WFP and USAID assess assistance to Artsakh refugees in Armenia

ArmInfo. The World Food Program (WFP) Armenia office hosted a delegation from the United States  Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance, who arrived in Yerevan on a two-day visit to assess the support provided to refugee families from Artsakh.  

As reported by the press service of the UN Office in Yerevan, during the visit,  Regional Humanitarian Adviser Adrine Tumayan and representatives of  the delegation met with local government representatives, social  workers and refugee families who have received assistance from  USAID's Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance. In Ararat and Kotayk  marzes, they held comprehensive discussions with representatives of  the Governor's office and social workers to assess the impact of  recent conflicts on refugee families and identify their needs.

" It was a particularly warm but difficult visit to the 90-year-old  grandmother of a refugee family living in the city of Hrazdan, Kotayk  region, who takes care of her three orphaned grandchildren and a  disabled son.  Displaced and losing their documents, this family has  gone through untold hardships to take care of their primary needs.  The family is also unable to fully benefit from state support," the  UN office reported, adding that thanks to the support of USAID's  Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance, the family received three-month  food packages. "This support has been vital for them," the UN office  added.

It is also noted that the team reviewed the processes of food  distribution to Artsakh refugees and discussed the large-scale needs  of the forcibly displaced. In this regard, it was recorded that  Kotayk recorded the largest number of refugees, creating a need for  substantial support.  In conclusion, it is reported that with $1.13  million in support through the US Government's Office of Humanitarian  Assistance, WFP Armenia provided vital food assistance to nearly  30,000 refugees over a seven-month period. Food packages were  distributed in different marzes from February to September 2024, and  food assistance cards were provided to refugees from June to the end  of July 2024. This support contributed to meeting basic needs and  ensured the well-being of displaced families.

To recall that since the enemy aggression that began in the fall of  2020 and ended in September 2023 with the complete ethnic cleansing  of Artsakh, over 150, 000 Artsakh residents have become homeless.