Purchase a Home 20 – Sahakyan Family

Following the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, tens of thousands of people were left homeless in the City of Gyumri. Many of these families took refuge in the overseas shipping containers (domiks) that were shipped into Armenia loaded with humanitarian relief supplies, or in condemned buildings. An entire generation of children has grown up in deplorable conditions, often times with no running water and little or no heat. The Armenian government has provided most of the families that lost their homes in the Earthquake with new housing units.

As people moved out of those makeshift housing units, others moved in. The 2,500 or so families that remain are Gyumri’s desolate families, who are not in line to receive a government provided apartment. Many of these families are comprised of single mothers, multiple children and/or the disabled.

This project will identify suitable needy families who can be moved into a new apartment and can demonstrate that they can afford their monthly utilities, etc. This is a sustainable model in that families that have been moved into permanent housing in the past have had a high degree of success maintaining their families and their new homes.

The Sahakyan family lives in an isolated domik located about 12 feet from the railroad tracks.  Karen, his wife Anna and their two daughters have lived in this domik their entire married lives. Anna does not let her girls play outside for fear that they will get too close to the railroad tracks and get hit by a passing train.  Karen works at the Gyumri Central Market to support his family.

Once the move is complete, the make shift housing unit will be destroyed to prevent its future occupancy.