Armenian government to allocate AMD 69 million to needs of homeless

PanARMENIAN.Net - Starting 2006, a temporary asylum for homeless people has been operating in Yerevan.

“Presently, the asylum can host 60 people for 60 days,” said deputy director of the asylum at N1 nursing home Artur Markosyan.

As he told a news conference in Yerevan, 1262 persons were serviced at the asylum, offered social assistance and provided with documents in case of necessity.

“In 2011, the government will allocate AMD 69 million to the needs of homeless people,” Markosyan said.

“64 people found jobs and 22 were sent home through the efforts of the asylum,” he added.

Anahit Gevorgyan, the Deputy Head of Department of the Issues of Elderly People and Disabled at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Armenia, in turn, emphasized the importance of creation of another asylum, capacity of 60 people being unsatisfactory, specifically, in winter period. “Approximate estimates show there are about 100 homeless people in Yerevan, with half of them arrived from Armenian regions. In Gyumri, the second largest city in Armenia, there are 100 homeless, so at least 1 temporary asylum is a must in the city,” she concluded.