Children of Armenia Fund

Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) The Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) is a non-profit organization that uses community-led approaches to reducing rural poverty, with a particular focus on children. The organization was founded by Dr. Garo H. Armen in 2000. COAF funds and implements education, health, social, economic and infrastructure programs in rural Armenia. COAF provides access to clean water, electricity, gas, and roadways, as well as other essential resources including schools, health clinics and community centers. The organization directly funds, implements and oversees its programs with a support staff on the ground in Armenia. To date, COAF has raised $17 million and currently operates in 22 rural villages with no political affiliation. System of a Down, a metal band native to Armenia, has contributed to COAF through the selling of T-shirts (giving all proceeds to the worthy cause.

History

From 2000 – 2004, the organization provided funding for philanthropic activities in Armenia, including a partnership with the U.S. State Department to fund the deployment of bomb-sniffing dogs to the site of the former Nagorno-Karabagh Conflict. COAF raised $100,000 for the effort.