Happiness will visit us - World Vision keeps children dreaming

Edita, 15, Emin, 12, Edgar, 9, and their mother Naira, 40, live in a tiny house near Stepanavan. Every day they wake up to lit the wood burning oven to heat the house and boil water to wash hands before the breakfast. 

"Sometimes we have only a piece of bread for the day and my children never resist or protest. When lucky we have small portion of potatoes or pasta and I make soups, so that everyone receives their piece," shares Naira, mother of five.

Naira's two elder sons Erik, 19, and Edmon, 18, are serving in mandatory military service in Armenia and they both are out of home for two years. This means everything done by them in the house is put on younger brothers' shoulders. Naira tries to bring to minimum the work at home, so that younger children pay more attention to their education but still many things are done by children. Edita and Emin help Naira to clean the house, and cultivate the small area of land next to their tiny house.

Naira's husband left to Russia for some odd jobs in construction in 2006. Right after his leave Naira found out that she is pregnant with Edgar [now 9 years old]. During these years the connection between the spouses dwindled and currently Naira doesn't have any information about her husband. The only income is a family pension around $80 USD in family pension subsidies, which is not even enough to buy food and doesn’t come close to covering the bills or meeting the children’s needs. 

Children wear the old clothes and shoes of their elder siblings. 

"Those days are the happiest evenings for my children to go to bed with full stomach"

"I am working in private houses of neighboring communities to make pasta or to clean potatoes and receive the same products as a salary. Those days are the happiest evenings for my children to go to bed with full stomach," - says Naira.

The youngest child Edgar was the most successful student at school. Before his school age he was anxiously waiting to go to school with his brother and sister. When at school he got the highest marks and excitedly shared the learned things at home, actively keeping in touch with his father in Russia through phone calls from neighbor's house. 

All families in the area have at least one family member in Russia, who left their houses in search of an employment opportunity and stable income years ago. Edgar accepted the reality and the distance between him and his father but little by little the calls were held back and intermitted. 

"I don't want to go to school anymore. All the teachers are females and they keep saying that the school is our second home and family. I don't like that," shares Edgar, 9. 

The family doesn't receive a call from their father anymore. They keep guessing and praying that everything is safe and sound, but still they miss their father.

Though the family lives in drastic need and Edgar lost his interest in learning, but his dreams still exist. 

"My father had tools to work for construction - hammer, pliers, screwdriver - I also want to have tools but medical ones - phonendoscope or to wear a white gown," says Edgar who dreams about becoming a doctor.

Such families are not an exception for the Stepanavan Area. Many families strive to survive with the smallest government pension and a hope for a better future. With continuous support from World Vision families in this area receive warm clothing and participate in vocational trainings to become more empowered and have stable income. Naira’s family receives clothes and shoes to be able to overcome the harsh winters of the area. The social worker of the family keeps working with the children to make them social and keep dreaming. 

“My only dream is to see my children happy. I wish each of them would find their place under the sun. I hope that one day the happiness will visit our house as well,” says Naira.