Another family from Gyumri to have its own house thanks to VivaCell-MTS and Fuller Center for Housing Armenia

YEREVAN, September 12. /ARKA/. The volunteer groups from VivaCell-MTS and the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia yet again visited Gyumri with the same purpose – to change people's lives and mindsets through house building, the press office of the telecommunication company reported on Thursday. Partners are convinced that any support can contribute to the development of Gyumri. And the town will not be described as a “disaster zone” any longer.

Like many other families the Soghoyan-Tadevosyans lost their home during the 1988 earthquake. This was followed by long years of living in a metal container.

In 2012, the family managed to purchase a semi-constructed building but was unable to complete the construction works. After marriage, Christina, who lives in the metal container to this day, has gone through various hardships. Due to her husband’s serious health problems, the dream of home remained unfinished. The young woman has taken responsibility to get out of the situation to support her husband being treated abroad. Christina's initiative has been supported by

VivaCell-MTS and the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia, partners, who have a
successful experience in the field of house building.

“We are back in Gyumri to support this family striving for the ‘independence’ of its own. It is a symbolic event for in only 10 days we will be celebrating our country’s Independence Day. These two things may seem unrelated at first sight. That may be true, but this is a good occasion to celebrate while working on the construction of this house. This is particularly so, as the construction is taking place in Gyumri, where every family still deprived of a home bears the memories of the earthquake and the consequences of the devastations it caused. It is the high time to leave all the memories of the past hardships, face the problems, and try to solve them to grow stronger with every memorable day to move forward and to grow. The big success starts with small victories. We are here to share all these with you,” VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian said.

“To lose a home is really sad. Despite the health and financial problems the family has faced, they have not lost their hope and continue to believe that their children will grow up in a house with decent conditions. Volunteers’ participation in the construction works was a great help to the family. This year in Gyumri the housing problem of five families will be solved with the house building program,” said Fuller Center for Housing Armenia President Ashot Yeghiazaryan.

The construction of the long-awaited house will be finished by the end of the year. With the help of the volunteers, concreting works of the floors have been completed.

VivaCell-MTS (K-Telecom CJSC), mobile telecommunication company, started operating in Armenia in 2005. The company’s activity embraces the entire territory of Armenia. Mobile Telesystems (MTS), the largest mobile telecommunication operator in Russia and the CIS, holds 80% of the company’s shares, and the remaining 20% belong to Lebanese Fattouch Group. -0---