From Nagorno-Karabakh to Amasia: A Family's Journey of Resilience and Hope
Published: Aug 8, 2024 Reading time: 2 minutesFleeing the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, Khurma and her family have found refuge in the Armenian town of Amasia. Despite the warm welcome, they are grappling with the loss of their home and livelihoods. With the financial assistance of the European Union and the support of People in Need (PIN) ,their family is slowly rebuilding, one step at a time.
Khurma welcomes us into a large garden surrounding an old house in Amasia. Despite the warm hospitality, she quickly clarifies that this is not her home. Her true home is in Nagorno-Karabakh. On 26 September 2023, she fled the war with her large family.
Eventually, they found themselves in the Armenian town of Goris, and two days later, they moved to Amasia.
Having nothing with them, they greatly appreciated any form of aid. Funded by the European Union, we provided them with vouchers.
Khurma deeply misses their life in Nagorno-Karabakh. She tells us, "We had excellent living conditions there. We practised agriculture and cultivated everything in our orchard. We harvested from the forest and our orchard and sold the produce." Despite the hardships, her grandchildren bring her joy. Her daughter Tatevik, 21, gave birth to twins two months ago. Grandma Khurma proudly holds her grandbabies. They are a very large family—Khurma and her husband have seven children and twenty-five grandchildren. They are all now adjusting to their new life in Armenia.
Across the regions of Armenia, we have provided 1,260 households with voucher assistance, with a transfer value of €600 each, to purchase essential equipment.
Through the generous support of the European Union, we have made significant strides in providing essential support to families and children affected by displacement from Nagorno-Karabakh. Our comprehensive efforts, funded by the EU, focus on winterising homes, eco-friendly briquettes, utility payments, equipment and clothing voucher assistance, foldable beds, bedding, child-friendly spaces, and more. Over the past nine months, we have reached about 5,000 families, benefiting over 20,000 displaced individuals. This aid has been distributed across various Armenian regions.