The interview took place in April 2019.
Lida was born in 1939 in Stepanakert in a worker’s family. Her father was conscripted to the II World War and had never returned. He is considered a missing person. Her mother was a school cleaner. She had four children, two sons and two daughters. Lida was the youngest child who had inborn rudimentary leg and has always walked with crutches. She studied at Yeghishe Charents secondary school and graduated in 1956.
She did housework for two years and then started working at the sewing factory until 2000.
Lida got married in 1972 and gave birth to her child. Her marital life was short. She got divorced some time later and moved to a rental flat close to her parental house. She has been living in a one-room flat since 1980 that was provided by the factory.
She heard about Hanganak NGO in the Center of Home Care Services for the Single Elders and Disabled affiliated to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in 2014. She was accepted to Hanganak after a while having prepared and presented her documents beforehand. Her life has become better since then. The food provision is sufficient for a month. Donara Mnatsakanyan, her nurse and neighbor, is visiting her often and taking care of her. Lida is very pleased with her nurse. She does not take part in corporate events because of her health condition as she hardly walks.
Her health condition is bad; she has high blood pressure, arthritis. She had an eye surgery in 2014 because of an eye cataract. The majority of medicine is provided by Hanganak: Emap H N20, Nurofen 400 mg N12, Cardiomagnyl 75mg N30, she buys the rest herself. She does not attend the polyclinic whereas the local doctor visits her from time to time.
Her pension is 57000 AMD that is not sufficient. The flat is heated with an electrical heater that is paid by her pension and heat compensation.
She is very grateful to the benefactors, Hanganak team and Donara in particular. “Let everybody be healthy, happy and successful and stand at the back of lonely people”, these are her wishes.