YEREVAN, September 24. /ARKA/. The Stepan Gishyan charity foundation, run by ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK and the Armenian Fund for Sustainable Development provided the students of N1 basic school in the town of Ijevan with the opportunity to learn French, the press service of ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK reported.

It said in a news release that the new artistically decorated French language classroom has become on a par with the students' dreams: they want to know French well in order to visit France. Just a month ago the classroom had only wooden chairs, a blackboard and an old cupboard.

The Stepan Gishyan charity foundation and the Armenian Fund for Sustainable Development decorated one of the classrooms. The schoolchildren are already reading the French-language books brought from France. By the end of the year, all the students of the school will be able to read in French, according to the news release.

Anna Gishyan, the director of the Stepan Gishyan charity foundation, said that the children are enthusiastically studying the books brought from France.

“They now have everything they need: a computer, a projector, an electronic board, a TV set, which, of course, will make the study hours held here even more effective and interesting. About 500 students study at this school and they study French from the second grade and English from grade 5. The French language is first here," she said.

According to Alen Tukhadyan, the head of the Board of Trustees of the Armenian Fund for Sustainable Development, both foundations have the same ideology.

“This is the area where there really is a need for investment. The enthusiasm of the children inspires me, and I want even more that the program continue,” he added.

Stepan Gishyan Foundation was established in 2015 by ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK, France’s Credit Agricole, Credit Agricole National Federation and the Gishyan family.

ACBA was established in 1996 as part of EU’s TACIS program. As a result of a long-term and mutually beneficial cooperation between ACBA Bank and the French Credit Agricole the latter became the biggest shareholder of ACBA in 2006, September. ACBA was restructured, becoming a closed joint stock company and was renamed ACBA CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK.-0-