Armine's Story – Creating New Possibilities

Armine’s first profession was teaching. After the 2020 war, she chose a second path and became a social worker. Today, she works with people in need, helping them recognize opportunities and believe that change is possible. Sometimes, during her visits, she looks at untapped land and sees opportunities that others may not notice yet. “For example, I might say, ‘You could grow lavender in this part of your garden and earn a good income from it.’ At first, people do not really see how it could work. But when I visit again and realize they have started thinking about the idea seriously, it feels very rewarding.”

Her story with herbal teas and dried fruits began during the COVID-19 period, when she was still living in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and joined an online business course. Then, she began making herbal teas and naturally dried fruits in the sun. Soon, people started asking to buy what she made. But her love for herbal tea had started even earlier. Around her home in Artsakh, different flowers and herbs grew in abundance, and Armine collected them herself, preparing enough tea for her family and often for others too. “People would always tell me, ‘You are so good at making these combinations. Why don’t you decide which plants work well together and start selling them?’”

The idea became more serious when, through the business course, she met a pharmacist who helped her write down her recipes and understand which herbs could be safely combined. Armine then began developing blends for different times of day, including calming evening teas. “In Artsakh, I used to make a lot of tea with pomegranate flowers, and I really loved those combinations. I do not have those flowers here yet, but in the future I definitely will.”

Armine was forcibly displaced in 2023 and moved to Vanadzor, a city that felt familiar to her from the beginning. “Vanadzor reminds me a lot of Artsakh. The nature, the climate, even the water feels similar. I had a feeling that it would be easier for me to adapt here,” she says. After moving to Vanadzor, Armine decided not to give up on what she had built. “I didn’t want to stand by idly. I decided that I needed to continue my work,” she says.

The process was not easy, but her love for the work and her family’s support helped her keep going. Sometimes, an important opportunity comes when you are not even looking for one. That is how Armine discovered the Armenian Fund for Sustainable Development’s Women’s Empowerment program. She found the project by chance and decided to give it a try. “I applied, but to be honest, I was not sure that I would be selected,” she says. After she applied, a project staff member visited her to see her work in person, learn more about the products she was making, and understand how the business could develop. For Armine, the visit made the opportunity feel much more real.

Through the program, she received a fruit-cutting machine, a table, and a metal shelving unit. The equipment made a clear difference in her daily work. Before receiving the machine, she cut all the fruit by hand. “I used to cut everything manually, and afterward my hand would hurt all night. Now the machine cuts everything very quickly. I only have to arrange the pieces, and the work moves much faster,” she says. The new equipment helps her work faster, makes her job easier, and lets her produce more.

Today, Armine is looking ahead with new plans. She wants to make the best possible use of the equipment, build new partnerships, and continue growing the brand she loves. “I’ll do everything I can to make the best use of the equipment, build new partnerships, and grow a brand that means so much to me.” Her daughter has also become part of the process, helping her collect plants, arrange fruit, and prepare products. “I told my daughter I’d pay her for her work, too. That way, she helps me out, learns the value of earning her own money, and we get to do something we love together.”

For Armine, every new tea blend, every carefully prepared package, and every returning customer is another step forward. Her story is about starting again, finding opportunity in difficult circumstances, and continuing to build something meaningful.

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