“We Found Our Childhood Again:” A Dispatch from a Camper

“We’ve found our childhood again,” says 13-year-old Nare Grigoryan, her smile glowing brighter than the Hankavan region sun. It’s a rare and beautiful thing, especially for a child who lost her father during the 44-day war in Artsakh in 2020.

It’s the third time, Nare and her twin brother Hayk have found moments of peace and joy in Aragats Summer Camp of Kotayk’s Hankavan village. Along with 240 of other children, 115 of them Artsakhtsi refugees, Nare and Hayk are taking part in a healing experience made possible through the "Comprehensive Assistance to Refugees from Nagorno Karabakh and Vulnerable Host Communities", funded by the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) and implemented by FAR and Sign of Hope (SoH).

Despite her age, Nare speaks with the maturity of someone far older. “I look after my brother and help other kids here too. I like helping the instructors, it makes me feel useful,” she says. Once reserved and withdrawn, Nare now exudes a quiet confidence. “I didn’t speak much before. I couldn’t make friends. But the camp helped me open up. Now I talk, I laugh, I play. I’m just a kid again.”

Together with her peers, Nare spends her days hiking in nearby hills, visiting historic sites, and diving into conversations on everything from environmental issues to science. “We walk, we play games, we eat together. I loved the kotlet the most,” she adds with a grin. “And the French fries! Oh…, and the juice and tea. So tasty.”

For their mother, Taguhi Poghosyan, these changes are a gift. Her husband, Vazgen Grigoryan, was killed in the 44-day war, leaving her to raise the twins and older daughter, Susuanna, 15, alone. “They were so quiet, so closed off. Even their school principal told me, ‘Send them to the camp, they need it,’” recalls Taguhi who lives in Gandzakar village of Tavush province and works at Ijevan Investigation Department as an assistant. “Now, when I visit them in Aragats camp, I see the difference. They talk more. They smile. They’re becoming free-spirited children again. I’m happy to see this change-not just physically, but mentally too. It’s helping their emotional and cognitive development.”

The "Comprehensive Assistance to Refugees from Nagorno Karabakh and Vulnerable Host Communities" project was made possible due to a generous grant provided to FAR and Sign of Hope (SoH) by the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO), as a contribution to our continuous support to refugee families settled across Armenia. Thanks to their generosity, we have been able to reach out to over 400 refugee families in Berd, Ijevan, and Noyemberyan providing mental health and psychosocial support, protection services, and assistance with shelter, non-food items, and winterization.