Building Houses in Honour of Those Who Lost their Homes During the 2015 Armenian Genocide

May 5, 2015

Maida Iclites — Maida Icliates, Chair of Armenian Family Support Services with Prichila Kirubakaran, Habitat Build participant.

March 28 and April 11, 2015

“100 Youth for 100 Years!!” This was our mantra for the 2015 Armenian Memorial Faith Build in support of Habitat for Humanity GTA–one of the many events organized by the Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of Canada to commemorate the 100^th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

In 2006, the Armenian Family Support Services (AFSS) of Holy Trinity Armenian Church started a collaborative first-of-its-kind initiative with Habitat for Humanity GTA called the “Armenian Memorial Faith Build.” Every year since then, the Build has commemorated the Armenian Genocide by building homes for the underprivileged in order to make a difference in local communities. This year the Organizing Committee, lead by Ani Kokorian, collaborated with the Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of Canada to mobilize countless youth from various Toronto-Armenian Youth Groups, Schools, Churches and Community Centres to make this event the biggest Build ever! The fundraising goal was to raise $20,000.00 to help cover the cost of one home.

The response from the community was overwhelming. Over two build dates, in excess of 100 energetic youth and adults from around Toronto braved the cold temperatures to gather at the Brimley Road Project and participate in the Build. Many political and community leaders attended the opening ceremonies on both days. Speeches were made by Ene Underwood, CEO of Habitat for Humanity, David Sauve, CEO of the Board of Directors for Habitat, Members of Parliament Roxanne James (Scarborough Centre) and Rathika Sitsabaiesan, (Scarborough Rouge River) and David Warner, former MPP Scarborough-Ellesmere. Also in attendance were Krikor Chitilian, Chair of the Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee, Rev. Archpriest Fr. Zareh Zargarian, Pastor of the Holy Trinity Armenian Church, Maida Icliates, Chair of the Board of AFSS and Ani Kokorian Build Organizer. Everyone extended their support and encouragement to those who were there to build in memory of lives and homes lost during the Armenian Genocide.

Our Guest of Honour on March 28^th was Mrs. Eugenie Kokorian-Yerganian. Orphaned as an infant during the Armenian Genocide, she was shipped off to an orphanage in Greece and eventually ended up in Cairo, Egypt as a foster child. She eventually married and raised her family in Cairo. Habitat for Humanity honoured her and celebrated her upcoming 100th birthday with a pink hard hat decorated with 100 ornamental gemstones. Her story touched the hearts of all who were present and made the Build even more meaningful.

At our second build on April 11, 2015, AFSS Board Chair Maida Icliates and Project Organizer Ani Kokorian presented a $20,000 cheque to David Sauve, Chair of Board of Directors and Enloe Wilson, Director of Faith Habitat for Humanity . We are grateful for receiving media coverage from Nor Hai Horizon, CTV News and CP24, who featured the Armenian Memorial Faith Build on their evening news.

Our young builders worked on the construction of fifteen homes. By nailing support beams together, sawing wood for the exterior framework, moving heavy sheets of drywall, and many other assigned tasks, they were able to directly make a difference in the lives of local families and children. After a long, cold and tiring day of hard work, they went home with a sense of accomplishment and pride, gaining new friends and precious memories.

Prichila Kirubakaran, 26, a participant from both build dates, eloquently explained what the Habitat build meant for her, and why she felt it was important to participate in this event: “Many people asked me why I chose to volunteer for the Armenian Memorial Faith Build, as I am obviously not Armenian. I liked receiving this question as it gave me the opportunity to share my reasoning for participating. Although I am not Armenian and I am fortunate to have never lived through war or genocide, many people I hold near and dear to my heart are Armenian and have had many family members experience just that. To help commemorate an event that has affected so many of my friends in such a tremendous way was a no-brainer. It was a reminder that even though we may not share the same history, may not look the same when it comes to the colour of our skin and we may not come from the same place, we all still cry the same tears, laugh with the same joy and love with the same hearts. When we come together and celebrate what we have in common, and put aside all of the things that separate us, we can do incredibly powerful things to help create a better future.”

Some of the amazing participants of the Armenian Memorial Faith Build.