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'Mer Doon' Provides Brighter Future For Aged-Out Orphans In Armenia

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  • 'Mer Doon' Provides Brighter Future For Aged-Out Orphans In Armenia

    'MER DOON' PROVIDES BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR AGED-OUT ORPHANS IN ARMENIA
    by Lilly Torosyan

    http://www.armenianweekly.com/2012/07/02/mer-doon-provides-brighter-future-for-aged-out-orphans-in-armenia/
    July 2, 2012

    HARTFORD, Conn. (A.W.)-It is a warm, calm Sunday afternoon, the kind
    that makes you want to doze off in your backyard hammock. It is coffee
    hour in the basement of St. George's Armenian Church in Hartford.

    Sitting at a table is Julie Ashekian, the founder of "Mer Doon" ("Our
    Home"), an organization that lends a brighter future for aged-out
    (18-22) female orphans in Armenia. Sipping on her Armenian coffee,
    Ashekian reflects back on her work with the Mer Doon girls or, as
    she calls them, her "children."

    "Our mission is to provide these girls with the means to become
    normal, productive members of society. We do this through teaching
    them independence, surrounding them with a stable social environment,
    and in making sure they get an education."

    Ashekian has been involved in charity work in Armenia for most of
    her life. Yet it was after the 1988 earthquake in Gyumri that left
    behind thousands of orphans that she became the national coordinator
    of the Children of Armenia Sponsorship Program (CASP)-a position she
    held for the following 10 years. In 2006, she founded Mer Doon with
    Tigranoohi Karapetian, who lives there with the girls.

    "Our mission is to provide these girls with the means to become
    normal, productive members of society. We do this through teaching
    them independence, surrounding them with a stable social environment,
    and in making sure they get an education," says Ashekian. Their daily
    routine is regimented, but they are allowed free time to cook, sew,
    or engage in other domestic activities that they enjoy.

    "In the summertime, when they're not in school, is when we need to
    plan activities," Ashekian continues. "There are a lot of guests
    in the summer because of tourists, and the girls love to mingle and
    perform for them. It's really strict, with 24/7 supervision."

    As expected, dating in the home can get a little difficult. If a man
    chooses to go on a date with a girl from the home, he must first
    receive permission from Karapetian. He and his parents have to be
    introduced, and approved, and the girl must really like-even love-the
    man prior to any relationship. "We are really protective of our girls
    because of their fragile backgrounds. We don't want them to be taken
    in and used as housecleaners for the in-laws," says Ashekian.

    Furthermore, she aims to change the reputation of orphans in Armenia.

    "They were like outcasts before this organization. Now because the
    reputation of Mer Doon is so good, we get calls from parents that want
    to come for their sons... This is not a store where you go and try on
    shoes and pick which one you want to buy. You really have to love the
    person... The girls that have been married have wonderful in-laws,
    and they still come and visit Mer Doon. They bring their babies!"

    Mer Doon has become their home. Ashekian and Karapetian decided to have
    the home in Etchmiadzin because they thought Yerevan was too glitzy and
    fast-paced. "We wanted them to have a more intimate support system,
    to be in walking distance of everything on a regular street, and mix
    with the older people. They have become a part of the neighborhood,
    and the neighborhood has become a part of Mer Doon," explains Ashekian.

    The mayor of Etchmiadzin, Karen Grigoryan, has been very supportive
    of the organization, and encourages the girls to take part in major
    town-wide events, says Ashekian. One such event is the annual Christmas
    decorating competition; Mer Doon has taken first place there for the
    past four years.

    Another political figure that has shown her support for the home is
    Rita Sarkisian, the current first lady of Armenia. In fact, Sarkisian
    has met with the ladies at Mer Doon so often that she has become a
    de facto ambassador for the organization, notes Ashekian.

    This year, Artur Grigoryan, Armenia's minister of labor and social
    affairs, presented Karapetian with a medal; Ashekian was awarded
    the same medal a year prior. Grigoryan told her that Mer Doon is
    proof-positive about what can be done when people are serious about
    helping others in need, and that the program should stand as an
    example for his own ministry.

    Although the Armenian government is in favor of this program and
    its mission, it does not contribute financially to its success. To
    raise funds, Ashekian and the rest of the U.S. board try to collect
    donations from the United States all year, to keep up with the growing
    expenses of maintaining the program. "People ask why we only have
    14 girls. But that's all we can afford. We are operating on such a
    minimal budget-everything on $5,000 a month! What we need is a harousd
    [rich] benefactor," she chuckles.

    Several churches and organizations have donated to Mer Doon. Last
    summer, a group of visitors to Armenia came back and threw a
    fundraiser in their home in Burlington, Mass. In November, they
    will be fundraising again at a dance in St. James' Armenian Church
    in Watertown. "We wanted to do a walkathon, but that takes time,
    it's not easy. We're small apples over here, in Connecticut, so
    we're very appreciative of people who want to have a fundraiser or
    cocktail party-of those who talk about the program and spread its
    message to others."

    Ashekian's devotion to these girls and this program is heartfelt.

    There is passion in her voice, and also frustration at her inability
    to do more. "I can never live without doing something for Armenia,"
    she articulates. "I come from a very hayaser [patriotic] family."

    (It's true. Her father named her sister "Hayasdan." Ashekian's
    reaction? "Dad, why didn't you give me that name!")

    When asked what she considers to be her biggest contribution to
    these young women's lives, she thinks for a moment, then says, "The
    most important lesson that I want them to learn is to discover their
    self-worth. They know now that they've been given the chance at a good
    life, and they realize that they can return that in different ways.

    They can give back to their community and to their country in their
    own ways."

    To learn more, or to make a donation, visit www.mer-doon.com.

    Tax-deductible checks may be made to Our Home-Mer Doon, Inc., c/o 84
    Ellsworth Blvd., Kensington, CT 06037-2728.

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