Yerevan/Mediamax/. Lydian International, a gold-focused mineral exploration and development company, announced that it\'s Armenian subsidiary, Geoteam CJSC, has signed a partnership agreement with Oxfam Armenia and it\'s local partner \"Support to Communities\" (STC) to implement a health care program aimed at enhancing the health services available in the communities of Saravan, Gndevaz and Gorayk which surround the Company\'s Amulsar gold project.

This health care initiative will help socially vulnerable people including children, women and the elderly and follows a Drug Revolving Fund model, widely used by Oxfam in rural communities throughout Armenia. Under this model households invest modest amounts annually which when supplemented with support from Oxfam, STC and Geoteam, provides free medication, health screening for the entire community, health consultations, diagnosis and treatment. Health awareness campaigns will also be conducted and will focus particularly on lifestyle related issues.
 
Other partnership initiatives that Lydian has established to benefit rural communities in the vicinity of Amulsar include the \'New Technologies for Improved Livelihood\' program in partnership with the HPD Foundation aimed at increasing the economic wellbeing of the Gorayk community; the \'Schools for Sport and Peace\' program, operated in partnership with the Football Federation of Armenia and a chess development program operated in partnership with the Chess Academy and Chess Federation of Armenia.

Other notable community development programs recently completed, underway or planned for the coming year around Amulsar include the provision of a natural gas supply to Saravan, the planting of 5,000 trees as part of a 5km Tree Alley near the village of Gndevaz and renovation of a library, post office and community centre. \"We are very proud of our joint community initiative with Oxfam Armenia and of the enormous health benefits it will provide for Amulsar\'s surrounding villages\" said Tim Coughlin, Lydian\'s President and CEO \"This is one of four partnership programs we currently have underway in our local communities. These programs are designed to encourage active community and third-party participation, to be sustainable and to complement the ongoing social improvement programs the Company is conducting throughout the region\".