At Hanganak, learning is much more than acquiring new knowledge. It is an opportunity to connect, rediscover confidence, share joyful moments, and experience the warmth of belonging to a caring community.
On October 13, our beneficiaries gathered once again for an English class led by our wonderful volunteer and dedicated teacher, Lilit Baghryan. With remarkable enthusiasm and kindness, Lilit continues to conduct classes twice a month, carefully preparing engaging and interactive presentations that make learning accessible, enjoyable, and meaningful for our older participants.
This time, the lesson marked another exciting step forward. Having gradually built their vocabulary and practiced basic expressions, participants began forming their own simple but meaningful sentences in English. With Lilit’s patient guidance, they worked together, asked questions, helped one another, and proudly practiced their newly acquired skills.
Every new sentence was a small achievement, every encouraging word a source of confidence, and every shared smile a reminder that the joy of learning has no age limits.
The photographs from the lesson beautifully capture these moments: participants carefully writing in their notebooks, helping one another understand the exercises, and receiving individual guidance from their teacher. Their concentration, curiosity, and determination reflect something deeply inspiring – the willingness to keep learning, discovering, and growing, regardless of age or life’s challenges.
For older people who have experienced forced displacement from Artsakh, these gatherings carry special meaning. Beyond language learning, they offer opportunities to reconnect with others, overcome isolation, strengthen friendships, and experience the comfort of being part of a supportive community.
As part of our commitment to understanding and responding to our beneficiaries’ needs, Hanganak continues to use daily attendance and participation forms to monitor engagement and assess participants’ interest, motivation, and willingness to take part in community center activities. This ongoing evaluation helps us better understand their preferences, encourage active participation, and adapt our activities to their interests and abilities.
We are deeply grateful to Lilit, who herself was displaced from Artsakh, for generously sharing her knowledge, time, and energy with our beneficiaries. Her dedication is a beautiful example of how members of a displaced community can support and inspire one another.
At Hanganak, we believe that active aging is not simply about adding years to life, but about filling those years with dignity, purpose, friendship, and hope.
And sometimes, that hope begins with something as simple as learning to put a few English words together – surrounded by people who encourage you, believe in you, and celebrate every little success.
With heartfelt gratitude to the Armenian Women’s Welfare Association (AWWA), whose generous support makes Hanganak’s ongoing care and community activities possible.
