While some businesses in Armenia choose to partner directly with non-profits on various projects, reArmenia provides an innovative new option. Regional Post spoke to their team to understand how they are making it easier and more effective for companies to give back to the community.
Text : Nazareth Seferian
Photo : reArmenia
“Many young people have left our village because they couldn’t find a job. But we don’t need to leave the village to find one. All we need is access to computers and the internet,” says Shushan, a 17-year-old girl living in the rural community of Haghorti, Artsakh. The bright faces of Shushan and other young people from Haghorti can be seen on the reArmenia platform page dedicated to the Moonq TechnoSchool project.
“The Moonq Technoschool project in Artsakh’s Martouni region demonstrated the power of collaboration between diverse organizations. The government, businesses, non-profits, educational institutions, and thousands of individuals came together to establish the technoschool. Despite the blockade in Artsakh, the students are continuing their education, working towards creating a better future for the region. Additionally, startups are operating from the school, exporting their knowledge and skills despite the challenges posed by the blockade,” says Armine Mkrtchyan, a member of the Board of Trustees at reArmenia. After the war in Arstakh in 2020, a team of dedicated people tried to understand where the country had failed and what we had to do next. They came to the conclusion that a solution was needed to counter internal divisions and the lack of effective collaboration. This led to the birth of reArmenia – a platform to bring Armenians together in order to contribute knowledge, expertise, and funds, as well as to network, all with the aim of solving problems for the country and its people.
In 2022, reArmenia launched its Corporate Philanthropy Program, designed to encourage businesses to invest in social programs and increase employer-employee engagement in social activities. The program also aims to assist companies in making more informed decisions regarding their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and charitable efforts, resulting in better outcomes and a more impact-driven approach. The Program offers several different ways for companies to have an impact; matching donations made by employees, purchasing corporate gift cards for their partners and employees, setting a price for each volunteering hour, and when their employees volunteer through reArmenia projects, they earn credits that can be used as a donation to any project on the platform. Another option is to ask reArmenia to vet charitable projects and provide an assessment report to help companies make informed investment decisions. For companies looking to invest in a specific area or field, reArmenia finds projects that meet their criteria. Finally, for companies that lack direction or touchpoints, reArmenia helps them develop a CSR strategy that aligns with their purpose and directs their activities.
National Celebration of Vardavar in the 3-side Bordering Kornidzor Village, July, 2022
“The reArmenia Corporate Philanthropy Program offers several advantages. Firstly, the program offers a more structured approach to corporate giving, with a range of products that companies can choose from to tailor their giving to their specific needs and preferences. This helps businesses to make more informed decisions regarding their philanthropic efforts, resulting in greater impact and a more strategic approach. Secondly, the program offers a range of options for employees to get involved, such as the Matching Gift Program, Corporate Gift Cards, and Volunteering Program, which can boost engagement and morale within the company. This can lead to a stronger sense of community and purpose, as employees work together towards a common cause. Finally, the program also provides vetting and hunting services to help companies identify and evaluate charitable projects that align with their values and objectives,” says Armine Mkrtchyan.
Children getting their school ready for winter classes in Martouni, Artsakh, Autumn, 2022
Indeed, besides the sense of satisfaction that comes with supporting a good cause, companies can expect several tangible benefits. Businesses can engage their employees directly and really motivate them by involving employees in charitable activities and giving them a sense of ownership and pride in the company’s philanthropic initiatives. The businesses can also boost morale and increase retention rates. Ensuring that a charitable cause is aligned with the core values and business objectives of the company is also crucial. This can help businesses create a more cohesive and purpose-driven culture, which can improve overall performance and competitiveness. The platform also allows all contributors, including company employees, to get more information on how a project is progressing. “At reArmenia, we strongly believe in empowering our contributors to monitor the impact of their contributions. Rather than monitoring the impact ourselves, we require all projects on our platform to provide regular financial and progress reports. This way, our contributors have access to transparent information about the project’s financial health and progress, allowing them to track how their contributions are being utilized,” says Armine Mkrtchyan.
A visit to St. Hakobavank Monastery within the “Hakobavank Revival” project, October, 2021
The businesses in Armenia are clearly responding positively to this new opportunity. “As we approached the end of 2022, we witnessed a significant shift in corporate gifting practices, with many companies opting to provide social impact as a gift rather than material goods. The most popular option among those we offer has been our Corporate Gift Card, which gives companies the opportunity to shift from physical gifts to social impact. Thousands of employees received a present in the form of an opportunity to donate to a cause they care about, while partner companies learned that the fund for their gifts was dedicated to meaningful projects. We also noticed companies matching their teams’ donations or allowing them to select projects through team voting.”
The Moonq Technoschool project was supported by a very large number of contributors, including donations from a large IT company and two clubs of entrepreneurs and business investors. It raised close to 180,000 USD and will serve several hundred schoolchildren in the years ahead. Encouraged by this result, the team now wants to expand their capacity and reach 100 more schoolchildren in Artsakh. Their new project, “Expansion of the Moonq Technoschool” is on the reArmenia platform today. Let us see which companies will make this a part of their corporate giving program in the country.
Join us on Telegram
