The Country of Armenia

Armenia is a landlocked country that is located in Western Asia.  It is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan and the defacto Republic of Artsakh (the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) to the east, and Iran to the south. When it became an officially recognized independent nation in 1991 after the Soviet Union ceased to exist, Armenia experienced severe economic difficulties.  Azerbaijan initiated a railway and air blockade, which effectively crippled Armenia's economy as 85% of its goods arrived through the rail system. In 1993, Turkey joined the blockade against Armenia in support of Azerbaijan, further harming Armenia’s tenuous economy.

Since its independence in 1991, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at odds over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabak.  In 1994 a ceasefire was finally established but an estimated 30,000 people were killed and over a million had been displaced. Consequently, family life changed due to the social, economic and political changes that occurred in the early 1990s. Children in Armenia were, and unfortunately remain, more vulnerable to the ramifications of poverty than any other age or social group, resulting in increasing numbers of orphans, institutionalized children, and children living on the streets.

In September of 2020, the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan reignited over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.  As a result of this conflict, hundreds and hundreds of people have died and more orphaned children will be in need of our donations.

Armenia is a representative parliamentary democratic republic.  According to its current Constitution, the President is the head of state holding largely representational functions, and the Prime Minister is the head of government exercising executive power. The National Assembly holds legislative authority.