A talented mechanic, Hovsep Apranjean, 36, moved to Armenia in 2014 after the war erupted in Syria. “I arrived in Yerevan on a Friday and byMonday I already had a job in one of Yerevan’s auto-repair services,” he said.
In 2020, Hovsep received assistance from FAR’s Small Business Assistance Program which helped him to purchase car repair and maintenance tools, like a jack stand, an air compressor, and a vacuum suction cup, among other things, for his own car-repair center, which he started in 2019.
He was one of nine Syrian-Armenians who received assistance from SBA during 2020 to kick off or expand their businesses in Armenia. The project is sponsored by the Atesian Family from Michigan.
“I had an old jack stand for a 3-ton truck but, thanks to FAR, I was able tobuy a new one for a 10-ton truck,” he said. “I have enlarged my business, gained new clients, and updated my repair and maintenance tools, which help me do my job faster than before. It used to take me 12 hours to finish some tasks but now I can do the same job in seven hours and the spend evening with my family,” he said with a beaming smile.
Hovsep said that he owes his abilities to his father, who was also a mechanic and whose picture hangs on the wall of his car-repair center. “Itgives me strength," Hovsep said of the photo. "He seems to guide me and help me with advice.”
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