PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
June 17, 2004

Contact at HFH Armenia: Contact at Heifer Armenia:
Zara Tonapetyan Anahit Ghazanchyan
Aygestan 8-th str, h 5, apt.9, Amiryan str. 22
Yerevan-070, Armenia Yerevan 375002, Armenia
Tel: (374 1) 556-114 Tel: (374 1) 53 30 78
e-mail: zara@hfharmenia.org e-mail: Anahit@hpi.am

June 2, 2004 – Yerevan Armenia — Habitat for Humanity Armenia
beneficiaries will receive not only shelter, but animals, thanks to
a new partnership with Heifer Armenia.

On June 2, 2004 a partnership agreement was signed between Habitat
for Humanity Armenia and Heifer Armenia. Within the scope of the
collaboration, over the next five years, 100 Habitat for Humanity
Armenia families will receive an agricultural input and trainings
to support income generation and to enhance self-sustainability. In
the future, HFH Armenia hopes to see its rural partner families as
developed small-scale farm owners.

Under the agreement, each partner family will receive one heifer
and 10 laying crested hens and fodder for start up period, 50.000
Californian worms and barley and alfalfa seeds, as well as appropriate
trainings in agriculture and agribusiness. Then HFH rural family will
be obliged to pass on its animal’s offspring to another family from
the local community in a 3-year period. This aspect is in keeping
with the missions of Habitat for Humanity and Heifer International.

“This is the example when two charitable organizations with
complementary missions come together and create sustainable and
self-reliant communities” – says Ashot Yeghiazaryan, the Executive
Director for Habitat for Humanity Armenia.

Habitat for Humanity International and Heifer International are
considered to be sister organizations worldwide as both are struggling
against poverty, and providing needy families with the resources to
lead healthy and dignified lives. The motto of both organizations
could be summed up as, “helping people in need to help themselves”.

Heifer International helps resource-poor families become self-reliant
by providing them with food-and income-producing animals and
training. Since 1944, Heifer International has helped more than 4
million families in 116 countries.

The Heifer International program in Armenia started in November
1999 and since has assisted 840 families to build their own family
farms and 299 families have already benefited from passing on the
gifts practices. In Armenia Heifer has placed cows, goats, sheep,
beehives, rabbits, chickens, fish, turkeys, buffalos, bull calves,
Californian worms, potato seeds, alfalfa and wheat seeds. Since 1999,
Heifer Armenia has invested $903,192 into sustainable development in
Armenia and the South Caucasus as a whole.

Habitat for Humanity Armenia is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity
International and supports community development in the Republic of
Armenia by assisting in the construction and renovation of simple,
decent and affordable homes. The purpose of the organization is to help
families in need improve their living conditions, to raise funds to
support the vital work, and to give hope to thousands of people across
the country. The organization was formed in March of 2000 and, to date,
has dedicated 82 homes and given shelter to more than 400 people.

Habitat for Humanity Armenia has found a way to solve the housing
problem in Armenia. Families, with two or three wage earners, pay
back a no-interest loan for a simple, decent, affordable, and healthy
home, and are still able to feed their families. Habitat for Humanity
Armenia is using a combination of two approaches to help Habitat
families solve their housing problems:

1) Completing half-built homes, which are numerous in Armenia. This
approach enables families to fulfill their dream of completing their
own home. Utilizing existing core structure reduces costs and prevents
the disruption of relocation.

2) Purchasing apartments to make use of Armenia’s existing
under-utilized housing stock. Purchased homes are resold at no-profit,
interest-free, to Habitat families who renovate their apartments and
help in the construction of other families’ homes.

For more information please email Zara Tonapetyan, Communication
Coordinator for Habitat for Humanity Armenia zara@hfharmenia.org.
See for more information.

Founded in 1976, Habitat for Humanity International is a
non-denominational Christian, non-governmental, non-profit housing
organization that has helped more than 700,000 people of all races,
religions and backgrounds to have a simple, decent and affordable
place to live. Habitat for Humanity has built or renovated more
than 150,000 homes throughout the world, becoming a global leader
in addressing poverty housing. Habitat for Humanity is active in 92
countries worldwide, including 18 in Europe and Central Asia.

THE END