Emergency Home Reconstruction-Emma A.

Emma A. and her son live in the border village of  Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur.  On the morning of July 12, the Azeri’s launched a cross border attack on the Berd area of Armenia’s Tavush Region utilizing attack drones, tanks and other heavy artillery.  Although the Azeris ultimately lost control of strategic military posts to the Armenian defense forces, a considerable amount of damage was inflicted upon the villages of Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur, Aygepar, Movses and Chinari.

In response to this assault, The Paros Foundation immediately committed to improving these villagers’ homes well beyond the damage sustained during this recent shelling. Work has already started in rebuilding Emma’s home, thanks to the on-going generosity and sponsorship of Jean-Marie Atamian and his family, who have adopted this important border village and made major investments in its infrastructure since 2012. In the words of Mr. Atamian: ” No one should underestimate our resolve standing with our villages; for every house the enemy destroys, we will built 10 new homes.” Other residential projects in the neighboring border village of Aygepar, along with immediate reconstruction of its kindergarten, will be addressed with funds raised from the Emergency Reconstruction Fund.

A large caliber mortar landed a few feet from Emma’s home.  Its explosion left a crater in her yard, destroyed her garden including several fruit trees, and structurally damaged her home.  The reconstruction of her home will include rebuilding the support structure for her home and balcony, replacing the roof and windows, running a proper heating system throughout the home, building a new bathroom (replacing the family’s outhouse) and completing a full interior renovation.

Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur is an important border village with a population of approximately 1,100 residents in the Berd area of Armenia’s Tavush Region. This community remains under constant risk of sniper fire and renewed armed conflict. NKA was the single most damaged Armenian village during the Azeri conflict in the 1990’s. The economy of the village and the livelihood of many of its residents have suffered due to these difficult and dangerous conditions. In particular, 70% of their fertile land is unusable because of frequent sniper attacks. Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur is a beneficiary village of the Paros Foundation’s Prosperity on the Border Initiative. With major financial support of Jean-Marie Atamian and his family over the last eight years, much of the village’s infrastructure has been completely rebuilt and improved including, but not limited to, its large secondary school, expanded kindergarten, medical center, emergency services building and water distribution system. In addition, several families have benefited from agribusiness and animal husbandry projects. Having funded the rebuilding of NKA’s infrastructure, the Atamian family is now focusing its attention on the reconstruction of severely damaged houses to provide decent and safe homes for deserving families in the village. In the last year alone, three houses were rebuilt, and two additional homes are currently under construction now.