JOE LEVONIAN / Sydney, Australia

Joe arrived in Armenia in August 2006 as a member of the Armenian Volunteer Corps and has been working as an unpaid volunteer with us since that time. He returned back to Australia in August 2007 to undertake further studies and came back to us in May 2008 to continue his work.

His main duties with us were helping us with organisational structural change development, working with the psychosocial team, teaching English and challenging the staff in their ideas and views of the West. 

Additionally Joe has worked on other projects such as helping establish a hospitality training school in Gyumri, working at children’s summer camps and running training programs in business skills and online ecommerce in addition to numerous one off projects with other organisations and businesses requiring assistance with their operations.

Although his ethnic origin is Armenian, having lived in Australia and England, where he studied Clinical Hypnotherapy, through his every day work and presence with us, there was an organic cultural exchange of western and eastern ideas where all involved learned about each other. For us this has helped in our understanding when dealing with colleagues from around the world.

Joe brought with him openness in accepting people as they were; while at the same time discerning the diamonds from the rough with his work priorities and the people he was dealing with.

These qualities have resulted in Joe not only being a volunteer with us, but rather becoming a part of the DAA family and one of our friends. Although Joe will be leaving us at the end of August 2008, we look forward to his return in the future.

His special field of interest was at the Children’s Haematology Hospital where he has been involved in helping the patients as a counsellor, working with the playroom teachers and fund raising for the children’s hospital for renovation work.

The first renovation to take place was the children’s play room which was completed in April 2007. The reason this room was chosen first is that is the only space the children have in the hospital beyond their own small run down rooms.

The 2nd renovation was the kitchen and now with the new paediatric hospital being established, work will be undertaken to establish a playroom and a psychologist centre there also. Children that are being treated for Leukaemia will stay at the hospital on average for 9 months.

Although Joe will be leaving us in August 2008, he will be continuing his work with us as our representative overseas. We wish him all the luck and encourage you to get in touch with Joe Levonian if you would like any further information or can help him help the children.