ARMENIAN CHILDREN’S MILK FUND CHAIR VISITS WITH LITTLE HAIG AND HIS FAMILY

Little Haig with his mother in front of their house.

The Armenian Children’s Milk Fund (ACMF), is a service of the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA) and was founded in 1989 by a diverse group of caring individuals in Belmont, Massachusetts. For nearly 25 years, the ACMF has been providing essential care for a healthy start in life to some of Armenia’s most vulnerable citizens. ACMF‘s mission is to provide a life-sustaining nutritional program of vitamin-enhanced formula to infants during their first year of life. ACMF focus is to support the children from families where their mothers are ill, absent or for some reason physically unable to breastfeed. The ACMF also supports children in families where the economic circumstances prevent them from purchasing this crucial food.

Jeanmarie Papelian (right) visiting with the family of little Haig.

Recently, Jeanmarie Papelian, Chair of the Armenian Children’s Milk Fund and a member of the AMAA Board of Directors was in Armenia visiting with children from families who benefitted by the work ACMF. While there, Jeanmarie met Haig, a 10 month old who lives in the Cilicia district of Yerevan with his parents, grandparents and 6 year old brother Armand. The economic situation for Haig’s family is dismal. The family lives in a two room house, and all six sleep in the same room. There is no running water in the house. They bring water from a neighbor’s house. There is also no gas to heat the house. They just have a small gas stove and they heat the house in the winter by burning trash, as firewood is expensive. Haig’s father can hardly maintain a seasonal work as a laborer, his grandmother washes dishes at a nearby restaurant.

Little Haig enjoying his new toy.

Haig’s mother has a chronic illness which can be passed on from a mother to her infants. Two of her babies died shortly after birth because of a result of this illness. When Haig was born, the doctors recommended that he not be breastfeed in the hopes that he would live. The physician directed Haig’s mother to the to AMAA’s Armenian Children’s Milk Fund to receive assistance in getting Haig’s infant formula.

Thanks to the Armenian Children’s Milk Fund, Haig is now a healthy little boy, and is preparing to walk. Support to the ACMF has helped hundreds of babies grow up to be healthy little children. If you are interested in helping the ACMF please click here http://www.amaa.org/milkfund.htm or contact the AMAA at 201.265.2607.