“Pass on the Gift” Provide Families with Nutrition and Income
In remote Armenian mountain villages, employment opportunities are hard to come by and life is a challenge. Gifts of chickens, lambs and beehives passed from one neighbor to the next mean nutrition and income for hungry and poor families.
Uncle Jahan, who cares for his disabled wife and carries out all house and garden chores, has worked hard all his life. He saw low yields due to the harsh climate, depleted soil and lack of seeds. He was delighted to receive four beehives from a neighbor, and expects a good honey harvest this year. The lime blossom honey cheers and nourishes his wife, and the income from honey sales allows them to move beyond subsistence to hoping and dreaming again. Jahan also joined a training event on healthy meals intended for community women. “Why not?” he smiled. “I do all the cooking.”
A younger villager, Shoger, supports her family of three as well as her disabled brother and his three children. Thanks to the 15 chickens and a rooster she received, she now has 10-12 eggs a day. Shoger says, “For a mother, the most desirable thing is to have healthy children and provide proper meals. These chickens are one of the best things that ever happened in my life. My thanks to all the wonderful and kind people living in the U.S. who have thought about us so far away.”
Photo caption: Children help deliver chicks
Armenia FHSLD Program
Led by United Methodist Committee on Relief
3 communities, 156, households, 352 individuals