Rebuilding Life with Every Stitch

A Woman Who Refused to Surrender

"If I start something, I follow through to the end. Even before applying, I just knew I was going to make it."

For over 20 years, Liana lived and worked in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). She taught traditional handicraft workshops and sold her own creations. Business had always been strong because she poured her heart into every piece. She had built a loyal customer base, and even tourists who had bought from her in Artsakh would seek her out in Armenia to purchase from her again.

Liana describes herself as bold and principled. "Whenever someone told me, 'You can't do it,' I proved the opposite, that I could. I've never been afraid of hardship; quite the opposite." That strong principle and sense of hope were why she refused to sell her home during the blockade, even when someone made an offer. "I thought, 'Sever my connection to Artsakh? How could I?' Selling it would have meant the end." Even now, she sometimes dreams of going back and rebuilding her damaged home from scratch.

After relocating, Liana wasted no time. By the third day of the war, she was already back to work. Whenever clients, friends, or strangers reached out asking how to help, she had one answer: "Place an order." She had no sewing machine or proper setup, so she bought a small one. Orders flooded in day and night, so many that one machine wasn't enough. Today, Liana sells her handmade tablecloths and textiles at Yerevan's Vernissage. Her loyal customers even travel from abroad and look for her at Vernissage to buy from her again.

She learned about the program supported by the Armenian Fund for Sustainable Development through her sister at the very last minute. Liana applied with the quiet inner confidence that has never let her down. "Even before applying, I was sure I would win," she laughs. "I had already cleared space in my room for the future machines."

Her intuition didn't disappoint. She was selected as a beneficiary and received professional sewing machines that completely transformed her work. The sewing machines brought so much good fortune. From day one, they haven't stopped running for a single minute, working day and night to help her. Her work has become so much easier, faster, and smoother.

Today, Liana's greatest motivation comes from her children and her mother. "This is no time for disappointment, sadness, or complaining. I set all that aside and switch right into operational readiness."

Arev Society provides management and communication support to the AF4SD "Vulnerable Women Empowerment" program.