IDBank has launched a new partnership project under its “Side by Side” initiative to support families who were forcibly displaced from Artsakh and are now living in the Sevan community. The bank and the Dekavva charitable foundation say they are joining efforts to help these families with socio-economic integration and to create practical opportunities for education and employment.
Tatevik Vardevanyan, Head of Communications and Sustainability at IDBank, said the new phase of the program will work with every member of each family, from children to adults. According to her, the aim is to deliver tangible results by helping families address both social needs and the challenges of integrating into the local community. She said the bank expects the program to have a lasting impact and believes the “Harehas” project will make a meaningful contribution to the future of compatriots from Artsakh.
Adriana Marutyan, co-founder and executive director of the Dekavva Fund, said the program will take into account the needs and problems of each family, with support tailored individually. She added that because “Harehas” is community-oriented, displaced people from Artsakh will be able to launch and develop new initiatives in every settlement where they have resettled, whether through projects, their own businesses or other ventures.
IDBank noted that since 2023, through the “Side by Side” program, it has been providing ongoing support to families forcibly displaced from Artsakh, with a particular focus on their integration and on helping them rebuild their future in Armenia. The bank recently also covered tuition fees for 103 students from Artsakh studying at Yerevan State University.
Vardevanyan said that while the initial phase of support was largely social in nature and focused on covering basic daily expenses, the bank later shifted its emphasis toward education, vocational training and acquiring a new profession. That approach, she said, is intended to help beneficiaries find stable work and eventually address their social needs independently.
In the near future, the bank also plans to hold financial literacy courses in these communities, helping families gain the knowledge needed to make more informed financial decisions.
