2. To support the implementation of the Psycho-Social Services in Arabkir JMC&ICAH by applying a holistic approach of pediatric care with the children and their families.

The hospital psychosocial team members provide counseling and therapy to the children and families facing difficult challenges with overcoming or coping with an illness and moving to a new environment. Often these children and their care provider, usually the mother, lack the connection with their family (especially true when the child comes from a remote region of Armenia), who provide the much needed emotional support. It is not uncommon for the mother in this case to leave her job, other children in the family, etc. to be able to care for her sick child. All off these combined with the child’s health issues can create isolation and lead to depression. When the illness of the child prolongs the family can fall apart.

DAA supports the hospital psychosocial team so that they can provide the following services:

• Individual counseling of the children, parents and hospital school teachers
• Psychological services (counseling and therapy) for the people with psychological
      difficulties
• Social services and counseling for the parents of the chronically ill children
• Organization of self-help groups for the patients’ parents

DAA support the psychosocial team through the organization of training courses by foreign experts and by making possible their participation in the professional trainings, workshops, discussions and roundtables.

3. To offer accommodation and care for the underprivileged whose children require treatment at Arabkir JMC&ICAH and Haematology hospital. Many families on treatment from regions can not afford any type of accommodation in Yerevan and the Patient Family House (PFH) est. January 2000 provides housing for them while the child is on treatment.

Patient Family House was established in 2000 based on the model of Ronald McDonald House in the UK.  The accommodation is provided to the sick child on treatment and one care provider, usually the mother. The PFH hosts patients from all the departments of “Arabkir” JMC&ICAH and pediatric department of Haematology Hospital, based on the need.

In its full capacity PFH can simultaneously accommodate 18 families in 9 cozy bedrooms with the necessary furnishing, bed linen and blankets.

The facilities available free of charge to the parents in the PFH are:

• 5 bathrooms/toilets with cold and hot water and shower available
• a comfortably furnished sitting room equipped with TV and library, where one can have rest, the children play different games, etc. That is the community center
• a kitchen equipped with a fridge, gas and electric stoves, cold and hot water
• a laundry situated in one of the bathrooms and equipped with a washing machine, drying and ironing facilities
• a reception room, where DAA hospitable staff admits the inhabitants of the house and serves their needs connected with the accommodation in PFH

Just behind the PFH building there is a beautiful, cozy garden, where the inhabitants can

spend their free time among the colored flowers and trees, especially in hot summer.

Upon request or need, DAA hospital teachers organize individual classes with the patients
in the PFH, according to the state school curriculum.

JOE FROM SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

Joe initially arrived in Armenia in 2006 as a member of the Armenian Volunteer Corps and has been with a returning volunteer with us since then working with our psycho-social team, teaching English, running training programs and assisting our organization in various ways each time he returns to do more volunteer work, with his most recent stay in 2012.

Additionally Joe has worked on other projects such as helping establish a hospitality training school in Gyumri, working at children’s summer camps and running training programs in business skills and online e-commerce in addition to numerous one off projects with other organizations and businesses requiring assistance with their operations.

Joe brought with him openness in accepting people as they were; while at the same time discerning the diamonds from the rough with his work priorities and the people he was dealing with.  These qualities have resulted in Joe not only being a volunteer with us, but rather becoming a part of the DAA family and one of our friends. Although Joe will be leaving us at the end of June 2012, we look forward to his return in the future.

One of his special fields of interest was at the Children’s Haematology Hospital where he has been involved in helping the patients as a counselor, working with the playroom teachers and fund raising for the children’s hospital for renovation work.  The first renovation to take place was the children’s play room and the following was the dilapidated kitchen.

Although Joe will be leaving us in June 2012, he will be continuing his work with us as our representative overseas. We wish him all the luck and encourage you to get in touch with Joe if you would like any further information or can help him help the children.

VIRGINIA MUKHTARYAN, HOUSTON, TEXAS, USA

Virginia has arrived to Armenia in September of 2007 as a volunteer through Armenian Volunteer Corp and started working with us since
than.

Her mission with us was helping the school teachers of both hospitals, Haemotology Hospital, and “Arabkir” Joint Medical Centre, as well
teaching English twice a week.

Virginia has graduated Medical Institute of Yerevan in 1978. Helped with her community in Houston, still was not enough, she decided to
come to the Armenia and help the needy.

Virginia is a very polite and good hearted person, which she provided not only with for volunteer work but also by her becoming a
member of DAA family and one of our best friends.

We will miss her a lot, when she returns to the USA. We are also hopeful that she will come back and work with us for a longer period of
time.

We wish her good health and good luck.

We run the pediatric Hospital Schools and play rooms at both the Arabkir JMC&ICAH and the Pediatric Department of the Haematology Hospital in Yerevan.

Psychologists and Social Workers are also located at both centers throughout the week.

The Patient Family House is located behind Arabkir JMC&ICAH. However we accommodate families from Haematology Hospital on as needed basis.