Maralik – the Romi Baronian Kindergarten

In western Armenia, around an hour and a half from the capital, Yerevan, the village of Maralik lies at almost 1,700 metres above sea level. Its kindergarten, dating from Soviet times, was in such poor condition that the children had to be sent home in winter – it stayed closed altogether from October to April. Inside it was barely five degrees, the walls were damp, the floors open and the windows draughty.

Thanks to many donors, above all from the Schaffhausen region, the Stiftung Hilfe für Armenien invested around CHF 300,000 in a comprehensive renovation. The building was renewed from the ground up: the foundations were insulated, underfloor heating and radiators installed, and new windows fitted. The rooms were reorganised for the around 120 children aged three to five – with playrooms, rest rooms and a modern kitchen.

In honour of the driving force behind the project, the kindergarten was officially renamed the Romi Baronian Kindergarten. Mike Baronian was also made an honorary citizen of Maralik.

Several hundred people attended the opening in October 2019 – among them, as guest of honour, Anna Hakobyan, the wife of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Her visit was a special recognition for the foundation and, at the same time, a signal that remote regions of Armenia also deserve attention.

You can find more information and a short film of the opening ceremony here.