Armenian border village gets new lighting system

PanARMENIAN.Net - The village of Barekamavan in Armenia's Tavush province is not insured against being targeted by the rival any time. It is located about 700-800 m from the border line. The 18 km long border part of the village is facing the rival’s trenches. The population in the village has declined over the years; people have left to seek a safer and better life. The villagers still remember many subversive actions of the rival, throughout years. The village school has only 16 pupils.

Despite the difficulties the inhabitants are mostly engaged in fields: ploughing, gardening, horticulture and cattle-breeding. The farmer here is always alert. The reason is the vulnerable position of the settlement, which is more evident in the evening hours.

Because of its location Barekamavan is considered as one of the most vulnerable settlements, but has lacked a stable lighting system for many years. The problem is in the focus of the partner structures, which is important for the development of infrastructures in rural communities. With the efforts of VivaCell-MTS and the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC), the problem has almost been solved. In the framework of the Alternative Energy Project, an energy-saving and completely new street lighting infrastructure has been created in Barekamavan.

About 44 LED lights are installed. About 1,650 m. long distance has been lighted, almost all main streets of the village. Community development is a crucial priority for the partner organizations, and the exploitation of economically efficient, environment friendly and energy-efficient LED lights for villages having small budgets means. The exploitation of such a system dramatically reduces energy consumption, alleviating the financial burden of the village.

VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian, FPWC Senior Engineer, Project Coordinator Martin Maralchyan, Noyemberyan Community Head Karen Abazyan, Barekamavan Head of Administration Jonik Mikayelyan, and community members participated in launching ceremony.

“I want to believe that each time we manage to be useful to a borderland village people become stronger in their willingness to stay on their native land. Street with illumination is not just a solution of a technical issue. It is more than we can imagine. This project solves number of issues: most importantly, it solves the problem of safety, and also those that relate to social, environmental, psychological aspects… It is equally important to ensure that the development gap between the capital and the rural communities is minimized to a possible extent. It is a hard, yet a crucial task. That has been our aim for years,” VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian said.

Unlike other lamps, the LED lamps are more efficient and durable, and can be used for a longer time, consuming 80% less electricity.