This year we shift the dialogue on December 1st from Giving Tuesday to Gratitude Tuesday. With so many difficulties we've all had to face throughout 2020, this Giving Tuesday we're taking time to reflect on everything we remain grateful for - our incredible donors, partners, family members and friends. Thank you so much for continuing to show up for us with generosity, encouragement and understanding during this unprecedented year. Your support continues to keep us going and moving forward with our mission.
We're so excited to introduce to you our newest fellow, Mariam Avagyan, co-founder of LavLva. Mariam comes to us with impressive designations, including a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering. She is based in Armenia, where she's designed the first ever laundromat in Debed village, situated in the Lori Region. Currently, 900 people living in this village lack easy and affordable access to running water. As such, they are traveling long distances to the Debed river every day, using the water for all purposes including drinking, cooking and washing their laundry. The multi-purpose usage of the river poses serious health risks to all village residents.
LavLva is the first ever community laundromat in Armenia since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. The benefits are two-fold. First, the women hired to run the laundromat will earn full-time employment and be lifted out of their current financial insecurity, allowing them to contribute to their household income. Second, the health and quality of life of the entire village will improve as they will no longer have to wash their clothing in the dirty, toxic waters, that are partially frozen half of the year.
Today, we are showing our gratitude for all of the incredible female entrepreneurs making a difference with their life-saving innovations. Let's join forces to support entrepreneurs like Mariam. In supporting this woman, you are directly improving the health and wellbeing of an entire village.
We appreciate your continued support. We couldn't do this work without you.