Tsiatsan Textiles is a small textiles and art school serving the most deprived communities of Spitak in northern Armenia. This area was devastated in the 1988 earthquake and the community continues to struggle in every way. There are 75 children registered in the school aged between 4 -16. Several come from homes where there is very little income for the essentials of life and in a few cases very little care. The teaching emphasis is on traditional Armenian crafts, passing on these skills to future generations. However, the underlying ethos is to provide a clean, warm and caring environment where the children can learn social and lifetime skills. A group of approximately 5 women work as volunteers making goods by traditional methods intended for sale, a small outlet is incorporated in the building which they have recently refurbished.

Jean Darby from Alnwick, Northumberland is president of Tsiatsan Textiles. She is there at the moment and writes: "The winter here has been very severe and it is only in the last 10 days that we have been able to turn on the water in the building. Also many children have had a virus but thankfully most are now recovered and are beginning to come back to the school in the afternoons. They are learning to use the sewing machine, to knit and to crochet as well as making small carpets in the traditional Armenian way. It is good to see that this is an activity which can bring all the village children together as the school is free so all can come. It is good for those who come from the really poor homes to meet on equal terms with the others. The women's group are still working in their homes and we are finding it very difficult to find outlets for the goods they make because of the very unstable political situation."

Financially the school has reached a crisis point and is now facing closure. With your contributions, however small, they will be able to continue providing this valued and much needed facility.