It had always been my dream to be able to do something significant and lasting to benefit future generations. That dream became a reality in 2004 with the establishment of the Anoushavan and Ofik Abrahamian Education Fund (AOAEF). AOAEF’s mission is to improve the lives of disadvantaged youth in rural areas of developing countries. By arming the youth with useful and practical trades, we enhance their chances for better employment opportunities and, at the same time, help build a better future and contribute to the country’s economic development.
AOAEF chose Armenia as the first target of its efforts because of my and several board members’ close ancestral ties to the country. Since its establishment, the AOAEF Board of Directors, Advisors and the staff in the United States and Armenia collectively have been able to make significant progress towards their goal of renovating Vocational High Schools (VHS), establishing eleven core trades in all of the ten VHS’s, and offering scholarships to the best achieving students.
During our frequent trips to Armenia, Ofik, my devoted partner and AOAEF’s Vice President and I visit the schools and witness firsthand the progress made towards the structural improvements as well as the academic feats of our students. We are thrilled to see the smiling faces of students, faculty and parents of the AOAEF sponsored trade classes at every visit.
AOAEF is a collective effort. As such, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have supported AOAEF, both financially and morally, since its inception. I am very grateful to the dynamic and committed members of the Board of Directors, Advisors and supporters. I would especially like to thank my wife, Ofik, who is the driving force for the success of all my endeavors. I would also like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to his Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese, for his continuous support and guidance from the very first moment of his introduction to AOAEF and its mission.
Dear supporters, the initial and the most challenging phase of our program is Phase One: the renovation and reconstruction phase of the school facilities and implementation of the training classes for the eleven core trades in all ten VHS’s across Armenia. I am hopeful that within the next five years, Phase One will be completed and we will be able to proceed to implement additional phases.
Finally, I would like to thank all of you who support AOAEF, in any capacity, and for your attendance at our events.
Sincerely,
Anoushavan Abrahamian
AOAEF President
