Over the last decade, before and after the creation of the Foundation, Mrs. Astvatsaturian Turcotte spearheaded dozens of humanitarian, development, cultural, environmental and educational projects worldwide to support the community and to benefit the vulnerable population in Armenia and Artsakh Republic. These include but are not limited to the following:
Current Initiatives:
- Ser Artsakh initiative continues in a new format and with expanded goals.
-Professional training courses offered to those forcibly displaced from Artsakh in sewing and entrepreneurship. The aim of these courses is to provide displaced individuals with practical skills, empowering them to start their own businesses or secure jobs in the textile industry, ensuring sustainable employment opportunities for the families displaced from Artsakh. The program is 12 weeks long, covering the essential knowledge and skills needed for success and will continue, as the need continues. Training courses in other industries will be available in the future.
-Bee Hives for Artsakh families in rural areas.
-Ongoing humanitarian work to assist forcibly displaced Artsakh Armenians (housing, food, clothing, kitchen supplies, Christmas gifts, toys, books, bedding, diapers, baby formula, medicine, hygiene supplies).
Past Initiatives:
- Ser Artsakh is a charitable initiative launched on June 1, 2022, first designed to benefit families in Artsakh who chose to live and stay in post-war Artsakh. We delivered baby boxes with quality made-in-Armenia items to all newborns in Artsakh before, during and after the blockade. After Artsakh’s tragic ethnic cleansing in September 2023, we continued the initiative for Artsakh babies born in Armenia. To support these forcibly displaced families we provided each newborn with 22-25 vital items of supplies in a beautiful gift box. By the end of the initiative on June 1, 2024, since launching it two years prior the Foundation supported close to 3000 babies with its Ser Artsakh baby boxes.
- The book “Little and His House” by Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte was officially launched in the fall of 2024. This baby book was originally intended to be a special addition to the Ser Artsakh baby gift boxes, serving as a lasting gift from the author to the children and mothers. However, due to the forced displacement from Artsakh, the book’s publication was delayed. The Foundation decided to make the book available in Armenia and the Diaspora and donate all proceeds from its sale to the work supporting the continued development of the ‘Ser Artsakh’ program in its new format.
- We provided families forcibly displaced from Artsakh with household and hygiene items, such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, dish and laundry soap, sponges, toilet paper, napkins, female sanitary supplies, diapers, food and baby food. In addition, we also distributed kitchen appliances, dishes, small radios, socks, underwear and clothing for children and adults. In total, more than 2,500 families received support from us thanks to your generous donations.
- Sponsored Veske Dzerker (Վըսկէ ձեռքեր) craft event put together by and for the women of Artsakh.
- Humanitarian assistance and development projects in post-war Artsakh prior to September 2023 exodus.
- Renovation of the Khndzoresk School Auditorium
- Initiative to Document and Research Financial, Personal and Property Losses of the Armenian Population of Artsakh during the 2020 Artsakh War.
- 130 space heaters to Artsakh families, school and kindergarten rooms during the gas blockade by Azerbaijan in the sprint of 2022.
- Medical and humanitarian supplies to Artsakh and Armenia.
- Financial assistance to 200 Artsakh refugee families.
- Christmas gifts to 1500 Artsakh refugee children.
- Building 2 bomb shelters for civilians in Tavush Province of Armenia with the Pahapan Foundation.
- Renovation of 7 school bathrooms in Khdzoresk, Armenia with the Paros Foundation.
- Planting a forest with Armenia Tree Project in Talin, Armenia.
- Supporting the Artsakh Ballet College with 300 ballet costumes, leotards, tights, and hundreds of dance shoes.
- Supporting women’s group initiatives across Armenia.
- Providing medical eye care screenings, eye surgeries, and eyewear to two villages of Karashen and Khndzoresk, Armenia with Armenian Eye Care Project.
- Building and providing bath and kitchen portable unit for one Artsakh border post.
- Providing hundreds of military grade medical kits for Artsakh border posts.
- Providing hundreds of solar power banks for Artsakh border posts.
- Organizing, collecting and sending handknit items to children of the rural population of Artsakh.
- Financial assistance to Baku Armenian refugees residing in Artsakh and Armenia.
- Financial assistance to Artsakh refugees residing in Artsakh and Armenia.
- Providing an Armath Laboratory with 3D printers, computers, furniture and software to Stepanakert School #8.
- Art and school supplies, play costumes to Artsakh children in Shushi Kindergarten.
