My Life rocked in one day….

Life has a way of unfolding in unexpected, sometimes heart-wrenching ways. It was October 16, 2020, a day when joy and tragedy collided in my life with devastating force. It was a day of intense emotional complexity, during which a dramatic contrast of profound life events—one representing new life and joy, the other representing loss and grief—occurred within 24 hours.

That morning, my daughter-in-law shared great news. She told me that she was expecting my son Arman’s child. But fate had other plans.

Before we could fully embrace our happiness, we received the devastating news that our son Arman had fallen in Nagorno-Karabakh, never knowing he would become a father again.

After several months, we named our grandson after him, ensuring his legacy lives on.

Though physically absent, Arman’s presence fills our home – his belongings are carefully arranged in a corner, and his photograph is always close to my heart in a pendant I never remove.

The first years after losing him were shrouded in darkness. Grief paralyzed me, stripping away any desire to engage with life.

Little by little, I began to look around, and it was crucial to find an occupation to fill time and calm the terrible pain. When construction work on our new house was completed, I resumed gardening and growing vegetables and fruits.

Like many of my neighbors, I began to dry fruits, mainly peaches.

My first attempt at fruit drying yielded nearly 500kg, a success that encouraged me to continue.

In April 2024, I applied for support from the Armenian Fund for Sustainable Development to develop this activity. My application was approved, and they provided everything needed for a complete production cycle – from drying containers to a greenhouse.

I followed traditional methods, using natural sunlight instead of artificial heaters. Though more time-consuming, this approach yields superior results – fruits that are not just dried but transformed into something pure and wholesome.

Family members, encouraged by my motivation, helped me collect, wash, dry, and sell the fruits. People say work helps heal grief, but they’re wrong – at least for me. My son remains in my thoughts every minute, the ache of his loss a constant companion regardless of what I’m doing or where I am.

Yet this program has given me something else: the ability to ease my family’s financial burdens, even as we carry the weight of our emotional ones.

Each morning, as I tend to dry fruits under the Armenian sun, I’m reminded that life, like these fruits, can be preserved and transformed into something different yet valuable. What started as a distraction has become a testament to resilience.

In our society, widowed mothers or those who have lost children often retreat into the shadows of their grief, becoming dependent on others not just emotionally but financially.

It is not just a matter of economic independence or a replacement for what I’ve lost; it’s a way to honor Arman’s memory by showing the same strength he displayed in serving our country.

When other women in our village see me managing my business, they realize that age and tragedy don’t define our capabilities. Some have even sought my advice on starting their own ventures.

This ripple effect of empowerment shows that when one woman stands up and reclaims her life, she lights the way for others to follow.

The “Refugee Women Empowerment in Armenia 2024” project is supported by the Australian Government and implemented by the Armenian Fund for Sustainable Development.

The Arev Society provides management support to the “Vulnerable Women Empowerment in Armenia “ program.