Albania and Armenia
Albania
Albania is one of the poorest countries in Europe with an estimated 60 per cent living on less than US$3 a day, according to a recent study by the World Bank. This is partly due to high levels of unemployment as the country continues to struggle with the transition to a market economy after decades of communist rule ended in 1991. We started working in Albania in 1999 and now help children and their families through eight Area Development Programmes across the country, one of which is supported by UK sponsors. The country has a largely rural population which relies on agriculture, in a climate which is regularly prone to both dry spells and flooding. Many households face a constant battle to afford food, clothes and other basic necessities and around 50 per cent of the communities that World Vision works with do not have direct access to drinkable water.
Armenia
Situated on the edge of Asia and Europe, Armenia is a landlocked, mountainous country bordering Turkey in the west, Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east and Iran to the south. Formerly part of the Soviet Union, the collapse of the communist system led to a steep economic decline from which the country has yet to recover. Almost half (45 per cent) of the population relies on agriculture to make a living but conditions are harsh, with temperatures averaging 40°C in the summer and reaching as low as -10°C in the winter. We work closely with local communities and empower them to plan for their development, and provide material and technical support to community initiated projects that address people’s most vital needs. Our UK sponsors currently help to provide support for two of the 10 ADPs in Armenia, Sisian and Stepanavan.
