On November 12, the USAID-funded Small Scale Infrastructure Program, implemented by Cooperative Housing Foundation International and Shen NGO, marked the completion of renovation works at the Sevkar community kindergarten in Tavush province, now allowing 100 children of the community to get proper preschool education in the village.

The ceremony was attended by Governor of Tavush Armen Ghularyan, USAID/Armenia Economic Growth Office Director Conan Peisen, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia Dafina Gercheva, World Vision Armenia National Director Graham Strong, Mayor of Sevkar Vladimir Margaryan, and representatives of USAID, CHF, Shen NGO and the local community, USAID statement reads.

The project is one of the eleven projects USAID has committed to implement in Tavush Marz as part of forty-eight priority water and gas systems, sport halls and kindergartens across Armenia that will be renovated with partners CHF and Shen this year. “In Tavush, we will also provide water in Kirants, Verin Karmiraghbyur, Chinari, Choratan, and Artsvaberd and reconstruct external lighting system in Berdavan,” Peisen noted at the opening ceremony.

As part of other ongoing USG investments in Sevkar, the MCA-Armenia program is building a tertiary canal and has a farmer demonstration site where ninety farmers have been trained in improved irrigation and farming practices. In Tavush, MCA-Armenia is also rehabilitating tertiary canals in seven communities, two pumping stations in Achajur and one in Noyemberyan