Help our local partners realise their vision of hope for their communities
11 November 2024
We are delighted to announce that the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Centre has been re-established in Armenia. With funds raised by HART, our local partners have acquired a guest house north of the capital, which will be renovated to serve patients’ complex needs. The new Centre will become a focal point of support for people with disabilities – including those who were forced to flee Nagorno Karabakh in 2023.
Before fleeing to Armenia, the majority of persons with disabilities in Nagorno Karabakh were registered as service users of the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Centre (pictured left). The re-establishment of the Centre in Armenia (pictured right) represents renewed hope and commitment to disability equality.
John Gallagher, the UK Ambassador to Armenia, joined HART for a special event to celebrate the inauguration of the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Centre. Speaking to staff and patients on 30 October 2024, he said:
It is a really special day to witness the [re]establishment of this new centre that is providing the help and support to people that really need it. Congratulations to all of you for your hard work and your commitment and dedication.
Mr Gallagher spoke alongside Vardan Tadevosyan, Founder & Director of the Centre, who is one of Armenia’s most experienced rehabilitation therapists for children and adults with disabilities. Vardan and his team are overseeing the renovation of the guest house to establish much-needed rehabilitation services for refugees (current service users) and members of their resettlement community.
Lady Cox, who also attended the event, said:
It is always a privilege to be with the people of Armenia. I love your people very much and I always take Armenia in my heart. Even during these darkest days of displacement and uncertainty, it is humbling and inspiring to witness the ‘Spirit of Armenia’ rising like a Phoenix from the ashes of death and destruction. You do not just survive; you create beauty from the ashes of destruction.
The ethnic cleansing of Nagorno Karabakh in 2023 resulted in the exodus of over 100,000 people – 9,000 of whom are persons with disabilities. Children with autism and cerebral palsy, as well as adults in chronic pain, were among those who were forced to evacuate the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Centre in Nagorno Karabakh.
One of the Centre’s long-standing service users, Arpine, reflected on the significance of re-establishing the health facility in Armenia:
The rebirth of the Centre is very important, as it provides services that are essential for easing the lives of the people with disabilities. The Centre helps us accept reality and overcome challenges. Everyone in Artsakh [Nagorno Karabakh] valued the role of the centre, and I have no doubt it will continue to serve its purpose of changing lives for the better.
Continuation of care
Vardan and his team coordinate 150-200 monthly home visits to refugees with severe disabilities. Each beneficiary receives a bespoke healthcare programme designed by a rehabilitation physician, psychologist, speech therapist, physiotherapist, nurse and/or social worker.
Staff provide medical supplies and therapeutic care for people with autism, down’s syndrome and cerebral palsy, as well as stroke survivors and amputees. They also provide specialised burn care for victims of a fuel explosion, which killed 218 and left survivors with life-changing injuries, during the mass exodus of Nagorno Karabakh in 2023.
Left: Specialists from the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Centre treat patients with severe burns at Armenia’s Burn Centre in Yerevan. Right: HART attends a home visit for a patient with cerebral palsy, November 2024.
Refugee support and housing assistance
HART partners with the Tekeyan Centre Fund (TCF) to provide crucial support to families who have been forcibly displaced from their homes. With funds raised by supporters, our initiatives help to sustain the needs and restore the hope of hundreds, as they rebuild their lives in Armenia.
In Armenia’s capital and surrounding provinces, traumatised families who fled Nagorno Karabakh face housing insecurity, lack of employment and higher costs of living. We visited New Artamet, a small village hosting 130 refugees – 7 of whom are registered as having additional needs. Most families can barely afford food and rent, and are concerned about the cost of heating their homes during the winter.
Tekeyan Centre Fund renovates homes to accommodate struggling families. Refugees are able to settle in the homes for a period of five years without paying rent. TCF also coordinates the distribution of humanitarian aid, providing vulnerable families with essential supplies such as grains, sugar, wheat flour, oil, milk, soap and nappies. They aim to distribute additional supplies to refugee families as the harsh winter months set in.
Our commitment to a brighter tomorrow
HART reaffirms its commitment to standing with the displaced – providing not just relief but the opportunity to step towards a brighter tomorrow. We are proud to witness the transformation of lives and revival of hope as our partners provide practical support to refugee families in Armenia.