National and International Recognition
From community members a street over to international experts across the globe, Syunik NGO has received high praise for its unfailingly transparent and efficient operation.
The April War of 2016 that broke out on the Nagorno-Karabakh line of contact was not ignored by the Armenian diaspora: Funding poured in from various organizations and individuals in support of Syunik-Development NGO and other local change makers to help the communities, and especially young people, impacted by the conflict. From August 1st to 11th of 2016, Syunik NGO carried out a Rehabilitation Summer Camp for 80 teenagers ages 14-16 years old living in the neighboring border villages of the Vayots Dzor Region and in Artsakh. The Rehabilitation Camp aimed to help vulnerable youth living in conflict areas overcome psychological challenges while at the same time providing them with engaging and empowering summer activities. The camp was hosted by Syunik-Development NGO and funded jointly through the German organization Bröt für die Welt and the Armenian Diaspora in Canada, specifically initated by the head of the Armenian Diocese Bishop Abgar Hovakimyan. In gratitude of the Camp’s goals and successes, the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church wrote the Camp’s offical greeting letter and presented Syunik-Development NGO with a special award for their efforts in supporting local youth in need.
The Ministry of Defense of the Armenian Republic recognized and awarded Syunik NGO for the initative’s positive impact on Armenian communites close to the border.
PUM – Programma Uitzending Managers (in Dutch)
As a senior PUM expert, Mr. Frans Heldens from the Netherlands visits Syunik NGO twice a year to provide consultancy to our staff members who are involved in the Rural Development Project (RDP). During his visits in Armenia, Mr. Heldens went on several field visits to learn about our activities and projects. In 2011 he published a report on his visits at Syunik NGO.
In 2009, Interchurch Organization for Development Cooperation (ICCO) Netherlands published an article about Syunik NGO initiatives towards support of refugees and orphans. Professor Heribert Weiland published an article on relevance of Syunik NGO activities in 2005 in the regular journal “der überblick”. Professor Weiland was managing director of Arnold Bergstraesser Institute in Freiburg, which conducted research and policy advice to overseas countries. He accompanied the project work of EED in Armenia. In his article he stated “that Armenia is looking back to a long and often troublesome history, but Armenian identity prevailed, which was largely due to her Christian traditions with her own branch of Christianity and the Armenian written language with its own alphabet. Education therefore became instrumental in preserving Armenian identity. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, newly independent Armenia was confronted with ethnic conflicts and border disputes on top of economic crisis. During these times it was impossible to keep the high standards of the Armenian educational system. In this context the EED found a reliable partner in Syunik NGO in the South of Armenia to combat poverty and under development. This NGO, which emerged from the Armenian Apostolic Church diocese under the guidance of Bishop Abraham Mkrtchian put from the very beginning a strong emphasis on education. First the NGO offered computer and language courses via her social centres in the villages and later they began to work on the introduction of modern teaching methods and pedagogic concepts. The approach of Syunk NGO is to introduce teachers and other staff with modern interactive methods of teaching, which are more aiming to encourage and involve pupils. In the cooperation with the EED, the charismatic Bishop Abraham Mkrtchian is inspiring this reform process, which is not only looking at symptoms but at a profound transformation of Armenia’s educational system”.
Momik 2010 is awarded to Syunik-Development NGO for the most active organization in the region and for the best project of the year: “Establishing a Human Resources Network for Peace in south Caucasus”.
Certificate, Energy Globe National Award 2013, for an environmental project “Agent for Changes”.