In March 2007 John and Lila Tocci joined a World Vision major donor’s mission to the Caucasus Mountain countries of Armenia and Georgia

In Gyumri, Armenia, they visited an electric-heated preschool and kindergarten where only a handful of the city’s 600 three to six-year-olds was in attendance. Holiday? No, winter, and just enough money to supply heat to one classroom. They were touched by the harsh reality of unrelenting cold for these heavily bundled-up youngsters and the harsher reality of education and futures severely jeopardized for the greater number who stayed home. Later in the year, for Tocci’s annual Christmas Tithing Program, the company chose to aid funding for the installation of more affordable gas-fired boilers at each of Gyumri’s three kindergartens. This gift was given in the name of our 2007 project partners and clients.

GOOD NEWS! The boilers were installed during the summer of 2008 and are in working order as winter descends on Gyumri this Christmas season. Reports are that a record number of children are arriving for school even as the frigid season progresses and temperatures plunge. Pass it forward impact includes mothers, many well-educated, being freed to seek work, important in this poverty-stricken land, and children being afforded the opportunity to join in afterschool arts and social programs. We pass forward our gratitude to each and every one of our 2007 clients and partners.

Header Image:

Caucasus Mountains, Armenia

Credit: Gill M L (Permissions)