24 ARMENIAN ORGANIZATIONS PROMOTED THEIR ANTICORRUPTION PROPOSALS TO THE PUBLIC

 

Eight proposals won the opportunity to get funding from MAAC

 

To view the list of the winning organizations in Armenian, please click here.

 

On 22 April, twenty-four non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other organizations from across Armenia participated in a unique competition entitled NGO Marketplace; the eight winners are invited to negotiate a grant from the USAID Mobilizing Action Against Corruption (MAAC) Activity to support their anti-corruption project initiatives in Armenia. The event, organized by the USAID MAAC Activity, was designed to encourage Armenian NGOs and other interested organizations from all regions of the country and from all sectors to join in the fight against corruption. More than 1600 guests from all over the country reviewed the projects, selected their preferred ones, and voted for them. After the results of the voting by the public and the Panel of Judges were tabulated, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Marie L. Yovanovitch announced the winners of the competition.

 

The NGO Marketplace was designed as an open and competitive whole-day event at which participating NGOs were given an opportunity to “market” their ideas and “sell” their proposed projects to the general public, a panel of judges, and MAAC for possible grant funding. This one-time-only event was a highly transparent and open process of awarding grants to NGOs and other organizations. The Marketplace also served as an opportunity for networking and exchanging ideas on proposed themes. Each organization had a booth and was given the possibility to present its submission and answer questions from interested parties.  The Panel of Judges was composed of six well-known figures selected for their integrity and contribution to Armenia.    

 

The Marketplace took place at “Tigran Mets” Hall of Armenia Marriott Hotel on 22 April, starting at 11:00.  More than 1600 people had the opportunity to evaluate the presented projects and vote for their three preferred ones – the public vote stood for the 30% of the overall score.  From 14:00 to 15:30, the Panel of Judges and MAAC reviewed the projects and made their evaluation; the Panel of Judges’ vote stood for 50% of the overall score, while MAAC’s assessment comprised the 20% of the score.  While the votes were tallied and the winners identified, the renowned band Art Voices gave a concert in the Marketplace site.  After the concert, US Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch announced the winners, which were the following organizations (in the alphabetical order);

 

Armavir Development Center, NGO

Proposed Project title: “Let’s enjoy our rights”

The NGO will implement anti-corruption participatory monitoring in four policlinics of Armavir marz and public education and awareness with regard to provision of medicines free of charge or on the basis of privilege.

 

Young Doctors of Syunik, NGO

Proposed Project Title: “Accountable medical institution - healthy community”

The NGO will increase the level of awareness of population about and intolerance toward corruption in provision of primary healthcare services in urban and rural communities. It also plans to increase accountability and transparency of Syunik healthcare providers by developing a package of relevant recommendations and submitting it to the Ministry of Health.

 

Support to communities, benevolent NGO

Proposed Project Title: “Reducing corruption risks in rural communities”

The NGO will contribute to reducing corruption risks in provision of state guaranteed free ambulant-policlinic healthcare services in 20 communities of Tavush region through developing and implementing new approaches and mobilizing, awareness-raising and active participation.

 

Armenian Public Relations Association, NGO

Proposed Project Title: “Channel Corruption Away”

The NGO will raise the awareness of the society, media, and businesses about mechanisms of citizens rights protection by conducting media campaign through presenting success stories regarding enforcement of citizens' rights in the courts and through public discourse.

 

"Banadzev" (Formula) LLC

Proposed Project Title: “Special Reportage”

The NGO will prepare and broadcast about 8 media programs based on investigative journalism on corruption cases.

 

Young Family Support Center, NGO

Proposed project Title “Transparent community budget”

The project is aimed at contributing to addition of budget income entries in Yeghegnadzor, Vayk, Jermuk, Malishka communities of Vayots Dzor region, reducing current corruption risks.

 

“Astghik” Disabled Children's Parents' Association, NGO

Proposed Project Title: “Custody”

The NGO will contribute to reducing corruption risks in Custody related bodies and raising awareness concerning custody in 12 communities in Yerevan. Objectives are creating a guidebook for custody, web-site, list of disabled children, publishing guidebook.

 

Yerevan Medical University after M. Heratsi, State Non-Commercial Organization

Proposed Project Title: “Defending Hippocratic Oath”

The organization will conduct deep research of corruption risks in various medial establishments and develop clear mechanisms of their prevention. In particular, conduct marketing research on actual expenditures and price calculation for medical services, conduct a survey to study the mechanisms of providing medical care to patients, analyze and evaluate mechanisms of calculating salaries for medical workers, and develop new mechanisms of paying for medical services and salaries.

 

The results of assessment by the public, Panel of Judges, and MAAC are presented in the table below:

 

Booth Nº	Applicant Organization	Project Title	Received Scores			Re-Calculated Scores
			Public Voting (Total number of votes received)	Panel of Judges (Average number of scores)	MAAC (Average number of scores)	Public Voting (30%) Formula: the number of votes received by applicant multiplied by 30 and divided by maximum number of votes received by an applicant	Panel of Judges (50%) Formula: the number of average scores multiplied by 50 and divided by maximum number of scores for the Panel of Judges	MAAC (20%) Formula: the number of average scores multiplied by 20 and divided by maximum number of scores for MAAC Evaluation Team	Total (100%)
31	Yerevan Medical University after M. Heratsi, State Non-Commercial Organization	Defending Hippocratic Oath	437	9.3	13.7	30.0	23.3	13.7	67.0
22	Astghik Disabled Children's Parents' Association NGO	Custody	410	11.0	11.0	28.1	27.5	11.0	66.6
14	Young Family Support Center	Transparent community budget	403	7.3	13.3	27.7	18.3	13.3	59.3
13	"Banadzev" LLC	Special Reportage	235	10.7	15.3	16.1	26.7	15.3	58.1
7	Armenian Public Relations Association, NGO	Channel corruption away	119	13.0	15.0	8.2	32.5	15.0	55.7
26	Support to communities Benevolent NGO	Reducing corruption risks in rural communities	211	10.7	13.7	14.5	26.7	13.7	54.8
9	Young Doctors of Syunik NGO	Accountable medical institution - healthy community	229	8.7	14.7	15.7	21.7	14.7	52.1
15	Armavir Development Center	Let's enjoy our rights	200	9.0	13.7	13.7	22.5	13.7	49.9
30	Armenian Marketing Association, NGO	Corruption manifestations in polyclinics: development of anticorruption mechanisms	249	8.3	11.7	17.1	20.8	11.7	49.6
24	Accountancy and Financial Management Training Centre	Supporting small and medium entrepreneurs to overcome corruption in taxation area	111	11.3	13.3	7.6	28.3	13.3	49.3
11	Ecological Academy NGO	State supervision efficiency research in  forestry through public ecological monitoring	225	7.3	14.0	15.4	18.3	14.0	47.8
20	Association of Reporters of Audio-Visual, NGO	"How to cover corruption" educational campaign	142	10.0	12.7	9.7	25.0	12.7	47.4
25	"Areg" Scientific Cultural Youth Association, NGO	Priorities of the Youth Struggle against Corruption	279	6.0	13.0	19.2	15.0	13.0	47.2
5	Work and Motherland NGO	Vayk as transparent city model	217	6.3	16.3	14.9	15.8	16.3	47.1
21	"AYB" legal and community support center, NGO	Legal grounds to fight corruption	128	8.7	13.3	8.8	21.7	13.3	43.8
29	Millennium Communities Development Foundation	Secure power supply in multi-apartment buildings	102	10.3	10.3	7.0	25.8	10.3	43.2
16	Capacity and Development for Civil Society	Recognizing corruption is the main precondition to overcome it	245	5.7	12.0	16.8	14.2	12.0	43.0
1	Union of Non-Governmental Organizations of Shirak Region	Corruption in education system: situation, reasons, solutions	161	7.7	11.3	11.1	19.2	11.3	41.6
8	Civil Society Development Center of Syunik	Social reforms	104	7.3	16.0	7.1	18.3	16.0	41.5
28	Hope, faith, love charitable NGO	Let's eliminate additional red - tape	118	7.7	13.3	8.1	19.2	13.3	40.6
18	Improve our village, NGO	Youth is against corruption	145	7.3	11.0	10.0	18.3	11.0	39.3
27	Center for Social-Economical and legal Reforms, NGO	Youth Against Corruption	70	7.7	13.7	4.8	19.2	13.7	37.6
3	"Tsoline" Benevolent, Cultural, and Law-Protection NGO, "Saint Soil" Benevolent Organization	Pupils against corruption	67	7.3	13.0	4.6	18.3	13.0	35.9
4	"Araks Center" Charity NGO	Protect rights of old people in Gyumri through providing information	127	5.7	10.0	8.7	14.2	10.0	32.9

 

The Marketplace serves as a unique opportunity for the civil society organizations to market their innovative anti-corruption initiatives and to support the combat against corruption in the country.