Inspire Change: Your Continued Impact Giving Tuesday Legacy

Twinkle, twinkle, shining star, now I know where you are. Little Mariam, five years old today, sings for her dad every night—a star, that’s where she thinks he is, and that's not far from the truth.

Do you recall when your child said their first words or took their first wobbly steps? Those moments are pure happiness for the parents. Geghanoush, too, wished to experience them with her husband. Yet, life had a different plan for her. In 2020, during the 44-day war defending Armenia, her beloved husband made the ultimate sacrifice, leaving behind a grieving, heartbroken wife and their two little daughters, Mariam (3 years old) and Tatev (8 months old).

Raising children is tough for two parents, let alone for a single mom worried about making ends meet with no stable income. On top of that, she grapples with constant questions from her daughter about her absent father.

Mariam, the elder of the two daughters, shared a close bond with her father. When he passed away, Geghanoush, guided by her readings in child psychology, made the difficult decision not to reveal the truth of their loss. Instead, she gently explained to Mariam that her father was now living in the sky with God, watching over them with love.

With the support of ZINAPAH, Armenia's National Foundation for Servicemen's Insurance, Geghanoush received a one-time payment of 10,000,000 Armenian Drams, enabling her to make a down payment on an apartment in Sevan, where she currently lives with her two daughters. Additionally, ZINAPAH provides her with 200,000 Armenian Drams monthly for 20 years, which she uses to cover her family's expenses and apartment installments.

Now that she feels safer, Geghanoush has overcome depression, found hope again, and initiated a small home-based business in dried fruits to secure a better future for her daughters.

As time passes, Mariam and Tatev will realize their father won't return home. He made the selfless choice to give up his life, ensuring they and others could have a homeland to call their own. 

Although no amount of money in the world can make up for losing a loving husband and father, we can offer a helping hand to the families of those who sacrificed their lives for ours, allowing their souls to rest in peace.