The Full Life NGO’s Inclusive Summer Camp’s End of Camp Celebration on August 25th was a very special celebration for many reasons. First, and most important of all, over 150 disabled and disadvantaged children had a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a week of fun healthy outdoor activities, camp fires, and great meals in a beautiful forest location due to generous donation by U.S. Embassy USG Alumni Outreach Grant Program, the Jinishian Memorial Foundation, and German Red Cross. Another reason is that when the campers arrived at this year they found brand new camp facilities that had been completely renovated by a generous grant from VTB-Armenia Bank. But most of all, the campers and staff attending the third session of camp were treated to an opportunity to meet their favorite Armenian show-business representatives, actress, and broadcasters. The celebrities attending the celebration included Nazeni Hovhannisyan; singer Erik Karapetyan; singer Sofi Mkheyan,author of Lyrics, Radio, TV broadcaster Avet Barseghyan; humorists and actors Ando and Rafo; and Yury Gusev,General Director-Chairman of the Directorate of VTB-Armenia Bank.
The Armenian show-business stars talked to the children, learned about their everyday life and conditions, and they gave the children many presents. The children loved the presents and having their picture taken with their favorite celebrities. The event ended with the children performing songs and mini shows that portrayed their the celebrities’ in action and gave their own special thank you to the camp staff for the love and fun they experienced at camp and to VTB-Armenia Bank for the new facilities.
Radio, TV, and print media were well represented at the event and captured the following statements from the staff and celebrities attending the event.
Yury Gusev,General Director-Chairman of the Directorate of VTB-Armenia Bank: ’Helping children is a matter of everyday life, but financial aid is not the only necessity for the children with limited capacity. They also need psychological support and simple human treatment. We hope that the children had a nice summer holiday and now they are ready for the school session with new efforts and enthusiasm.”
‘’Full Life” NGO Director Suren Maghaqyan ’’Due to the work done in the former ‘’Elen’’rest house by VTB-Armenia Bank more and more children will be able to spend their holiday in the camp. We are thankful to all the guests who made these children’s wishes come true and that is they found the time to come and interact with them.”
Important Facts about the Full Life Inclusive Summer Camp
This was the 4-th year that ‘’Full Life NGO has been able to provide an inclusive camps for disabled and socially disadvantaged children. Our 2013 Inclusive Summer Camp 2013 provided three, week long sessions between August 4th and the 25th. Over 150 campers from different cities of Armenia attended our 2013 Inclusive camp. Approximately 2/3 of this year’s campers were disabled and 1/3 were from socially vulnerable families.
In 2012 VTB-Armenia Bank donated the 450 sq.m camp and five recreational cottages to ‘Full Life NGO thereby giving Full Life a permanent base of operation to provide an annual summer camp experience for children with special needs. With this step VTB-Armenia Bank confirmed they are faithful to their slogan “A World without Obstacles’’ and that they are a socially responsible business that provides significant benefits to the public welfare of Armenia.
The financial supporters of ‘’Inclusive Summer Camp 2013’’ are the U.S. Embassy USG Alumni Outreach Grant Program, the Jinishian Memorial Foundation, and the regional organizations of German Red Cross in Armenia Baden –Vürtemberg that provided food, necessary supplies, and payments for educators.
During the camp the children enjoyed leisure activities while learning practical skills; playing various outdoor games; and watching educational films. They learned first aid skills and how to respond to emergency situations. They also learned to play ‘’boccia’’game; enjoyed activities lead by American Peace Corps and local youth volunteers that taught healthy life styles; and participated in art –therapy that included drawing, music, wood engraving, and pottery. Camp counselors used the ‘’Alphabet of Rights’’ program to inform the children about their rights. Father Vram Ghazaryan the spiritual pastor of the Armenian Apostolic Church led a conversation with the children on the theme of Christian upbringing.