Artsakh’s Nvehr
Artsakh [Arts-akh] n. A breakaway state in the South Caucasus inhabited by Armenians.
nvehr [Nuhv-air] n. A gift.
In Armenian, the word nvehr translates to gift. We, at Artsakh’s Nvehr, believe that the children of Artsakh and Armenia are a gift from God. We are responsible for their betterment by insuring that they are clothed, housed, fed, and enrolled in schools. It is our hope that each of the children will grow to share their God given gifts with Artsakh, Armenia, and its people, whether it be in the arts, medicine, or politics.
Most importantly, the word nvehr holds an extraordinarily special place within our hearts. Nvehr is the name of a three year old boy from Stepankart. He was one of the first to join our program following the attacks on Artsakh by Azerbaijan and Turkey. As seen in the photo to the left, Nvehr came to us with a torn shoe, yet an unbreakable soul. It was love at first sight! And this is how our story began.
Our Mission
It’s quite simple. Our non-profit 501(c)(3) pending, aims to directly connect the wonderful families around the world with the strong-willed displaced families of Artsakh; as well as the many families from Armenia. By giving these families a hand, we’re granting them the opportunity to re-build and re-establish their roots. By sponsoring a family, you are reminding them that they are loved and not alone.
This is more than a sponsorship program. Artsakh’s Nvehr was established with the intent that two families can build a bond that lasts a lifetime.
History
On the morning of September 27, 2020, Azerbaijan attacked the province of Martuni and the city of Stepanakert, within the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, killing and injuring dozens of civilians. With the help of Turkey, mercenaries from Libya & Syria, as well as the illegal use of weaponry from Israel, Azerbaijan forces continued to attack the Armenian people with the intent to ethnically cleanse the land. These deliberate attacks lead to war. Boys from the ages of 18 to men of 70 years of age, fought for the freedom of their people and that of their land. The use of cluster bombs and drones destroyed homes, desecrated century old churches, left hospitals and schools into nothing but rubble, and finally resulted in the displacement of thousands of Armenian children and their mothers.
The Team
Meline Elian, Founder
Meline happened to be visiting Armenia when Artsakh was attacked by Azerbaijan and Turkey. Meline’s tenacity, ingenuity, and her passion for the Armenian people drove her to immediately transfer as many Artsakh families to a safe haven in Dilijan, Armenia.
What began as a rescue mission, blossomed into Artsakh’s Nvehr’s Sponsorship Program. Although Meline works from Los Angeles, she is in contact with the families on a daily basis with the intent to connect them with a sponsor.
Houry Khechoumian, Coordinator
When Houry, a third grade teacher at AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School in Los Angeles, CA, learned about Meline’s rescue mission, she was inspired to connect her students with the displaced children of Artsakh via a Zoom session. The connection with the third graders resulted in a fundraiser to benefit the Artsakh children and their mothers.
Houry’s love for the children led to her collaboration with Meline and the creation of Artsakh’s Nvehr.
Vruyr Khachatryan, Manager
Vruyr, a Yerevan native, has worked with Meline on various endeavors prior to the war. However, just after the attacks, the two joined forces to aid the families that fled their homes in Artsakh. From the start of their mission, Vruyr has ensured that the families were provided with all the essential necessities; such as, clothing, food, and medicine.
As manager, Vruyr purchases and keeps inventory of the stock which he personally distributes to each family.
Gayane Petrosyan, Administrator
Gayane, originally from Sevan, is a child psychologist based in Kolkata, India. Gayane is responsible for documenting all the members of the families that enter our program. She is in contact with all the regional entities within the region to confirm that each family is safe, accounted for, and all legalities are addressed.
Armen Khechoumian, Creative Director
Armen, a Los Angeles based artist, has contributed his talents to Artsakh’s Nvehr on a creative level. He oversees everything from the website to the program’s social media presence. Armen collaborates with the team to plan various fundraisers to aid the families.
