02 9824 5555Sevaan's Christmas project in partnership with the Envoy Hostel created smiles for many in need
There exists a small territory wedged between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which has become a political hot potato since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The people of Nagorno-Karabakh live with military forces from both sides occupying parts of the region. Used as a pawn between two outside strategic powers, the place is a tinderbox and over the years skirmishes and full-blown wars have broken out as battle for who lays claim to the region ignites. The victims are innocent peace loving people, who call it home.
Often forced to flee the fighting, spending time as refugees, the local population returns to ruined towns, unlivable homes and decimated schools. For many years this has been a normality and for the children – a very sad reality of life.
For over twenty years the Sevaan Group has been actively involved in providing financial assistance to the people. Building homes and schools have been our primary goals along with doing what we can to help improve the lives of the local population.
In 2020 the region was again devastated by a full-scale military conflict and the local people were further hindered by the global Covid-19 pandemic. Many homeless people sought basic shelter and aid. Our friends own and operate a local tourist resort, ‘Envoy Hostel’, servicing visitors and tourists from all across the Caucasus and from around the world. With the pandemic hitting their business, they saw the opportunity to do good with their facility, welcoming as many of the displaced families as they could, providing shelter, food and a safe place to wait out the conflict before returning once again to their flattened villages.
In 2021, in collaboration with these special friends, we were able to do something that brought more than just a little stability to the locals’ living conditions.
The smiles on the children's faces told the full story
As Christmas was nearing and many were looking at a bleak festive season in the middle of winter with temperatures fluctuating from -15° to 0°, the families just wanted some semblance of Christmas for their children. Together with the team at the Envoy Hostel, the Sevaan team went into action, providing much needed financial support. The good folk from the Envoy Hostel began procuring Christmas trees, traditional Christmas foods and presents for the kids.
Traversing the territory, deliveries of Christmas goodies were delivered to schools and villages where the smiles on the kids’ faces told the full story. We are very humbled by the work being conducted by volunteers, giving up much to help the local people navigate their lives through an invisible war. To have the opportunity to play our role as an organisation with the full buy-in of our staff is a gift.
Giving back to those less fortunate and supporting charities that work tirelessly for the wellbeing of others is an integral part of Sevaan Group’s culture. It ties our fabric together, keeps our teams looking at the bigger picture and gives our business added purpose.
We extend a huge thank you to Annie and Erik and their team at the Envoy Hostel. You are a constant source of inspiration.
