Arina – 12/19/24

Dear Sponsor,

This is 13-year-old Arina. I am from the village of Patara, in the Askeran region of Artsakh.

I have already lived through three wars: the Four Day War, the 44 Day War, and September 19, 2023. Each one of those wars left irreversible pain in our hearts. The cruelest for me was the 44-Day war, because it took from me what I hold the dearest – my father. Before we had any time to recover from that blow, the war of September 19, 2023, took from us my aunt’s only son.

Within two days, we were forcibly relocated, leaving everything behind and most importantly – my father’s grave. Somehow crossing that terrible route, we came to Getazat village in the Ararat region [of Armenia]. We are renting our place. After a couple of months going to school in Getazat village, we moved to the city of Ararat. Now I go to school there. I live with my mom and brothers.