Your Family Day Gift Can Change a Life

When the doorbell rings, Armine Torosyan rushes to the door. In come Vladimir and Narek—dusty from the road, weighed down by backpacks, and beaming with that familiar spark in their eyes. They are home, hungry for dinner and the warmth only a mother’s hug could offer.

Armine, 40, is the heart of a family. She’s a proud mother of three biological children - Artyom, 18, Anna, 16, and Narek, 12, and two foster children, Milena, 14, and Vladimir, 12. 

For years, she dreamed of opening her heart and home to foster children. Eight years ago, through FAR’s Child Protection Center Foster Care Program, that dream became a reality.

“One and a half years later after we applied for the program and joined the training, Milena and Vladimir walked into our home and into our hearts,” she says, wrapping her arms around Vladimir, whom she describes as “the most innocent and kind soul in the world.”

The journey hasn’t been easy. In Odzun, a northern village in Lori region, fostering children still challenges deep-rooted stereotypes. But Armine and her husband, Zaliko, were determined to create a home where love and care know no boundaries.

“From day one, Milena called me ‘my mom.’ She would emphasize the ‘my’—‘my mom.’ That meant everything,” Armine shares with a warm laugh. “We did try to maintain contact with their birth mother, but it didn’t work out. The children eventually made the decision to stop.”

Milena, who dreams of becoming a hairstylist like her foster mom, is now in the 7th grade-two years behind her peers because of the time she lost while living in an orphanage. Vladimir, once a quiet boy who struggled with speech, now chats freely, thanks to the therapy and unconditional support he received at home.

“This is the kind of family I always imagined - loving, united, strong. Yes, we face daily challenges like any family, but those fade. What stays are the joyful moments,” says Armine, as she prepares tolma for Milena and pork for Vladimir, their favorite meals, while the boys help their father in the furniture workshop, working on an order for delivery. 

“Fostering is not easy. Being a family is not easy. But when you lead with love and care, everything becomes possible,” Armine says. “And your love spreads—it inspires others to foster, too.”

On Family Day, your donation to FAR today can give more children the gift of home, belonging, and a real chance of a better life.