Monday, 18 December 2006
Today Armenia's Social Investment Fund (ASIF) Board of Trustees has met, presided at by Board Chairman, Republic of Armenia Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan.
The Board has heard the report delivered by Fund Executive Director Ashot Kirakosyan on the completion of the 2nd program and the status of the 3rd program, as well as discussed other issues of current interest. It was reported that the ASIF-2 program started in November, 2000. Apart from a loan equivalent of USD 20 million, resources had been available from the Government of Armenia, communities, under grants received from the British International Development Agency, as well as funds received as co-financing. The Executive Office of the Fund has received from rural and city communities over 1200 proposals under the program which were examined in accordance with the ASIF procedure. According to the Executive Director, 333 programs to an aggregate amount of USD 22,24 million had been carried out as a whole. A significant part of these programs related to general schools (60%), others - to drinking water lines (19%), specialized schools (6%), communal centers (5%) and public health service facilities (4%). The Fund has financed the equipment of 620 schools with 35 thousand school desks. Under the infrastructure rehabilitation component of the program, the Fund actively cooperated with a number of local and international donor organizations (Aznavour-Armenia, IFAD, UNHCR, Hayastan and Tufenkian Foundations, the AGBU (Switzerland), individual philanthropists. 58 joint programs have been carried out to a total sum of USD 2,1 million. In the period under review, considerable amount of assistance was extended to local communities. To this end, local and international charitable organizations, as well as individual philanthropists have donated nearly USD 1.43 million. Besides, account taken of the lack of steady traditions and appropriate management skills in the newborn local self-government institutions of Armenia, a training component had been envisaged under the ASIF-2 to strengthen capacity in local self-government institutions and community organizations. It was noted that 3 independent surveys of public opinion carried out during Fund activities testified the effectiveness of ASIF activity
