USAID Allocates Another $1 Million in Assistance for Armenians Forcibly Displaced from Artsakh

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced an another additional $1 million in assistance to aid Armenians forcibly displaced from their indigenous homeland of Artsakh also known as Nagorno-Karabakh. 

This new wave of aid is set to benefit 19,300 individuals who have been forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh. The assistance will be provided through the USAID-funded Protection, Inclusion, and Empowerment Activity Program, a humanitarian initiative implemented by Democracy International.

The official launch of this program took place in a special event held in Yerevan, Armenia's capital, where forcibly displaced individuals were recipients of essential items such as food and hygiene products. The event was attended by key figures, including Anna Zhamakochyan, Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs; Matthew Laird, Acting Deputy Mission Director of USAID/Armenia; and Liesbeth Zonneveld, Country Director of Democracy International Armenia.

The initiative, initiated in December 2023, is slated to continue for six months, reaching beyond Yerevan to include Ararat, Kotayk, Lori, Shirak, Syunik, and Tavush Provinces. 

This assistance is not a solo effort; it operates through a consortium of organizations working together to maximize the impact of their support. The distribution of humanitarian parcels was closely observed during the event, with participants engaging in conversations with beneficiaries to gain valuable insights into their specific needs.

This recent development comes on the heels of the USAID's earlier allocation of $1 million, emphasizing the ongoing commitment to addressing the pressing needs of forcibly displaced Armenians.