The Student Association for Medical Aid 
(SAMA)

The Student Association for Medical Aid (SAMA) is an independent, student-run, non-discriminatory humanitarian aid organization at McGill University (Montreal, Canada) without religious affiliations. 

In the summer of 2002, we will be embarking on our seventh consecutive mission to Armenia. The following are our goals for the 2002 project:

• SAMA’s first low-level development program. This program will entail the production of 140 children’s handmade wool sweaters by a group of refugees living in a dormitory outside of the capital city of Yerevan. These sweaters will then be donated to the Noubarashen orphanage upon our arrival in Armenia next summer. 
  
• Provide a learning seminar for the refugees living in Charentsavan, a small city about an hour outside of Yerevan. The seminars will be directed towards both young and mature adults. Possible topics discussed this past summer were: Armenians around the world, current events, Canadian culture, and computer applications.
  
• Renovation of playrooms at the Noubarashen orphanage. A new coat of paint is desperately needed, new chairs and tables to replace the few that are broken, shelves, and also toys to fill the empty rooms.
  
• Participate in a joint effort donation of educational materials for refugee children with the director of nine recently privatized refugee centers in Armenia. We have agreed on further discussion of combining our donation of 200 school bags containing one year’s worth of various school supplies with purchases made by the organization.
  
• The donation of first aid, hygiene products, educational materials and clothing to orphanages lacking private donors. These products will be in part purchased in Yerevan, and also in part the result of solicitations for donations here in Canada.
  
• Donate medical supplies to a medical clinic for women in Gyumri that is just starting up. Since the earthquake in 1998, much of the city has yet to be rebuilt and a significant amount of the impoverished population is composed of single mothers and their children.
  
  Upon our return to Canada we will continue to disseminate information by presenting our findings and project outcomes to organizations in Montreal. 
  
  We have spent all year fundraising, but as we are a very small organization, are still in dire need of funds and materials. We will personally deliver the materials thus ensuring that those who are most in need receive the aid. Cheques may be made payable to McGill Student Association for Medical Aid (SAMA). Also, as we are working under the auspices of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada, cheques may be made payable to the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada/SAMA if a tax receipt is desired.
  
  Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to receive further information orr would like to make a contribution to our project: sama_mcgill@hotmail.com 
  
  Letters of recommendation from the dean of medicine at McGill and the archbishop of the Armenian Church of Canada are available upon request.