Arpine Baghdoyan, NEF Armenia Director, expressed her enthusiasm for the project during the launch event in Yerevan.

NEF’s newest European Union-funded project in Armenia, ‘STRIVE for a better future: communities and civil society resilience in Armenia’, launched to improve the resilience, sustainability, accountability, and capacity for innovation of local civil society organizations (CSOs) across the country.

On April 26, a launch event took place in Yerevan with participation of the European Union (EU) Delegation, embassies, ministries, international organizations, civil society, and partner organizations. Ms. Andrea Wiktorin, Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, welcomed participants to the launch event with an opening speech. Following a presentation on the project and its implementing organizations, attendees discussed the general needs and gaps that challenge Armenian CSOs while emphasizing the important role they play.

Over three and a half years the project will build the capacity of Armenian CSOs to better engage and support local communities through more sustainable, innovative, and responsive approaches. Over 700,000 EUR in competitive grants will support at least 110 community initiatives in Armenia focused on addressing community needs, strengthening volunteerism, combatting media misinformation, and increasing youth interest and involvement in public decision-making and grassroots initiatives. The first competitive sub-grant of the project, an emergency fund for quick-impact community response projects led by local CSOs, was announced during the event.

STRIVE is co-funded by the European Union and implemented by NEF Belgium in partnership with “Agate” Rights Defense Center for Women with Disabilities NGO, “Blejan” Ecological, Social, Business Support NGO, Women’s Development “Resource Center” Foundation, “Youth Cooperation Center of Dilijan” NGO.