An Exemplary Donation by late Armenian-Australian couple to the ARS Health Center in Akhourian

By ARS Central Executive | Thursday, 05 July 2018

The late Mr. and Mrs. Harutiun and Dzovinar Mateossian, who generously donated to the ARS.

The late Mr. and Mrs. Harutiun and Dzovinar Mateossian, who generously donated to the ARS.

The Central Executive Board of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) is pleased to announce a generous contribution of 200,000 Australian dollars ($153,000 US dollars) received from the late Mr. and Mrs. Harutiun and Dzovinar Mateossian’s will. The Mateossians’ faithful support of the ARS’s past and present programs never wavered until their passing in 2017, and the couple’s bequeathing the above amount to the Armenian Relief Society in their will is a testament of their lifelong trust in its humanitarian mission.

“The decision to dedicate such a large sum to the ARS Mother and Child Health and Birthing Center illustrates the donors’ exemplary dedication to the community and homeland,” ARS Australia’s Chairperson Nora Sevagian said.

Both Sevagian and ARS, Inc. Chairperson Caroline Chamavonian expressed their gratitude for this generous grant.

“It is through the unwavering financial support of donors such as the Mateossians, that our organization is able to succeed and fulfill its mission,” Chamavonian said.

The ARS Mother & Child Health and Birthing Center in Akhourian.

The ARS Mother and Child Health and Birthing Center in Akhourian.

In 1997, the Akhourian site was chosen by the ARS, to build this Ministry of Health-licensed, non-profit health center, operating entirely with the financial support of the ARS. At its inception, the health center was meant to serve a population of some 22,000, living in the Akhourian Region’s six adjacent villages. Today, after eight years of continuous service, the center has expanded its reach to over 150,000 patients, covering a large area of the Shirak Province.

The center is staffed with medical experts and support personnel and operates with modern equipment, including sonography and mammography units, microsurgery tower, and provides gynecological, pediatric pre- and post-natal care, all free of charge to the residents of the region.

The interior of the ARS Mother and Child Health and Birthing Center in Akhourian.

The interior of the ARS Mother and Child Health and Birthing Center in Akhourian.

With the addition of the birthing center wing in 2005, the survival rate of both mothers and new-born infants has improved considerably, bringing the effective care of women’s and infants’ health in the region to full cycle. Earlier this month, the center welcomed Baby Karekine, its 15,000th newborn child. In 2005, the staunch supporters sponsored the surgical ward at the center.

The interior of the ARS Mother and Child Health and Birthing Center in Akhourian.

The interior of the ARS Mother and Child Health and Birthing Center in Akhourian.

Cognizant of these achievements in Akhurian, ARS member Ishkhanuhi Simonian, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of her wedding, donated 30,000 Australian dollars to the ARS. Half of this donation will be allotted to the ARS Mother and Child Center, where the ARS has established a special fund offering a gift of $150 US dollars to each family blessed with its second girl child delivered at the center. Community members who would like to “Sponsor a Daughter” at the birthing center can make contributions on the ARS’s website.

The exterior of the ARS Mother and Child Health and Birthing Center in Akhourian.

The exterior of the ARS Mother and Child Health and Birthing Center in Akhourian.

Established in 1910, the ARS operates in 27 countries, serving the humanitarian needs of Armenians and non-Armenians alike. Through its avowed mission and numerous philanthropic projects, the organization has empowered women to make an impact on their communities and has promoted education, health and humanitarian aid.

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