History of Shen NGO

Shen NGO was created in 1988 by a group of professors and students of Yerevan Polytechnic Institute to address some of the urgent humanitarian problems of Armenia. Since then Shen as an NGO involved in development endeavours in over 350 rural communities of Armenia passed through almost all the stages of Rural Development area, such as:

• Humanitarian Aid;
• Integrated Approach to Rural Development;
• Physical and Social Infrastructures Rehabilitation in rural communities;
• Asset Based Community Development;
• Value Chain Development using Markets for Poor (M4P) approach;
• Agricultural Cooperative Development.

The cornerstone of all Shen development projects is long-term sustainability which is our vision since the establishment for all the implemented activities in over 350 rural communities of Armenia. During the last decade Shen engaged the facilitative leadership approach in its economic development projects (M4P projects) considering the potential vital role of Market Forces in income generation for rural population. This has been accomplished with significant support of our sister NGO Chene France, Yalkezian Foundation and several other Armenian Diaspora organisations. We would also like to acknowledge hereby our sponsors - World Council of Churches, Christian Aid (UK), IFAD, BfdW (Germany), ICCO (the Netherlands), Oxfam Novib (the Netherlands), HEKS-EPER (Switzerland), KASA Foundation (Switzerland), UNDP, UNFPA, USDA, FAO, DFID, USAID, SDC (Switzerland), Région Auvergne Rhône-Alpes. 

Almost all projects include Capacity Building components aiming at transfer of minimum necessary knowledge and skills to its beneficiaries to ensure further sustainability of the projects. Shen NGO has also positive experience of cooperation with big companies within Corporate Social Responsibility model (e.g. Orange, France Telecom).