Approximately twenty years ago, our mission took us to the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).
Since then, AWWA has supported the Hanganak Elder Program and Clinic (Hanganak), which is led by Gohar Hovhannisyan, MD. Her team of nurses and social workers were providing medical care, food, fuel, and social support to more than 300 elders living alone in the Artsakh region until the events of September 2023.
The horrific human tragedy that unfolded there proved catastrophic to the staff and beneficiaries of Hanganak. In the chaos, many of the beneficiaries were forced to flee leaving everything behind.
Following these events, the Hanganak team traveled to Aghavnadzor, a village in Armenia sheltering many of the forcibly displaced people from Artsakh. In an emergency intervention, the team was able to help provide basic health care and social needs to many people there.
As of December 2023, the Hanganak team has been able to successfully locate almost all of the beneficiaries, many of whom are in Armenia. The team continues to evaluate ways in which to continue services to those in need as this situation evolves.
See more on the AWWA website