “Through partnerships such as this with the Knights of Vartan and the ATDF, our committee has been able to slowly strengthen our ties with the Shirak Region, and play our part in ensuring the youth of Armenia have safe places to learn and grow into our future leaders.”
The mission of the “We Are Gyumri” is to create a positive and lasting impact on youth in Gyumri, Armenia (Shirak Region). The campaign restructured and renovated the Shirvanian Youth Center in Gyumri, Armenia; a year-round functional program at the center teaches youth in Gyumri everyday skills, provides them with the essentials they need for a brighter future, and serves as a bridge between youth in Gyumri and their peers in the Diaspora. The “We Are Gyumri” Mina Shirvanian Scholarship Fund sponsors residents of the Shirak Region to pursue their undergraduate education in their native region.