Category: Armenia

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Sara Citak-Demir states:

“Giving to the less fortunate and to worthy causes is a task learned early on in life” says. My husband and I want to make sure our daughter Anjelina grows up with good ethics, values and the heart of a benefactor."

photo: RMF Benefactor, 7-months old Anjelina "Pegruhi" Demir

While here in Armenia, I have been visiting and spending lots of time with RMF’s project beneficiaries and the communities at large in the villages we work in.  A few weeks ago as I was visiting the village of “Medzen Ayrum” in the…

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Photo: Dr. Martina C. Fuchs, RMF Founder/CEO, making new friends at the Lwala, Kenya Community Hospital, October 1, 2011

We are so grateful to all our friends, supporters and teams around the world and wish everyone a fantastic 2012!

Having wrapped up another successful  we want to pause and say a huge THANK YOU to all of you who supported our work in 2011.  You have helped us achieve so much, and we give our deep thanks to everyone for your generosity and support!

In 2011 we..

In Japan, post-earthquake and…

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October 21st 2011, I had the privilege of going undercover as a waitress at the highly publicized and anticipated Dionicess IX, a culinary extravaganza which has been appearing on the LA scene for the past 3 years, with all proceeds benefitting charity.

Gev Kazanchyan,a member of the Real Medicine Advisory Board and creator of these events was introduced to Real Medicine 3 years ago through our Armenian Project Director, Nairy Ghazourian.  This introduction would lead to a series of pairings over the next 3 years benefitting our project in Shinuhayr, Armenia. From Dionicess II (which…

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Published on the Armenian Reporter

Los Angeles, CA – On Sunday March 20th, more than 30 Athletes for Real Medicine braved torrential rains and unseasonably cold temperatures to participate in the L.A. Marathon and raise $22,000 for Real Medicine Foundation, a non-profit organization providing humanitarian aid in disaster and poverty-stricken areas. Four of the marathon runners came from the Armenian community to raise funds specifically for Real Medicine Foundation’s programs in Armenia. Another seven Armenian runners joined “Team Armenia”, participating in Saturday’s Big 5K.

For the rest of this article follow the link to…

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photo: Nairy and some children in Armenia

Nairy Ghazourian, Country Director, Real Medicine Foundation – Armenia

Interviewed by Charles Case

I am in the home stretch of my training for the upcoming L.A. marathon’s Big 5K, and it is grueling. Training every other day, pushing myself to compete and succeed, feeling old injuries flare back up, I cannot help but ask myself, “Why am I running?”

The answer is clear: I am running to help the women and children in the small Armenian village of Shinuhayr.

The village of Shinuhayr is in…

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The Real Medicine Foundation’s (RMF) motto of “Friends Helping Friends” is given a new twist by Ossig Tertarian as she prepares to compete in the L.A. Marathon. For her, it’s a case of sons helping mothers in order to help friends in need.

photo: Ossig

A dance instructor of Armenian heritage, Ossig is just days away from the biggest run of her life, the 26.2 miles of the Los Angeles Marathon as part of RMF’s Athletes for Real Medicine–Team Armenia. Supporting RMF’s outreach in Armenia is “something dear to my heart,” says Ossig.…

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Armenia: A Little Boy From Svarants

January 27, 2011 - Armenia

By Arax Eleyjian

On December 20th at 3:00 am RMF-Armenia director, Nairy Ghazourian, received an emergency call from the RMF & ARS teams on the ground regarding an urgent matter involving a little boy who needed immediate care. Two year old Daniel Mkrtchyan spilled boiled milk on himself resulting in severe burns across his body.  He is the youngest of four children of a socially disadvantaged family.  Their only source of income is government financial aid in the amount of 40,000 Drams ($110 US dollars) per month.  The family appealed to RMF to help them pay…

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Last 3 days to give!

December 29, 2010

If you were considering donating to a worthy cause in 2010 and taking advantage of the tax benefits of charitable donations, now is your last chance to contribute!

As we look towards new efforts and projects in 2011 it is only through your generous funding that we will be able to continue our long term development projects in some of the poorest areas on this planet.

As you know, we have set the goal of raising $100,000 by December 31st, and would greatly appreciate if you consider Real Medicine for your year-end donation.

In the spirit of Real Medicine…

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RMF Armenia Fundraiser: Play to Give

December 14, 2010 - Armenia

Real Medicine Foundation invites you to This Holiday Season Do A Great Deed & Feed Those in Need!

Link to Play to Give Fundraiser website: http://www.playtogive.com/event-home.cfm?event_id=63

In the spirit of Christmas, feed the 159 indigent families in Shinuhayr, Armenia

Starts: 12/10/2010 PT Ends: 12/31/2010 11:59 PM PT (Ends in 17 days)

Minimum Contribution to Play: $10.00

The Need: This year, in the spirit of Christmas we will provide the 159 indigent families in Shinuhayr with enough food to sustain them throughout the harsh winter…

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How We Live: Life on the Margins in Armenia

November 16, 2010 - Armenia

by Sara Anjargolian

In honor of our Healthcare project in Armenia, Nairy Ghazourian, the Country Director for RMF Armenia, forwarded this documentary filmed by a friend, Sara Anjargolian, about poverty and development issues today in Armenia.

Link to Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtLDr_ScNms

Ani, 12, and her father Senik. The lack of heating during the winter caused Ani to contract a serious respiratory illness.

The documentary How We Live documents the face of poverty in the former Soviet Republic of Armenia as told through the personal stories of families living along the margins. The lives depicted show families prevailing against inhuman…

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On September 21, 1991 the Republic of Armenia became free from the Soviet Union. A country with its rich history celebrates 19 years of independence. “The president Serge  Sarkisian as well as the Armenian Republic’s leadership along with thousands of citizens visited the military pantheon Yerablur and laid flowers and wreaths at the memorials of Artsakh’s heroes” (http://www.yerevanreport.com/40331/republic-armenia-celebrated-independence-day). During these times of commemoration many people of Armenia celebrate their freedom by joining together at the Republic Square; which is located in the city of Yerevan. At the square people rejoice by having musical guests…

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Much to the delight of big hearted beer geeks across Los Angeles, June 27th was Dionicess VI. A generous pairing event featuring beers from the Firestone Brewing Company and sausages and fries from Tony’s Darts Away, with all proceeds supporting the Real Medicine Foundation in Armenia.

Led by Gev Kazanchyan, writer, professor, beer and wine philanthropist, and co-hosted by Firestone Walker representative and Certified Cicerone™ Jace Milstead and certified beer judge, food author and chef Randy Clemens, Dionicess VI was the most successful event in the Dionicess series to…

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by Nairy Ghazourian RMF Country Director, Armenia

During the month of April, RMF and ARS staff performed assessments in Shinuhayr’s surrounding villages, all of them with little access to health care, and investigated the shortfalls of medicines in the region. Throughout the month, medicines were purchased and distributed to 58 beneficiaries in selected villages, 16 of them children. Close to 22% received some type of antibiotic; 25% received heart/diabetic medications and the rest ranged from analgesics to anti-depressants, vitamins, antipyretics and others.

In addition to the medical services it provides, the Shinuhyr ambulatory is…

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Dear Friends in LA,

If you have ever wanted a chance to meet the Real Medicine team and learn more about the cause, June 27th provides the perfect opportunity to support our work and find out more about how you can get involved all over a few casual beers, sausages, and dart games.

"On June 27th, Tony’s Darts Away will be the center of LA’s Beer Geekdom when Beer Maven Gev Kazanchyan hosts the sixth iteration of Dionicess, a beer and food night that will feature some superb beers from Firestone Walker…

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Sunday, June 27, 2010 – 01:00 PM

Tony’s Darts Away 1710 W Magnolia Blvd Burbank CA 91506 USA

$35 per person, all inclusive Purchase Tickets

ALL Proceeds Benefit the Real Medicine: Armenia Dionicess VI – Beer, Sausage & Fries Pairing Benefiting RMF Armenia All funds yielded from this event will directly support Real Medicine Foundation’s Primary Healthcare Project in an Armenian village, providing free healthcare services to a population in need. ANY additional contributions are embraced.

Even though there have been some notable economic improvements in Armenia, the country is still…

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April 1, 2010 | Shirley Jahad | KPCC

Poverty in Armenia has been on the rise in recent years. A report from the World Bank last year says 28 percent of the people in Armenia live below the poverty level. Southland photographer Sara Anjargolian spent several weeks on the outskirts of the capital city Yerevan documenting the lives of those families living in the shadows and rarely seen. Her photos are compiled in her new book, “How We Live: Life on the Margins in Armenia.” The images are on display at Casitas Studios in…

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"Are these photographs going to make a difference in our lives?” asked Haykush Karapetyan, 50, when I photographed her this past July in Armenia. I met fifteen families like Haykush’s while documenting, on behalf of the Tufenkian Foundation, families living in extreme poverty. I could have met hundreds of thousands more.

Today, devastating numbers of people living along society’s margins in Armenia regularly live off garbage dumps, children battle malnutrition, alcoholism and domestic violence are commonplace, and families sleep in barns and tin shacks. According to the World Bank, this is how at least…

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Dear RMF Team and Friends, These are the final days leading up to our Photography Event Journey to Armenia on June 12, 2009 benefiting our new project in Armenia

So far we have been receiveing a great response from the community: 12 photographs have already been sold, and we keep getting confirmations from dignitaries and stakeholders planning to attend.

In the past few weeks we have also received some notable media attention:

Burbank Leader

Glendale News Press

Asbarez

We are committed to making sure that the…

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Journey to Armenia Sponsorship Levels are now available here.

Log on and find out about how you can help support our efforts in Armenia.

For more information about our work in Armenia, please visit our Primary Care Clinic Page.

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A Journey to Armenia Friday, June 12, 2009 at the A&I Photography Gallery

Get your tickets early: http://www.itsmyseat.com/RMF.html

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Primary Care Clinic Armenia

March 19, 2009 - Armenia

Check out Nairy’s update on Real Medicine’s Primary Care project in Armenia: http://realmedicinefoundation.org/our-work/countries/armenia/

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