Since our first project in 2014, one of our main goals has been to enable individuals from underprivileged families to receive a higher education at their desired university or college. Building hospitals and schools are great; however, they require professionals to operate, and together we can help young professionals in Armenia to accomplish their dreams. Thanks to our donors’ continuous support, we were able to sponsor our very first university student, Mariam Khachatryan in autumn of 2019.
If you’re new in supporting this project, here is a little background on Mariam:
We met Mariam in June 2019; when we were delivering school supplies to the younger students from grades 1 through 4, at her school as part of our 2019 School Supplies Project. Mariam Khachaturyan was from Mush village, located in the Qashatagh region of Armenia, just north of the Arax River. As a result of the Artsakh war in 2020, Mariam and her family along with the rest of the entire region were forcebly displaced out of their homes. Mariam along with her family are now settled in a village called Masis just outside of Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. For more details about Mariam and this project, please read her first year’s project description at the following links. 2019 University Fund #1, 2021 University Fund #1 – 2nd Year, and 2022 University Fund #1 – 3rd Year.
Those who donated to Mariam’s first year’s project know that Mariam’s mother was ill with ovarian cancer. Unfortunately her mother passed away in early 2020. Mariam fought through this difficult time and completed her first year of studies, which brought her dream of becoming a teacher one step closer.
This year Mariam is starting her 4th year of five year studies. With your continuous support, she will be graduating soon.
The following is the estimated project cost breakdown for both semesters in 2023:
4th year – 1st semester (Starts Sept 1st, 2022 until Jan 25th, 2023 – (Jan 09 -Jan 25 exam period) Long Distance Learning).
| Description | Total (AMD) | Times per Year | Total (AMD) | Total (CAD) | Notes |
| Tuition Fee | 62,500 դր. | 1 | 62,500 դր. | $227.27 | 1 |
| Lodging in Stepanakert | 92,000 դր. | 0 | 0դր. | $0 | 2, 6, 8 |
| Transportation – Taxi (Yerevan to Stepanakert) | 50,000 դր․ | 0 | 0դր. | $0 | 5, 8 |
| Transportation – Mini Bus (Stepanakert – Yerevan) | 10,000 դր. | 0 | 0դր. | $0 | 8 |
| Text Books & Printing | 30,000 դր․ | 0 | 0դր. | $0 | 4 |
| Daily Lunch Expenses | 1,500 դր. | 0 | 0դր. | $0 | 8 |
| Pocket Money | 20,000 դր․ | 0 | 0դր. | $0 | 8 |
| Total | 62,500 դր. | $227.27 |
4th year – 2nd semester (Starts Feb 07th, 2023 until June 20th, 2023 – (May 21 – June 20 exam period) Long Distance Learning).
| Description | Total (AMD) | Times per Year | Total (AMD) | Total (CAD) | Notes |
| Tuition Fee | 62,500 դր. | 1 | 62,500 դր. | $227.27 | 1 |
| Lodging in Stepanakert | 124,000դր. | 0 | 124,000դր. | $0 | 3, 6, 7 |
| Transportation – Taxi (Yerevan to Stepanakert) | 50,000 դր․ | 0 | 50,000դր. | $0 | 5, 7 |
| Transportation – Mini Bus (Stepanakert – Yerevan) | 10,000 դր. | 0 | 10,000դր. | $0 | 7 |
| Text Books & Printing | 30,000 դր․ | 0 | 0 դր. | $0 | 4 |
| Daily Lunch Expenses | 1,500 դր. | 0 | 46,500դր. | $0 | 6 |
| Pocket Money | 20,000 դր․ | 0 | 20,000դր. | $0 | 6 |
| Total | 125,000դր. | $454.55 |
| Exchange Rate | |
| CAD | AMD |
| 1 | 275 |
Notes:
- The 250,000 AMD is the original annual tuition fee or 125,000 AMD per semester for long distance learning students. However the displaced students have received a 50% discount for this academic year for the Artsakh Government. In total it’ll cost 125,000 AMD (~ $454.55 CAD) for Mariam to attend university for this academic year at Artsakh University. The Remaining funds raised will be applied to Mariam’s next and final year of studies at the Artsakh University.
- Jan 09 – Jan 25 (23 days) for 4 weeks, is the end of the 4th year first semester. Mairiam will finish her 4th year, 1st semester.
- May 21 – June 20 (31 days) for 4 weeks, is the end of the 4th year second semester. Mairiam will finish her 4th year.
- Expenses that may occur due to textbook purchases, photocopy or printing material throughout the year.
- Mariam takes the taxi to Stepanakert but takes the mini-bus back.
- During the time that Mariam spends in Stepanakert for the exam season, she also receives study material for the following semester. She will be required to stay in Stepanakert for an approximately 23 days at the end of the first semester and 31 days at the end of the second semester. The current daily rent that Mariam pays at her designated lodging is 4000 AMD / day (approximately $14.60 CAD). Empower Armenia will also cover the cost of her food, and will also allocating a small amount for spending “pocket” money, for the duration of her stay in Stepanakert.
- Mariam will have to travel from the Masis village just outside of Yerevan, to the university in Stepanakert during exam season twice a year. (As of approximately December 12, 2022, the Berdzor Corridor, (a.k.a. Lachin Corridor), that connects Armenia to Artsakh have been illegally closed and occupied by Azerbaijani special forces personnel, under the cover of “eco-activists”. Until the re-opening of this corridor Mariam will be unable to travel to Artsakh to participate in the exam season. If the Artsakh State University conducts its exams online for its long distance students, the surplus funds will be allocated to Mariam’s next year’s tuition fees).
- As of approximately December 12, 2022, the Berdzor Corridor, (a.k.a. Lachin Corridor), that connects Armenia to Artsakh have been illegally closed and occupied by Azerbaijani special forces personnel, under the cover of “eco-activists”. Until the re-opening of this corridor Mariam will be unable to travel to Artsakh to participate in the exam season, hence there is no need to fundraise for the items under this note, however we’ve included them as a place holder in our expense table, so the donors are aware.