Finding Strength Together

After losing their father, Arshak, in a tragic car accident, the Hovhannisyan family had to start over. Sona and Elen, together with their mother, moved from their home village of Balak to Sisian. The move was heavy with both grief and uncertainty.

Today, the family rents a small apartment for 50,000 AMD ($130) each month. Their mother works as a saleswoman in Sisian, earning 70,000 AMD ($181). The survivor pension and family allowance help cover expenses, but raising two growing girls alone is still a significant challenge. Despite her health difficulties, their mother carries on.

“I try to stay strong for the girls,” she says. “They have already lost so much. I want them to feel safe, to keep studying, and to believe in their future.”

Since 2018, Sona and Elen have been enrolled in the Children of Armenia Sponsorship Program (CASP), a project implemented by FAR, which provides them with a financial stipend of $250 each year plus additional gifts from their sponsor. 100% of the sponsor's donation is given to the child. Children are in the program until they reach 18 years old.

Sona is now in the 5th grade at school; she loves Armenian and English and dreams of pursuing medicine one day. “I want to become a doctor. I want to help people feel better. When I study, I feel like my father would be proud,” says Sona who also attends volleyball and English classes, and wants to learn guitar as well.

While her older sister, Elen, 11, is drawn to languages — Russian and English in particular. She dreams of studying philology at the Pedagogical University. “Books help me understand people,” Elen says quietly. “And when I study languages, I feel like the world becomes a little bigger.”

Their mother recently completed FAR’s Positive Parenting course, which offered emotional support and practical guidance. “Sometimes I feel like I must be both mother and father,” she says. “The course helped me see that I don’t have to do everything alone. And that it’s okay to ask for support.”

Through the CASP program, many children, like Sona and Elen receive the support they need. You can make a significant difference in their lives by donating to FAR today.