Viva-MTS. New agricultural equipment for the Artabuynq settlement

In Artabuynq settlement of the Vayots Dzor region there is no longer needed to request agricultural equipment from neighboring communities. Viva-MTS and the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) resolved the issue within the “Eco Villages Network” project. People in Artabuynq are sure that from now on the results of their hard work won’t be lost. The factory-made "Belarus" tractor donated to the community and the "Tukan-1600 model" baler will appear on everyone's land with a systematic schedule.                        

Despite the urgency and need, the residents of Artabuynk did not have a tractor. In order to benefit from the support of the neighboring villages, they had to adjust to the waste of time and the need to incur additional costs. Now they are sure that the harvested grass will not stay in the open air and in the sun for very long, nor will it be blown away by the wind. They are ready to support each other and start the work.

“People do want to stay in the village, but sometimes the daily problems they face lead them to leave their home and work outside the country. To stop the emmigration, we need to give a hand of help to the villagers. For many years the harvesting period was very problematic for us. Now we can say for sure, that our problems will be alleviated,” said Armen Sedrakyan, the community head of Artabuynq community.

The partnering organizations – the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) and Viva-MTS – are seeking ways to contribute to the development of the regions by improving infrastructural conditions of the villages. Partners believe that it will be possible to contribute to the development of rural communities by providing a means of subsistence and a minimum standard of living.

“Being a man of land is a hard yet honorable thing. A man of work knows perfectly well the price of land. Our purpose is to support those engaged in that very responsible task in the remote villages. We strive to implement variety of projects to the best of our ability. We believe this kind of support is as important as the development of infrastructures in remote regions. Now you will have an opportunity to organize your routine work more efficiently and get the maximum of it. Stay strongly tied to your village and make it flourish in an everyday effort,” Viva-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian said.

Agricultural works are underway in Artabuynk. The equipment that came to the aid of the villagers is not only new, but also easy to manage and operate.

About “Eco Villages Network” project

Eco villages network includes selected intentional or traditional communities throughout Armenia, that are consciously designed through locally owned, participatory processes to regenerate their social, cultural, economic and natural environments.

The core idea behind the whole concept of the ecovillages is integrating the four dimensions of sustainability – ecological, economic, cultural and social – through integral, participatory design.

The project is a new format of the long-term cooperation between the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC), VivaCell-MTS and the Global Ecovillages Network (GEN) in the field of environmental protection and sustainable use of natural resources.

About FPWC

The Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) was founded in Y2002. FPWC is a member organization of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since Y2012.

FPWC’s mission is to publicize the unique natural heritage of Armenia and the importance of biodiversity conservation, environmental issues and the importance of preserving nature. We aim to reduce human and wildlife conflict and its consequences to reduce the risks of endangered species of flora and fauna.

Biodiversity conservation, environmental education, community development and public awareness are the main directions of our activities.

About VivaCell-MTS

VivaCell-MTS (MTS Armenia CJSC) is Armenia’s leading telecommunications operator, having the widest network reach and spreading a wide range of Voice and Data services all across Armenia. Having the best of the Armenian people interest at heart since its launch on 1st July Y2005 and in a short period of time VivaCell-MTS has managed to build a nationwide network and a considerable customer base. VivaCell-MTS drives innovation and aims at always being at the forefront of any development serving the Armenian mobile communications market.  The company follows the guidance provided by ISO 26000 (International Standard of Social Responsibility) and ISO/IEC 27001:2013 (Information Security Management System). For more information, visit www.mts.am

Mobile TeleSystems PJSC ("MTS") is the leading telecommunications group in Russia and the CIS, offering mobile and fixed voice, broadband, pay TV as well as content and entertainment services in one of the world's fastest growing regions. Including its subsidiaries, the Group services over 100 million mobile subscribers in Russia, Ukraine, Armenia and Belarus. Since July Y2000, MTS' Level 3 ADRs have been listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol MBT). Additional information about the MTS Group can be found at www.mtsgsm.com.