The interview took place in March 2019.
Vera was born in 1955 in Khnatsakh village, Askeran region of Artsakh. She was the second child of five children. She studied at the local secondary school and later graduated from Stepanakert Accounting School. She does not remember almost anything from childhood. The only thing she remembers is the care they received from their father, as her mother was mentally retarded and did not look after the children.
Vera got married at the age of 29 and had a son who died two days later. They bought a one-room apartment after five years of marriage. Unfortunately they did not have any other children. Her husband had problems with alcohol. He was mired in debt and committed suicide in 1998 in their flat.
Vera did not take her professional path. She started working as a chef in a canteen adjacent to the local market and then continued working as a sales assistant in the market. Her health condition worsened in 2005. At first she suffered from asthma, and then she got ischemic stroke. After a long treatment she was directed to the Rehabilitation Center after Caroline Cox to receive some special treatment for bringing her to normal life. The physical therapist of the Center told her about Hanganak and advised her to join the organization.
Hanganak has changed her life supporting both materially and morally. Her health condition is very bad, she speaks with great difficulty. Hanganak and the City polyclinic assist her very much. She attends the City Polyclinic 1-2 times a month to get some medical care. Her serving nurse Marsela Sargsyan takes her to the City Policlinic and arranges her visits to doctors whenever she needs it. She is very pleased with Marsela.
She receives from Hanganak Lerkamen 20 mg N 30, Cardiomagnyl 75 mg N 30, Euphylin 150 mg N 30. She periodically receives intravenous drip treatment: Dexamethasone 1%, Euphylin, NaCI 9%. The doctor Lilia Seyranyan also visits her from time to time if she needs it.
Her only relative is her brother Vanik. He is very attentive to her. Sometimes Vanik buys medicines for her that is not on sale in Armenia, he brings them from Russia like Avamis and Beclametasone.
Her monthly pension is 46.000 AMD that is not enough to manage the expenses. She uses an electrical heater and pays the bill from pension and Hanganak’s heating compensation. “It would be great to increase the money for heating assistance”, she says. The food provision is almost sufficient. Hanganak’s social workers visit her frequently and help her with household activities.
She is very grateful to the benefactors for the immense generosity and wishes them success and prosperity.