Yerevan /Mediamax/. Over 5300 families in 165 rural communities in Armenia and Georgia have received assistance of the international Heifer project since 1999.

Mediamax reports that Director of the Armenian branch of Heifer Project International Anahit Ghazanchyan said this in Yerevan today.

According to her, the main direction of the project’s activity is integral social-economic development and increase of well-being in villages. Anahit Ghazanchyan informed that in 10 years of its activity in the region, the organization has realized 51 programs, 35of which only in Armenia. Their total cost makes almost $3.8 mln.

4943 families are participants of Heifer projects in Armenia. Only this year 496 families were gifted cows, calves, goats, hives, potatoes, wheat seeds, planting stock and biologic humus by other families, involved in the program, and 356 families received aid directly from the program. Besides, farmer clubs for children and the youth are set up in rural communities.

Anahit Ghazanchyan stated that Heifer’s activity also aims at cutting down migration of rural residents, and, first of all, the youth.