Open the Doors for All
The project was launched in 1999 and completed in 2008 through financial support of OXFAM GB and OXFAM Netherlands (NOVIB) to support the development of strategies that fully involves children with disabilities in schools and community life. With the support of the project the 1st official pilot of inclusive education was realized together with the ministry of education of Armenia in the secondary school # 27 in Yerevan. After the successful pilot the model was expanded in 5 more secondary schools in Yerevan. Based on the results of the pilot, in 2005, the inclusive education was officially recognized by the Armenian Government of Armenia as State policy and was fostered by the Law about the education of persons who are in need of special conditions in education. Thus the history of development of inclusive education in Armenia started with the project through the leadership of NGO “Bridge of Hope”. In between 2000 -2005 a workable and replicable model of community based services to children with disabilities and other special needs and their family members was proposed by the project by establishing the Bridge of Hope community centers in Dilijan (2001) Ijevan (2003), Berd (2004) and Noyemberyan (2005).