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11 August 2004
Michelle Collins journeys to Armenia
When actress Michelle Collins was first asked by Oxfam to visit Armenia she did a double-take. She freely admits that she had no idea where it was - let alone what Oxfam might be doing out there.
"To be honest, I didn't know anything about Russia and what happened after the end of Communism. I've been to some of the poorest places in the world where people have nothing and have always had nothing.
"But in Armenia things are different because people were used to quite a good standard of living. Now things have changed and life's tougher. It must be hard to cope when life has changed so much,"
So where is Armenia?
Well, Armenia is a land-locked country in the heart of the Caucasus, bordering Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and Iran. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the price of healthcare soared and facilities started to deteriorate. The knock-on effect was that people's health gradually got worse and many people, especially those living in remote villages, were cut off completely from basic healthcare for years.
Khndzorut - no buses, no healthcare
Michelle made her way to the remote village of Khndzorut, where Melania Hovhanisyan, the village nurse, explained to her what Oxfam was doing.
"Before Oxfam started its work in 1999 the healthpost was not operational. There were no drugs in the village and people had to travel two hours to the nearest town to get the basic drugs they needed. The bus only runs twice a week, which made it very difficult in emergencies. People's health was getting worse and worse.
"Now, 80 per cent of people in the village participate in the scheme and I am so happy that I am able to provide the basic treatment that people need."
For just $1 a month
Under the scheme, families pay a monthly subscription rate of $1 and they receive comprehensive primary healthcare, including the free provision of essential medication. A community nurse runs the small clinic, or healthpost, and also responds to emergency call-outs.
Oxfam's Armenian programme first started in 1995/6 in response to the need for healthcare following the displacement of refugees from neighbouring Azerbaijan. Over the years it has expanded, and now, Oxfam's partner organisation Support to Communities, helps people in 100 remote villages in southern Armenia.
Michelle met 78-year-old Patvakan Hovhanisyan (no relation to Melania), who has lived in the village all his life.
Patvakan spoke about the strain he and his family were under. "Before the Oxfam scheme started, people used to have to travel far. It was expensive and sometimes it was too late. People suffered badly. This scheme has made a big difference in people's lives especially in this village. We live so far away. This village is abandoned."
The UK soap opera EastEnders has never been screened in Armenia, so most of the people Michelle met didn't recognise her. However, they understood that she was famous in the UK and were delighted she had taken the time out to come and visit Armenia. Michelle too was delighted; to have met the charming Armenian people, and to see the huge difference Oxfam has made to their lives.
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