Our first encounter took place in Artsakh in October 2021. It was a chilly autumn day, yet she remained resolute: “We must visit our beneficiaries in the border villages.” Though it was already late to begin the trip, nothing could deter her – so we set off for Noragyugh, then Shosh and Sarushen, returning to Stepanakert late that evening.
On the road to Sarushen, we came across Russian peacekeepers. Just 200 meters away, the enemy’s flag fluttered in the wind, and the boisterous voices of their soldiers reached our ears. Yet Margaret did not falter for even a moment—she was determined to witness firsthand the arduous journey Artsakh’s people would have to endure to travel from Stepanakert to their ancestral villages. She saw a fractured Artsakh and could not hold back her tears of grief and indignation. In that brief visit, she met dozens of beneficiaries – in Stepanakert’s office, during home visits, and in the villages.
In the months that followed, we continued to meet frequently – whether through virtual meetings with the AWWA/Hanganak NGO Task Force, in Stepanakert, or most often, in Yerevan.
Though AWWA’s leadership has since renewed, and Margaret now dedicates herself to other humanitarian efforts, our connection remains unbroken—for she has forever become part of Hanganak’s extended family.
Our most recent meeting in Yerevan was deeply moving. We had not seen each other since the mass exodus from Artsakh. She asked questions, and we shared stories, emotions, and memories. Remarkably, she recalled every beneficiary she had ever met in vivid detail and longed to know what had become of each of them. Her face lit up with joy upon learning that most still rely on our services.
The following day, Margaret visited Hanganak’s office, where she reunited with Mrs. Aida – a woman she had first met in Noragyugh during her very first trip…
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