FEMALE EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM
The Female Empowerment Program was established in March 2015 to identify young females in Armenia’s orphanages who are at high risk for gender-based violence, prevent unintended pregnancy and transmission of sexual diseases, unemployment, prostitution, and human trafficking. Through a rigorous virtual curriculum, the Program strives to improve the girls’ social, health, and economic resources so that they can stay in school longer, avoid early marriage, delay sexual activity, and prevent unintended pregnancy and transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. The long-term goal of the Program is to empower a generation of young Armenian women to be leaders in their lives, schools, and communities.
Program Updates
Regular virtual sessions are held by chapter board members with the young ladies at the SOAR Transitional Centers and at Our Lady of Armenia Annie Bezikian Center.
2024
The Women’s Empowerment retreat, organized by Inessa Shahinyan, SOAR Las Vegas board member, took place from September 14-15 at Aghveran Park Resort and brought together girls from Yerevan & Gyumri TCs, and Kanaker.
The girls had a wonderful time getting to know each other, making new friends, and enjoying the swimming pool, playing table tennis or just hanging out with each other. In the evening, Inessa led a fun online meeting where they created Vision Boards to express their dreams and goals.
We had a total of 30 participants: 4 from Yerevan TC, 4 from Gyumri TC, and 18 from Kanaker, along with Sister Arpine and our SOAR staff—Shushan Aleksanyan, Narine Zhamkochyan, and Ovsanna Mananyan.
Overall, the retreat was a great success! The girls really enjoyed themselves, and we had a brief meeting before leaving to discuss our upcoming plans together.
SOAR Las Vegas board member, Inessa Shahinyan, will hold six sessions with the residents of the SOAR Transitional Centers in Gyumri and Yerevan over the course of 12 weeks.
Three, two-day sessions of the “Female Empowerment Program” training organized by SOAR Armenia Foundation with financial support from the Calouste-Gulbenkian Foundation. Unhealthy relationships, gender roles and gender-based violence, as well as reproductive health were discussed, test works and games were organized for the training. During all 3 sessions Marina Melkumova, Doctor, Adolescent Health Program Coordinator at Arabkir JMC-Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, had speeches for the girls. The sessions were animated by SOAR members-volunteers Zhanna Gevorgyan and Armine Harutyunyan.
Sessions took place in Tsaghkadzor, Gyumri, and in Yerevan.
A session of the SOAR Female Empowerment Program run by Vardashen Boarding school. The training is conducted by the facility doctor, Dr. Teteyan.
The program was developed by SOAR Berlin.
The second session of the Female Empowerment Program with Vanadzor orphanage girls. (14 years and above) 6 girls in a group. The training module has been developed by the SOAR Berlin Chapter Team and locally conducted by SOAR Vanadzor chapter member Ani Gabrielyan, who is a social worker by profession.
