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Lernagog School Children Advocate Tobacco Free Environment

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  • Lernagog School Children Advocate Tobacco Free Environment

    PRESS RELEASE

    Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) - Yerevan Office
    53-55 Pavstos Buzand Street, 0010
    Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
    Contact: Inessa Grigoryan
    Tel: (+374 10) 522076; 562068
    Fax: (+374 10) 522076
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Web: www.coafkids.org

    Children of Armenia Fund - New York Office
    162 Fifth Avenue, Suite 900,
    New York, NY 10010, USA
    Contact: Samantha Wagar
    Tel: 212 - 994 - 8234
    Fax: 212 - 994 - 8299
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Web: www.coafkids.org


    Lernagog School Children Advocate Tobacco Free Environment


    June 25, 2008 Lernagog, Armavir District ¾ Following international No
    Tobacco Day celebrated worldwide on May 31, the community of Lernagog
    recently hosted an event in the premises of a newly renovated village
    school, advocating tobacco free environment in the community and
    throughout the region. Lernagog is one of six villages included in
    Comprehensive Rural Development Program, initiated and implemented by
    the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) since early 2006. Other communities
    constituting COAF's Model Cluster include Argina, Dalarik, Karakert,
    Miasnikian and Shenik.

    The event was organized by the members of the local Youth Club on
    Healthy Lifestyle in close cooperation with COAF health education team.
    Through the mentioned club, which makes part of a chain of 30 clubs
    operating in four villages of the Model Cluster and one neighboring
    Hushakert, the local youth acquires knowledge and builds capacity on
    disease prevention, healthy nutrition, physical activities and healthy
    behavior. Other clubs focus on such areas of development as
    agribusiness, civic education, ecology, logics and journalism/public
    relations. The project is being implemented within the framework of
    Creation and Development of Youth Clubs, implemented in close
    partnership with Heifer International.

    The participants and organizers built the first part of the event on
    question and answer scheme, discussing and covering smoking and
    non-smoking issues, accompanied by illustrative slides on the damages
    caused by active and passive smoking, and presenting some statistics on
    smokers throughout Armenia. As Karine Tonoyan, Head of Youth Club on
    Healthy Lifestyle and Lernagog School Biology Teacher noted, "This event
    and a number of others that we are regularly organizing is always a
    great tool in raising awareness and taking responsibility towards health
    issues among children, youth and adults. And from one event to another
    we get more and more enthusiastic, as we find the necessary support from
    our friends from COAF".

    The second part of the event was dedicated to the performance, played by
    the Lernagog schoolchildren themselves, with the goal of advocating
    tobacco-free environment and conducting healthy lifestyle among youth
    and adults. Anti-smoking commercials and ads, as well as recommendations
    towards quitting smoking were widely used and advocated. Of special
    importance were the stage decorations, which symbolized the Universe,
    divided into two parts - smokers and non-smokers. The guests and the
    local community could witness that the part engaging non-smokers was
    blossoming with flowers and flourishing with sunshine, thus promising a
    bright future and prosperity for its inhabitants. Meanwhile the opposite
    camp remained uninhabited, with its grey and gloomy colors, arousing
    sadness and bore and repelling the people to a brighter part of the
    Universe.

    For the past two years, apart from classes on healthy lifestyle
    conducted in Lernagog and other five villages of the Model Cluster, COAF
    community health education program additionally included trainings and
    workshops on first aid, prevention of infectious diseases, management of
    chronic health problems, prenatal care, child care, cervical and breast
    cancer prevention, family planning, sexually transmitted diseases, and
    family violence.

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