Success Stories

Two Best Friends Making A Living

Vardanyan Vatche 17 years old and Arthur Simonyan 18 years old, are best friends. They have many things in common: they both come from economically deprived families, they are the eldest of three siblings, they have not completed high school, and they came to Orran knowing only that they would like to learn to repair cellular phones. 

Orran through a grant from the Open Society Institute was able to include them in a special program where young people are set up for apprenticeship with skillful masters.  Although the going price being charged by the masters in this field was 00, the master that was approached by Orran, learning of the family situation of the young men was generous to give a 50% discount on his fee.

The friends did well.  They were eager to learn, they had a caring master and within a few months they could manage to do the work alone.  Subsequently, Vatche and Arthur submitted a business plan to Orran to open their small shop.  Orran gave each of the boys 0, which put together was good seed money to start their small operation. Since February of 2012, the boys are leasing a small shop for 0 a month in the district of Arabkir and repairing phones six days a week.

“Sometimes we make good money, sometimes we have no business, but the important thing is that we now have a trade and we can earn enough money to take care of our family’s basic needs” states Vatche.

Arman Harutyunyan

Arman Harutyunyan was one-year old when his mother passed away. His father, Samson Harutunyan, a graduate of the Pedagogical Institute, was forced to leave work to care for his son. In 2005, as Arman came of school age, he was embraced by the Orran family. With intensive social and psychological care, Arman has become an active and happy child. He is a good student at school. His favorite activity is pottery. He also enjoys acting during performances. Arman’s father is thankful that he can go back to work, knowing full well that Arman is in loving hands.

Marietta Kocharyan

Marietta Kocharyan is the first university student of Orran. As a senior at high school, Marietta very much wanted to go to university. The teachers and volunteers at Orran were with her at every step of the way. One of them tutored her in math, another in Armenian language, and another in English. Mrs. Manya, Orran’s cook, would always make sure that Marietta was eating right and plenty. “You need the food so that your brain can work better,” she would say. Imagine the celebration at Orran when Marietta was admitted into the university. However, her problems were not over since the tuition cost was high. Nevertheless, our Board of Directors member Emma Dewhirst was quick to respond. She approached her parents Mr. and Mrs. King who happily accepted to finance Marietta’s education for the first year.

Mariam Khachaturova

We are delighted to share the wonderful news of our first wedding with you. Mariam Khachaturova who came to Orran in the year 2005 became Mrs. Arthur Petrosyan as of November 6. The wedding took place at the Saint John Church among happy family members and friends at Orran. Mariam will continue her drama lessons sponsored by Orran at the State Theatrical Institute. We know that Mariam will return to Orran as a guest and continue to entertain the children with her diverse talent. 

We wish Mariam and Arthur to enjoy a life of happiness and prosperity!

Syuzi Sargsyan

Syuzi is a child from ex-beggars family. She lives with her mother (used to be chief of beggars) and brother who has a wife and two daughters, who also beg in Yerevan streets. The Ministry of Inner Affairs called mother to criminal liability for creating and controlling group of beggars, however thanks to the efforts of several NGOs she wasn’t convicted, but spent in a prison about two months. During all this time Syuzi was placed in the orphanage. Trough the whole period Orran staff members used to visit Syuzi and solve all arisen problems to the benefit of child and her mother. Orran has employed Syuzi’s mother at Orran as cleaning woman. With Orran’s support Syuzi was also going for tennis. Currently Syuzy studies at secondary school and takes classes for embroidery and drawing.

Mariam Sirunyan

Mariam attends Orran with her sister Tatevik. She is from extremely poor family with three children. Now they live with their mother. Their father has been in prison for more than 8 years. 6 month ago he got freedom and moved to Russia to find job there and since that the family has no information about him. Her mother has mental health problems. She suffers from schizophrenia and creates a serious problem for all her family members. There is no income in the family even to buy bread. Children grow up in an unhealthy moral- psychological atmosphere. Last year Mariam finished her school and Orran covered all the expenses for her graduation ceremony (clothes, shoes, hairdo and etc). Currently Mariam studies at the Crafts Center for hairdressing. She feels very happy as quite soon she will have an opportunity to have a job of her own and support her family.

Nouneh Ashughyan

Nouneh is a child of lonely mother, she has serious health problems. Her father used to beat her when he was drunk. She has two brothers one of them is vagabond-beggar (previous beneficiary of Orran) and had problems with the police for organizing fights. Nouneh lives in her uncle’s house. Nouneh has beautiful voice and attends for special singing classes. With the help of caring sponsors Orran covers the expenses for her studies and hopes that Nouneh will be able to fulfill her dream to become a famous singer who can touch people’s heart through her songs.

Ararat Ghevondyan

Ararat is from extremely poor family. He is one-sided orphan and lives with his mother and two brothers. Ararat’s Father has died because of an accident at the industrial factory. His mother has serious health problems. Ararat is very gifted boy. He is the young painter and proud of Orran. He paints very well and studies at the Art school after H. Kojoyan of Yerevan. Orran covers the expenses for buying supplies and painting materials. His drawings has been printed in the calendars of Red Cross Society. Orran plans to organize serious exhibitions of Ararat’s works to support the child in going forward with his promising career in the art.

Samvel Muradyan

Samvel is one-sided orphan from extremely poor family. He lives with mother, grandmother, brother and sister (all the children are Orran beneficiaries). There is a constant conflict between his mother and grandmother. Samvel is very clever and gifted child. Orran has supported this child to enter the well-known Art school after H. Kojoyan of Yerevan for painting classes. The school takes no fee for Samvel’s education as he is a child from a needy family and hence Orran covers expense for buying him supplies and materials for painting.

Andranik Malkhasyan

Andranik lives with father, stepmother, sister and brother. He visits Orran with his elder sister. His own mother has serious mental health problems and doesn’t live with them as she refused to be with her family. She doesn’t see the children as their meetings have negative impact on the children. Andranik attends boarding school. Andranik is also very gifted child and Orran has supported this child to enter the well-known Art school after H. Kojoyan of Yerevan for painting classes. The school takes no fee for Samvel’s education as he is a child from a needy family and hence Orran covers expense for buying him supplies and materials for painting.

Sarkis Sarkissyan

Sarkis is from extremely poor family living in a dormitory. He lives with his mother, father and three sisters. All the family members used to beg, but Sarkis used to be one of the “most famous beggars” of Yerevan. People could see him selling flowers in the streets and this way he was found and admitted in Orran. Both of his parents are unemployed. Father often misuses alcohol. Due to his street profession Sarkis had been left out from school for two years. Orran helped him to get back to school and regain his classes. Sarkis is good in humanities. His favorite subjects at school are Armenian History and Literature. He seems to have changed and is learning new things with great enthusiasm.

Grigor Kankanian

Grigor lives with his mother who is divorced. They have no news from their father already 13 years. They used to be vagabonds. His mother has serious health problems. All the family members- sister and two brothers are Orran beneficiaries. The family has housing problems. They used to live in the downtown of Yerevan, but their house was destroyed for building up North Avenue and since then they have no place to live in. Government has allocated limited recourses for buying a new flat, but Grigor’s mother has refused that sum demanding normal apartment for her five children. For many nights they have slept right in the street because they had nowhere to go. Orran found donors who sponsored small flat rental for two months. With the efforts and support of Orran Grigor has finished Crafts College, jewelry department which can support him in earning decent living.

Arpine Najarian

Arpine is a child with slight mental health problems. She is one-sided orphan and lives with a handicapped mother and brother in extremely poor conditions. She grew up in an unhealthy moral-psychological atmosphere in the family. The child hasn’t attended school and wasn’t literate at all. However Orran has placed her into special public school and currently with a special and attentive work with her by the teachers and volunteer, huge progress has been noticed. Now she can read and write. Arpine even speaks differently. She became more sociable and active. She is proud of being a pupil and is very hardworking at school.