ATP News

December 10, 2007

Continuing Partnership Between Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) and Armenia Tree Project (ATP) Benefits 2,907 Rural Families

ARMAVIR, Armenia --Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) is implementing a Participatory Rural Development Program in Armenia. With the fundamental purpose of reducing poverty by creating new income generating opportunities, COAF, Armenia Tree Project (ATP), and Armenian-American entrepreneur Bryan Bedrosian joined forces to reach out to 2,907 families in the Model Cluster of six villages in Armavir. Each of the families received two to seven apricot trees, depending on the size of their plots.

In partnership with COAF since 2005, ATP has realized tree planting in the Karakert School and Kindergartens in April 2006 and, more recently, in the Karakert Public Park. "Our partnership with a visionary organization such as Armenia Tree Project and our association with Bryan and Rosie Bedrosian--Armenian-American entrepreneurs and philanthropists from California--have culminated in the realization of such an important undertaking. We are thrilled to have such friends among our long-term partners and to share with them the vision of reducing poverty in rural Armenia," stated Arpie Balian, COAF-Armenia Country Director.

ATP Community Tree Planting Program Manager, Anahit Gharibyan, was very forthcoming in expressing her appreciation of the cooperation among all parties involved in this project, including all six local municipalities and COAF staff: "We are gratified with the smooth implementation of this tree distribution project. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with COAF and reaching other successful outcomes from our joint efforts."

The apricot tree nursery was initiated in 2004 by Bryan and Rosie Bedrosian, in Karakert, the first village where COAF launched its Participatory Rural Development Program. The Bedrosians aimed at providing high quality apricot trees to local farmers to help them become more competitive in regional and foreign markets. During the past three years, the nursery was under the professional care of local agricultural specialists supervised by the Karakert community. The magnanimous and visionary assistance by the Bedrosians made possible the distribution of 14,729 trees to 2,907 families.

On the day of distribution of the trees, COAF and ATP staff witnessed the enthusiasm of the beneficiary villagers. In the words of Zevs Minasyan, 60-year-old Shenik villager, the climatic peculiarities of the region and the agricultural potential of the land in this area will produce top-quality apricots making this distribution a worthwhile effort: "We are grateful to all those who contribute to the development of our villages and who consider this work their top priority. I am more than convinced that in five years' time my income will double with the harvest from these trees. Thank you very much for making me a part of this assistance project."

Bryan Bedrosian is ranch manager of Bedrosian Farms. Back in 1942, one of his grandfathers purchased a 100-acre grape farm in Fowler, California. Through hard work and frugality, the family was able to purchase more land in subsequent decades, also establishing the National Raisin Co. For over 10 years, Bryan and his wife Rosie have been involved in various consulting and philanthropic activities in Armenia and Karabagh. In 2004, in consultation and close cooperation with COAF and the Karakert Municipality, the Bedrosians established an apricot nursery in the village of Karakert, where COAF had launched its Participatory Rural Development Program. The project's aim was to grow apricot seedlings that would later become high quality apricot trees and provide local farmers with new opportunities to become more competitive in marketing their products.

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