“If you want to see the change, be the change.”
I believe in leading by example and more than ever today Armenia needs true leaders. 2020 has been a challenging year for everyone but even more so for Armenia. Although we have lived through some difficult times, the most valuable thing we gained was perspective. In the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives, we often forget to take a step back and be thankful for everything that we have and have accomplished. War and an existential crisis will give you perspective. Leading a human-centered organization, we have always focused on the needs of our beneficiaries. It became apparent very quickly that the demographics and needs of our beneficiaries were evolving. As a result, as individuals and as an organization, we adapted an agile mindset and reimagined our programming to meet the demands of now thousands of displaced children and children suffering from PTSD. With the support of Dr. Gary and Linda Assarian GOALS was able to launch the Assarian Relief Initiative. The Assarian Relief Initiative seeks to support children who have been affected by the war and who suffer from PTSD. It will create safe spaces where children can have a sense of normalcy, develop their leadership skills and work on their physical and mental wellbeing.

What we invest today in our children is the Armenia and Artsakh we can anticipate tomorrow. It is not a choice, it is not a wish, it is an obligation. The beauty of being Armenian is that in times of crisis we come together and support one another, regardless of politics, social class, location. We are over 10 million strong and if we put our mind to something we can make it happen. Right now, is the time to invest in the future, and the future is our children.