There are many problems in my village. Most of the men here go abroad to find a job and they end up living far away from their families for the biggest part of the year. Women who stay home have to take whole responsibility of looking after their families upon their shoulders. They usually have to perform the jobs that are not considered to be womens’ work. These women are the wealth of the village and I started to call them “Iron Ladies.”
My family is no exception. It’s almost 6 months I’ve not seen my father. He also moved to Moscow in search of a job. My father came to this decision after my sister and I became students and the cost of our education meant another line in the family budget. The money he used to earn in the village just wasn’t enough anymore. In addition to our education, like most of our peers, my sister and I have to do some physical work to help our family.
With her husband living and working abroad, 33 year-old Aksanna is bringing up her 2 kids alone. A few years ago she decided to learn how to drive the tractor to ease her troubles and support her family. Aksanna can’t imagine her kids’ future in the village and dreams of being better-off one day.
59 year-old Zoya has a family with 11 members. All through her life, she has carried the weight of family troubles on her shoulders. Her husband has been working abroad for 35 years now, paying 2 month visits to his family every year. Zoya’s two children were raised in a fatherless home, and now they have their own families and are in the same situation. Apart from Zoya’s husband, her 2 sons are also now working abroad.
53 year-old Hrachuhi was born and later got married in our village. Her daughter got married in the neighboring village and her son left for Yerevan - first to get an education, then later he was offered a job and stayed. Although Hrachuhi misses her son a lot, she is proud of him investing his knowledge and working in the IT sector. As for Hrachuhi’s husband, he left the village 30 years ago and has worked abroad since then. Left all alone in the village, she’s busy with farming and cattle breeding.
55 year-old Gohar is the mother of 3 children. About 17 years ago her only daughter got married in Little Samsar, but soon left for Russia with her family. Gohar’s 2 sons have also gone abroad in search of a job, while their families have stayed and live in the village. She keeps herself busy looking after her grandchildren so that their mothers have the time and energy for their agricultural activities.
There are no employment opportunities here at all. This is why so many people leave Little Samsari to find a better life somewhere else. It’s only the elderly who stay behind. If nothing changes I am afraid that in the near future my village will be emptied.
80-year-old Varsenik was born in Little Samsar village and her entire life here. She has 4 sons and 12 grandchildren, 10 of whom live and work abroad. They visit their home village for 2-3 months a year. This elderly woman lives with her young son’s family – with his wife and her great-grandchildren. Varsenik is also responsible for many household chores.