Families living on social benefits in Armenia can't afford new clothes, but corporately donated clothing distributed by World Vision will help keep them warm this winter.

November 2008

By Anita Manukyan, World Vision Armenia, and Jessie Lester, World Vision U.S.

As the snow piles up outside their home, worries pile up for 5-year-old Vache and his family in Talin, Armenia: Persistent worries about jobs and housing are compounded by worries about how they will survive the frigid months of winter in this small, landlocked country located between Eastern Europe and Western Asia.

No money for clothes

Vache, his brother, and his parents live with his grandmother and his uncles' families because none of them can afford their own homes. His father is disabled, and in Talin, where steady jobs are hard to come by, his uncles can't always find work. As a result, this family depends heavily on social benefits, and their resources are stretched thin, just trying to feed and care for the six children and seven adults living in the house.

When the weather turns cold and the cost of staying warm puts even more demands on their limited income, this family is forced to make tough decisions. "It is especially difficult in winter when we have to buy wood. Buying clothes for kids becomes a second priority, and they get along with worn-out clothes from previous years," says Vache's mother, Tatevik.

'Nice and new'

This winter, however, Vache will not have to face the snow outside his home wearing only old, threadbare clothing. He has received new, warm clothes from World Vision.

"I like my sweater. It is nice and new," says Vache, who displays his gifts proudly. Along with winter clothing, he also received a drawing book, pencils, and toys.

The clothes and toys Vache received were Gifts-in-Kind distributed by World Vision. Gifts-in-Kind are top-quality, surplus products donated by corporations to benefit those in need. Each year, World Vision distributes Gifts-in-Kind to millions of children living in chronic poverty all over the world.

Warmth for survival

For children like Vache, who live in regions where winter temperatures can reach as low as 22 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, gifts of warm winter clothing can be vital to survival.

Goharik, who also lives in Talin, received a long cape known as a pelerine. "I love my pelerine. It is so warm. In winters, when it is very cold outside and we cannot heat the house properly, I wear it and it warms me up at once," she says.

Goharik's family does some small-scale farming, and occasionally, her father is able to find work in the mines. Nevertheless, this family is still forced to depend on unemployment benefits. "Goharik has few clothes for winter," says the 11-year-old's mother. "We cannot afford to buy new clothes, so the pelerine is very important for her."

Without her pelerine from World Vision, it is likely that Goharik would have little protection from the frigid weather.

Bringing happiness

Gifts-in-Kind provide more than a defense from cold weather; they provide a chance for kids to play and actually enjoy the winter.

Just ask 6-year-old twins Roman and Anzela. Wearing gloves, caps, and coats they received from World Vision, this brother and sister are warm enough to enjoy a classic snowball fight. As they get ready, Anzela displays her new gloves proudly. "I put them on and then play in the snow with Roman," she says.

For these twins, who rarely get anything new, the gifts are a special treat that gives them the opportunity to play. "My children were so happy to receive warm clothes and toys," says Gyulnara, their mother. For this single mother, who can't afford to heat the gas stove, the Gifts-in-Kind distributed by World Vision offer reassurance that her children will stay warm during the cold months ahead.