Ajakits – Gyumri

Ajakits /Helping Hands/ is a non-governmental benevolent organization which offers moral, psychological, legal, social and health services to residents of the city of Gyumri and to the entire region of Shirak.

Ajakits works primarily with women’s rights and domestic violence issues. A special hotline telephone number has been installed at Ajakits that can be called 24 hours a day to help consult and advise victims of domestic violence.  

Provided services are exclusive to women whose rights have been violated and / or withheld, to women and children who have been victims of Domestic Violence.

Ajakits has 8-years experience working with The Shirak Ministry of Health, the Gyumri Police Department, the Governor’s Office of Shirak, and the Mayor’s Office of Gyumri, as well as, several local hospitals in Gyumri. International PVO relationships exist between Ajakits and the U.S. Peace Corps, UMCOR, World Learning, Caritas, UNDP, ABA/CELLI, USAID, Save the Children and Crabgrass.

In March of 1997 Ajakits, which means Helping Hands in English, became a legally registered NGO in the Republic of Armenia. Prior to 1997 helping hands was an all volunteer organization of local nurses providing limited home health care services to the sick and handicapped people in the city of Gyumri.

In 1998 Ajakits started implementation of DV programs with the support of US Embassy

• In calendar year 1999 Ajakits a Women’s Domestic Violence Center was opened  in Gyumri, A special telephone number (Hotline) was installed that can be called 24 hours a day to help consult and advise victims of domestic abuse in the state of Shirak.
• In calendar year 2001, with the support of the Global Fund for Women Ajakits implemented Ajakits Advocacy for Women’s Rights Project.   This program provided gender sensitivity training; empowering Armenian women who have been the victims of domestic violence, to fight for their basic human rights and seek protection under the law.   The one-year program included seminars, lectures, and workshops, on a variety of gender issues focusing on what laws and legislation currently exists.  The existing Ajakits Women’s Domestic Violence Center served as the base of operation to the community for it’s is advocacy efforts. 
• Armenian Women’s Rights Protection and Advocacy Project was a one year program funded by USAID/World Learning. It provided psychological and legal counseling to all participants in the support groups. The goal of the project was that by better educating the women of Armenia about their individual human & civil rights, they would seek help and take action. They will learn to come forward to seek professional help and sanctuary as well as to report the incidents of domestic violence to the proper authorities. Lobbying was part of the  project and as a final result of that  a package of amendments in the existing Family Law was present to the National Assembly. At the same time a brochure was published about the issue of Domestic Violence in Shirak state.
• The Armenian Women’s Rights Protection project  was a two year program. The goal of the project was to continue educate the women of Armenia about their individual human & civil rights, so that they would be able to stand up and fight for their individual human rights. The aim was to strengthen the cooperation with governmental institutions.

Currently with the support of the Global Fund for Women Ajakits is implementing Ajakits Advocacy for Women’s Rights 2 (phase two).  Project aims to empower woman of all ages to stand up and fight for their basic human rights, and seek protection under the law. The project includes series of gender sensitive training seminars, 4 TV talk show programs, lectures, and workshops designed especially for the women in the state of Shirak.

Ajakits has an operating shelter “Ajakits-Anna/Beverly” Physical and psychological rehabilitation center for women and children. The shelter was founded with the support of late Beverly Ramsay and operates with the support of Crabgrass US-based Organization and Ramsay family.

Ajakits has experience in implementing community development, health projects. Ajakits has received a sub grant from Save the Children to implement project NOVA in 15 communities of Shirak region.

Source: Ajakits NGO (Official translation)