KRO is a mix of courage and will…

Four years have passed since this atrocious war. It is too hard to reminisce. What I had at that time and what I have now can’t be compared. I lost my husband during the war; I lost the land where I lived. If I talk to you metaphorically about this, it may be like a situation where you fall into the fathomless abyss. You are in freefall, plummeting into an endless void with no sense of control or direction. Everything crumbled in a second, and I thought each moment of descent pulled me deeper into darkness, leaving my beautiful world behind.

You are sure that you will be crushed and shattered, but finally, once you have landed, you open your eyes, you begin to feel your members, you start to breathe, and you realize that you are still alive, you survived, and you need to continue for the sake of your children and memory.

After the war, and moving to the Republic of Armenia, I worked as a paralegal, but it did not meet our needs, I just eke out a living and nothing more so I decided to do something else simultaneously. I have always loved baking.

I started taking orders and making pastries at home. Last year, in 2023, I stumbled across the Armenian Fund For Sustainable Development announcement on Facebook about a “Women empowerment program” and applied for support. It turned out that they were funding only agricultural projects at that time, so I only participated in vocational training funding, and I got it. This year, 2024, they finally offered a possibility to women who are war victims to present projects in other sectors, and I did it.

When I was invited to pitch my pastry business viability during the funding commission, they were doubtful about the business location and rent costs. Still, I was sure that I would handle this issue. When I found the premises, they visited the future pastry store and organized the delivery of equipment that was in my business plan.

At first sight, my pastry shop is not on the first line street where most of the shops of this quarter are, but its location is in the middle of many educational institutions, music schools, and dance groups in the neighborhood, and my shop has become a favorite place for children to have a break. I try to make my pastries only with natural materials of high quality; that’s my principle. I do all this with love. Otherwise, nothing would have happened. Every day I have new clients, and their number soars daily.

In addition to schoolchildren, their parents, and their neighborhood, I also have many cake and pastry orders. You won’t believe it, but some of my creations have reached France, Belgium, Georgia, and elsewhere. They are mostly Gathas with walnuts, with the image of Artsakh “Dedo-Babo” or Artsakhian Pakhlava.

At the moment, my mother and sister help me daily, and two other women from Artsakh occasionally. They, like me, share the same woes but also try to resist and continue living.

I have been very active since September when the school year began. I wake up at 5 a.m., and it’s tough that early, but every time I enter my pastry shop, I know it’s worth it.

I used to say that each pastry should be crafted with the finest ingredients and “seasoned” with love and care. That’s my motto.

What else?

I participate actively in food expos. Recently, I attended the international expo in Yerevan for the first time, which was an exciting milestone. Additionally, I had the chance to conduct master classes for children, lead small projects, and teach a course to around 30 students at a local educational institution in Yerevan—a deeply enriching experience.

Reflecting on my journey, while the war took much from me, it also gave me something invaluable: a community of people who feel like family and stand by me unconditionally.

As you may see, our pastries have the name “KRO.” This is not chosen randomly or an abbreviation; it could be translated from our Artsakhian dialect as “Steel,” but instead of a mixture of iron and carbon, it describes a strong structure of human character traits composed of courage and unwavering will.

Looking to the future, I am determined to expand this space further, with the dream of opening a training center. Here, I envision teaching students the techniques and nuances of confectionery and the art of making it with heart and dedication.

Ed. Note: Zita has two daughters who excel in their studies.

If you want to support Zita, her children, or other beneficiaries of the “Women Empowerment Program”, make a direct donation on our website or contact us to learn how you can help empower refugee women and their families.

The “Refugee Women Empowerment in Armenia 2024” project is supported by the Australian Government and implemented by the Armenian Fund for Sustainable Development (www.af4sd.org ) .

The Arev Society (www.arevsociety.org ) provides management support to the “Vulnerable Women Empowerment in Armenia “program.