In several countries once considered behind the Iron Curtain, many of the public buildings were constructed at the height of the Cold War and have not been renovated since. This is the case in Armenia, where many public schools are crumbling around the students and teachers.

IRD continues to provide upgrades to schools around the country. The latest, completed in May, are two kindergartens in the capital, Yerevan, which had been built in 1959 and 1960, respectively. Tiles were falling from walls, ceilings, and floors. Windows were cracked and drafty. Pipes were rusty and leaking. The facilities were unsafe for the 168 children who attended, especially considering that some of the children boarded there as well.

With funding from the U.S. Department of State and in cooperation with the Latter-Day Saints Charities, IRD replaced plumbing and electrical fittings, hot water heaters, and windows. Floors and walls were replastered. And a fresh coat of paint was the final touch. When the children returned to their schools, they, and their families, were delighted to see how clean it was, and that everything worked.