Tufenkian Basis commences significant household renovation challenge in the villages of Martuni
TSOVATEGH, Martuni, Artsakh—The Avagyans, an Armenian household of eight, whose property sustained key hurt by Azerbaijani shelling past yr, was given a 2nd possibility at existence in the region the Avagyan spouse and children home was renovated many thanks to the attempts of the Tufenkian Basis. Theirs is the initially residence restored in a new initiative initiated and undertaken by the Basis, in cooperation with the Hayastan All Armenian Fund (Himnadram).
Tsovategh, a smaller village located in Artsakh’s Martuni area, is home to a minor far more than 150 people. It was not too long ago produced a focus on during large bombardment in the area in the class of the 44-day war versus Azerbaijan. “Our household was strike 2 times and experienced considerable damage—it was no for a longer period habitable,” explained Gegham Avagyan, whose loved ones has lived in the village for generations. He, alongside with his spouse Elina, are moms and dads to six children, with a seventh on the way. “We in no way intended on leaving listed here. This is our dwelling,” Gegham additional.
The Avagyan children—Vahram, 15 Raffi, 13 Arinka, 12 Zaqar, 9 Marinka, 7 and Varushik, 5—were psyched to see their at the time harmed property completely renovated in just a handful of months. “We are enthusiastic to transfer again as we expect the beginning of our new sister. She will improve up here like we have,” defined Vahram, the eldest of the six.
A veterinarian by training, Gegham intends to go on and create his agricultural operate by enlarging his farm and planting much more crops this spring. Each he and Elina are hopeful that they will also increase their spouse and children in the coming several years. “We want 10 youngsters. 10 is a fantastic amount,” explained Gegham.
The Avagyan family members dwelling is the to start with of a complete of 13 households in the area, which the Tufenkian Foundation has made a decision to renovate and restore adhering to the perils of the war. The system will target on Herher and its bordering villages, together with Tsovategh and Kherkhan, and entirely renovate residences that have experienced key damages during the war, as very well as the household properties of fallen soldiers.
“We are satisfied to announce the start of this application, the main goal of which is to assistance our compatriots return to a usual daily life in their own households,” reported Tufenkian Basis government director Raffi Doudaklian. “We are fired up that the Avagyans—a family with six kids with a seventh on the way—are the 1st to return to their restored dwelling,” Doudaklian included, throughout a go to to the house on Feb. 11, at which the village mayor, Samvel Abrahamyan, was also existing.
According to Mayor Abrahamyan, the renovation plan is an essential way to guarantee that the region’s citizens remain in their villages and help safeguard their long term achievements. “Tsovategh is an ancient Armenian village that has been all-around for a lot more than a millennium. We have uncovered an eighth-century khatchkar (cross-stone) right here we have an historical church below. We have to make positive that our villagers continue to be right here and carry on their families’ legacies,” Abrahamyan stated.
Set up in 1999, the Tufenkian Foundation addresses the most urgent social, financial, cultural, and environmental difficulties struggling with Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabagh). Considering that its inception, the Tufenkian Basis has supported various neighborhood initiatives as very well as civic activism and public advocacy campaigns to help increase existence in Armenia, although delivering housing, schooling, social, overall health, and livelihood aid for the Armenians of Artsakh.