Home Is Where We’re Together

Three-year-old Norayr calls his 18-year-old sister, Olya, “mom.”

For months, Olya Aghasaryan waited for the chance to bring her little brothers home. She had always wanted to care for them, but because she was underage, she couldn’t take legal guardianship.

After the loss of both parents in November 2024, Norayr and Hrach, 12, were placed with their aunts. But social workers later discovered that the boys were being mistreated and physically abused. That’s when they were brought to FAR Mardigian Child Protection Center, where they finally found safety, warmth, and consistent care.

“While they were at the Center, I was the only one who called and visited them,” says Olya. “They spent every holiday with me. The boys always wanted to live with me, and I did too, but I didn’t promise them anything, because I didn’t know if it would really be possible.”

Once Olya reached legal age, everything changed. With the support of her husband, Edgar Hazoyan, and mother-in-law, she worked to gain guardianship and bring her brothers back home. They now live together in Tashir village of Lori Province as a family of four.

The boys already have their own room, where they’ve been proudly arranging their toys and books. Soon, little Norayr will start kindergarten. Hrach will return to school and is eager to join football and boxing classes-sports he has dreamed about.

“I can’t even describe how happy I am to have them with me. I’ve waited for this for so long. It means everything to me,” says Olya who works as a manicurist, and knows that raising two children, especially after trauma and loss, will require patience, stability, and strength. But she is determined to create a loving home.

“There’s no place like home, and no one more important than family,” she says. “I know I can’t replace our parents, but I’ll do everything I can to comfort them, to make them feel loved again.”

Your support helps ensure that more children, like Norayr and Hrach, can return to the safety, dignity, and love of family. Join us in making this possible by donating to FAR today.