Lebanon: Zvartnotz Centre

Location: Beirut, Lebanon
Director: Araxi Dabaghian
Founded: 1987

How it all started

The Zvartnotz Centre is a small day care centre for mentally disabled children and young adults, some of whom also have physical disabilities. It offers physical, spiritual and mental care, in a family-like atmosphere. Zvartnotz means ‘Angels’.

In 1987, the Armenian Union of the Social Workers realised that there was a need for a centre for mentally disabled children in Beirut. Under their initiative, Zvartnotz was opened in a flat owned by an Armenian Evangelical church, in Beirut. During the first year, there were 8 children, but the work of the Centre has grown and now up to 35 beneficiaries, between the ages of 3–35 years, can be accepted.

Current activities

The main aims of the Centre are to develop each student’s potential and to enable each child to become self-sufficient: to be able to sit, walk, eat, and to dress themselves. All students are assessed regularly, and an individual programme is then drawn up and followed for each one. This helps them to overcome their individual difficulties and encourages each person to express themselves and integrate into society as fully as possible.

Many of the children come to the centre with little or no education, and most of them have never been to school before. All of the beneficiaries have an IQ of less than 60, whilst some have an IQ of less than 35, and many are multiply-disabled. The Director, eight teachers trained in Special Education, and a social worker run the Centre, whilst specialists in psychology, psychiatry, physiotherapy and speech therapy attend on a part-time basis. The staff are all devoted to their work and to the care of the children.

If possible, work related skills are taught, such as using a knitting machine, and some, especially those with Down Syndrome, are helped to find employment in their local community. However, some of beneficiaries are so severely mentally disabled that they are unable to take part in any of the activities.

As well as giving the children an education, medical care and work-related skills, the Centre also provides all students with a midday meal, further ensuring that their health needs are met.

The Centre provides support for the family of each of its students. Parents are shown the best ways of caring for their child, and are given advice about medical and government benefits. The Centre also provides help to those parents who may be suffering feelings of loneliness or guilt.

Unfortunately, disabled people are still not fully accepted in Lebanese society, and are often ignored or mistreated, due to a lack of knowledge. Zvartnotz campaigns at both local and governmental levels, for the favourable recognition of disabled people in the Lebanese community.

Zvartnotz celebrated its 15th Anniversary in 2003, with a music concert in which three visually impaired Armenian musicians performed. The staff at the Centre gave thanks to all those who had enabled them to provide love, care, support, and growth and development opportunities to many children and young adults over the years, who would not otherwise have been able to live such a happy and fulfilled life.

Location: Beirut, Lebanon Director: Araxi Dabaghian Founded: 1987 How it all started The Zvartnotz Centre is a small day care centre for mentally disabled children and young adults, some of whom also have physical disabilities. It offers physical, spiritual and mental care, in a family-like atmosphere. Zvartnotz means ‘Angels’. In 1987, the Armenian Union of the Social Workers realised that there was a need for a centre for mentally disabled children in Beirut. Under their initiative, Zvartnotz was opened in a flat owned by an Armenian Evangelical church, in Beirut. During the first year, there were 8 children, but the work of the Centre has grown and now up to 35 beneficiaries, between the ages of 3–35 years, can be accepted. Current activities The main aims of the Centre are to develop each student’s potential and to enable each child to become self-sufficient: to be able to sit, walk, eat, and to dress themselves. All students are assessed regularly, and an individual programme is then drawn up and followed for each one. This helps them to overcome their individual difficulties and encourages each person to express themselves and integrate into society as fully as possible. Many of the children come to the centre with little or no education, and most of them have never been to school before. All of the beneficiaries have an IQ of less than 60, whilst some have an IQ of less than 35, and many are multiply-disabled. The Director, eight teachers trained in Special Education, and a social worker run the Centre, whilst specialists in psychology, psychiatry, physiotherapy and speech therapy attend on a part-time basis. The staff are all devoted to their work and to the care of the children. If possible, work related skills are taught, such as using a knitting machine, and some, especially those with Down Syndrome, are helped to find employment in their local community. However, some of beneficiaries are so severely mentally disabled that they are unable to take part in any of the activities. As well as giving the children an education, medical care and work-related skills, the Centre also provides all students with a midday meal, further ensuring that their health needs are met. The Centre provides support for the family of each of its students. Parents are shown the best ways of caring for their child, and are given advice about medical and government benefits. The Centre also provides help to those parents who may be suffering feelings of loneliness or guilt. Unfortunately, disabled people are still not fully accepted in Lebanese society, and are often ignored or mistreated, due to a lack of knowledge. Zvartnotz campaigns at both local and governmental levels, for the favourable recognition of disabled people in the Lebanese community. Zvartnotz celebrated its 15th Anniversary in 2003, with a music concert in which three visually impaired Armenian musicians performed. The staff at the Centre gave thanks to all those who had enabled them to provide love, care, support, and growth and development opportunities to many children and young adults over the years, who would not otherwise have been able to live such a happy and fulfilled life.



		Hovig, who has Down Syndrome, is learning to play the keyboard. This is especially good for teaching him motor control of his fingers. Each finger has a number written on it, so that he knows in which order to play the notes.