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The Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) NGO, which is committed to improving the lives of children in rural Armenia, has announced a commitment to establish SMART centers in 1000 village communities in Armenia, the COAF Founder and initiator of the project Dr. Garo Armen told reporters on the sidelines of the 6th Pan-Armenian Armenia-Diaspora conference underway in Yerevan.

To note, SMART centers serve as epicenters for knowledge exchange to invigorate promising, yet under-supported, areas of Armenia. The SMART centers will feature both tailored new offerings as well as proven highly effective programs implemented by COAF over the last decade, including digital libraries, multi-sensory programs for disabled youth, entrepreneurship training, civic engagement, apprenticeships, health education screenings, and environmental and economic programs.

The COAF SMART centers are designed to operate as self-sustaining camps, creating a network of empowered Armenian citizens that can work together to improve their own communities from an economic and social standpoint.

“Children in Armenian villages children show high capabilities, yet the lack of resources often does not allow to utilize their potential,” Dr. Garo Armen said, adding since the first establishment of a center in Armenia’s Lori region 14 years ago, much work has been done and today the Foundation seeks to expand to 1000 village communities in Armenia.

“The Armenian people are hard-working, but that is not enough as we need to display prudence and expand to Armenian villages for the coming 10-15 years through such centers. Thus, we can bring salvation to the next generation of village communities,” said the founder of the Foundation.

According to his estimates, the establishment of 20 SMART centers will cost around 200 mln. USD. “There are rich Armenians who could contribute to save the Armenian villages. Apart from that, we plan to replicate education, health, social, economic development models throughout rural communities,” Garo Armen noted, expressing optimism over the initiative.