Five years ago, an appeal came from Timothy Straight founder of Homeland Development Initiative Foundation. Equal Rights Equal Opportunity needed a permanent space instead of bouncing around temporary offices for a group of activists with a vision for a better life for the disabled in Lori province of Armenia.
A group of generous souls took it upon themselves to make it a reality. The campaign started with a goal to raise $20,000 USD. George Keushgerian CEO of Twin Peaks Online a California software company who already had a team of developers in Armenia was the first to respond with a generous offer to buy a property and permit them to use the space free of charge for 10 years. Others followed and contributed the $20,000 USD needed for upgrade and maintenance.
When I was in Armenia two years ago, I visited the leaders of Equal Rights Equal Opportunity (EREO) Anush Aslanyan and Anush Arakelyan. I was amazed at the progress then; I am amazed again now. A month ago, I received a video showing their progress. Their achievement in a mere five years is remarkable. See the full YouTube video of their organization’s progress throughout the years here
They continue to gain trust from the public as well as the local government. They continue to expand their programs to help the disabled gain independence and become productive members of society. In 2021 they got the attention of USAID (United States Agency for International Development) which provided funding to upgrade the facility to internationally accepted standards.
What EREO did with what they were entrusted with is clearly visible evidence of their dedication.