For Immediate Release
February 7, 2011

HAYASTAN ALL-ARMENIAN FUND REBUILDS POTABLE-WATER SYSTEM OF NORAGYUGH, ARTSAKH’S ASKERAN REGION

NEW YORK, New York — Thanks to a major infrastructure project implemented by the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, the residents of Noragyugh, a village in Artsakh’s Askeran Region, now have access to regular drinking-water service. The critically needed initiative, which has already breathed new life into the community, is co-financed by the Fund’s French affiliate and Armenian entrepreneurs in Russia.

To date, the Fund has rebuilt a five-kilometer-long pipeline and constructed a distribution network, connecting all Noragyugh households to the grid and providing them with a regular supply of potable water. Currently, construction crews are working on the last leg of the project, the rebuilding of three reservoirs as well as a deep-water well. According to the chief engineer, water volume will significantly increase once these improvements are completed.

For many years, Noragyugh’s pipeline was in a state of disrepair, with corroded pipes causing extensive water loss. The village received water once every two days, and only for two hours at a time. “We have long waited for the day when water would flow into our homes,” says Mayor Edik Mardyan, reflecting a sentiment shared by all residents.

“Throughout 2011, thousands of our donors will have the opportunity to see how their contributions help turn the slogan ‘Water Is Life’ into reality,” says Ara Vardanyan, executive director of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund. “Noragyugh is the latest example of this vital process.”

“The fact that there can be no life without water is even more pronounced in a village, where water is also a prerequisite for economic development,” says Bedros Terzian, chairman of the Fund’s French affiliate.

Established in 1966, Noragyugh is Askeran’s largest community, with a population of 1,510. Farming is the main occupation. The village has a modern school and a medical clinic as well as well-built roads. Today, in light of the fact that the water issue has been resolved, residents believe that their community is poised for considerable economic growth in the years ahead.

ABOUT ARMENIA FUND USA: founded in 1992, was one of the first of “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund’s 20 international affiliates and serves constituents in all states east of the Mississippi. As a non-profit, non-governmental, nonsectarian organization, the Fund represents all Armenian constituents, supporting strategic infrastructure projects in Armenia and Karabakh. The Fund has adopted a policy to go “Beyond Bricks and Mortar” to provide sustainability for projects it sponsors.

To learn more about Armenia Fund USA, please visit our website at
www.ArmeniaFundUSA.org or call us at 212-689-5307.