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16 The Armenian Reporter | October 25, 2008ArmeniaA bold leap into the unknown, kids and allOne family’srepatriation storyby Nyree AbrahamianYEREVAN – Raffi Niziblian andLara Aharonian are the quintessentialmodern Armenian couple.Married, with three beautiful children,they have demanding careersand a fulfilling family life . . . inYerevan. Raffi and Lara are part ofa growing repatriation movementamong diaspora Armenians. Theyhave been living in Armenia since2003 with their three children:Amassia, 8, Varanta, 6, and Vayk, 3,who was born in Armenia.The couple met and married inMontreal, where they had both immigratedwith their families at ayoung age. Raffi was born in Jordan,spent his early years in Kuwait, andmoved to Montreal at the age of 9.Lara was born in Lebanon, fled toCyprus during the war in 1990, andmoved from there to Montreal. Thetwo had a lot of common interestsand seemed to click from very earlyon. “We’ve done a lot together,” reflectsLara, “Scouting, school.... Webasically grew up together.”Both Raffi and Lara developed anearly love for Armenia and had visitedthe country during the Sovietera; Raffi in 1990, with the Hamazkaindance group (he was the leaddancer), and Lara in 1985, as part ofa program in Lebanon that sent thebest students to a summer camp inArmenia.In 1999, to celebrate their firstanniversary, the couple came toArmenia through the Land andCulture Organization (LCO) to helpwith the renovations of a church.They returned with LCO in 2001(this time to Shushi) with their firstdaughter Amassia, who was hardlya year old. They would take turnswith the baby and sometimes bringher along to the worksite. “I usedto put her in her stroller and sheRaffi Niziblian.Deem CommuinicationsDeem is a full-service marketingand communications agencythat covers advertising, PR andevents planning. Raffi Niziblian,who has a background in communicationsstudies from ConcordiaUniversity, had an idea early onof starting a radio station thatwould link Armenia to the West.“I think I created that with Deem,”he says, “It brings a Western perspectiveto marketing and communicationsin Armenia. There isa growing need for local and internationalcompanies investingin Armenia now.”The young company has quicklygained success and recognition,working with such high profile clientsas Armenia Marriott Hotel,Zvartnots International Airport,Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs,Guy Manoukian and NuneYesayan, to name a few.In two years, Deem has expandedfrom a two-person operationto a staff of eleven, plus designerswho they outsource workto. The ‘Deem Team’ is a colorful,energetic and diverse group.“The most interesting part is ourstaff,” says Raffi, “We’re a mix ofdiaspora Armenians from Canada,the United States, and Lebanon,and local Armenian experts.” Currently,Deem also has two interns,from Argentina and Canada.Asked about the challenges ofstarting a business in Armenia,Raffi responds, “There were actuallymuch fewer obstacles thanI’d imagined. Starting a businessanywhere in the world has itschallenges, but because I had experienceliving and working in Armenia,I had some insight on howthings function here. It was lesssurprising for me to see a moreMiddle Eastern/post-Soviet approachto business.”“A lot of diasporans, whenthey start a business in Armenia,think they’re still in theWest,” he goes on to explain,“They’re shocked by somethingas simple as having to wait a fewdays to get a document signedby the proper authorities. Withtime, you learn to deal with allof this. You don’t have to acceptthe ways things work, but youlearn to deal with it. In order toget a job done, you know thereare certain things you need todo. You need to know how tosay things, how to put things…there are certain subtleties andinnuendos that make all the difference.”Another challenge that Raffifaces as a repatriate doing businessin Armenia is networking. “Ihave a strong networking base,”he explains, “But not as strongas the Hayastantsi who has hisclassmates, neighborhood, community…Especially in this type ofpeople-oriented business, that’simportant.”But operating in the Armenianbusiness world as a diaspora-Armenianhas its perks, too. “BecauseI’m from the West,” saysRaffi, “There’s a different kindof business relationship, an extraalertness. People don’t knowhow a diasporan will react to theirmethods, so they’re cautious.”So naturally, being an “outsider”works both for and against thesavvy Diasporan businesspersontrying to establish a successfulenterprise in Armenia.As for Raffi, the venturesomeentrepreneur embraces thebumps along the road, seeingthem as learning experiences andopportunities for growth. “Everyday presents new challenges,” hesays, “Every challenge presentsnew opportunities.”fconnect:www.deemcommunications.comwould watch us work, eat, sleep,”says Lara, “There were plenty of volunteersaround and they all lovedto play and have fun with her.”Of course, when it came tobringing their infant along toShushi, a neglected war zonethat received next to no foreignaid, the new parents had theirconcerns. “The food and water issueswere what worried me,” saysLara, “Luckily, I was still breastfeedingat the time, but water wasscarce. I would boil pots of waterat night, and put it aside in bottles.”But in the end, it was worthit. One of the main reasons theybrought baby Amassia along wasto baptize her at Saghmosavank,a church that they had helpedrenovate the previous year.In 2002, Raffi was offered a positionas director of LCO and in2003, when their second daughter,Varanta, was just 8 months old, thecouple made the bold move to Armenia.“Lara had long, African braids. Ihad crazy, long hair and a beard. Inthe winter, the kids were deckedout in funky Canadian gear…. Wewere sort of the colorful family inYerevan,” laughs Raffi, “People stareanyway, but we asked for it.”While Raffi was settling intohis new position at LCO, Lara wasbusy with exciting plans of herown. “When I was volunteering,my major problem was the situationof women and how they’retreated here,” she says, “I decided:If I’m going to move here, I haveThe Women’s Resource Center, thebrainchild of Lara Aharonian, isthe premier facility of its kind inArmenia. “I decided that if I’m goingto move here, I have to changesomething,” says Lara, “So first ofall, it was for me.”With a master’s degree in Frenchcomparative literature focusing onFrench and Armenian feminist literature,Lara was very involved inwomen’s issues when she lived inMontreal and volunteered muchof her time at a women’s resourcecenter affiliated with ConcordiaUniversity. So when the idea ofthe WRC was in its early stages, shedecided it would be most logical tobe affiliated with a university.She got in touch with Shushan,a friend she had met years agowhile volunteering in Karintak(near Shushi) and together, whileLara was still in Montreal, theybegan to brainstorm. “People suggestedto go through the AmericanUniversity of Armenia, or theFrench University,” she says, “Butthe whole point was I wantedto be accessible to has many localwomen as possible.” So fromMontreal, she wrote several lettersto different departments ofYSU (Yerevan State University) tofind someone who was willing tocooperate. She finally connectedwith Gohar Shahnazaryan, aprofessor in the sociology departmentwho was the first woman inArmenia to do a Ph.D. on genderissues, and together, in 2003, theyfounded the WRC.“It started very small, very grassroots,”says Lara, “We fought toget a small room from the university.We’d have occasional roundtables, human rights training, andstudents would come from all differentdepartments.”Eventually, the number of volunteersgrew and the center becamemore active. They began totalk about issues like sexual healthRaffi Niziblian, Lara Aharonian, with Amassia, Varanta, and Vayk.to change something.” Her initialfrustration and lots of persistenthard work led to the establishmentof Armenia’s Women’sResource Center, which is goingstrong as the country’s leadingadvocate of women’s rights,creating an open dialogue aboutgender relations, sexual health,and human rights.Women’s Resource CenterLara Aharonian at the Women’s Resource Center.After a few years of living in Armenia,Raffi was recruited by VivaCell,the top telecommunicationscompany in Armenia, to establishtheir commercial department. Theposition opened up a lot of doorsand helped him better understandthe business environment in Ar-Continued on page 17 mand reproductive rights. Lara begana workshop called “My Body,My Right”, a ten-session discussionseries that is still extremelypopular.The university, traditionallyconservative in its values, was notthrilled with the excitement andbuzz stirred up by the Women’sResource Center, and one day,while at a conference in Istanbul,Lara was informed that they werekicked out of their cubby hole of aroom because “they stayed openpast university hours.”“When I got the call that theyhad closed down the Women’sCentre, I was ready for it,” saysLara, “I felt like it was time tomove on. Working within theuniversity’s time constraints andconservative framework was restrictive.”They moved everythinginto their homes, quickly founda small apartment, and in 2007,moved into their current location,a comfortable space on ZarubyanStreet in Yerevan’s center.Today, the Women’s ResourceCenter is one of Armenia’s mostreputable NGOs, with widereachingprojects in all regionsof Armenia and Karabagh. LastFebruary, they opened a branch inShushi whose focus is mainly onwomen and peace building, andon creating economic sustainabilityfor women. They have a gynecologicalroom with free consulting,a service they hope to makeavailable once a week.The Center in Yerevan now hasfive paid staff and 21 active members(who actually participate increating forums, classes and activities),as well as hundreds of othermembers who drop by from timeto time to participate in workshopsand use the resources. Their activitiesinclude: women’s rights trainings,round-tables on gender issues,career seminars, “My Sexuality”closed group discussions, prenatalcourses conducted with the help ofa midwife – Martha Boudakian,“Mother and Child” mornings, filmand book clubs, and a new SexualAssault Drop-In Center and Hotline.They publish booklets andpamphlets on issues ranging frombreast cancer to human trafficking.Members also travel regularly todifferent regions of Armenia, conductingcourses with youth on topicssuch as reproductive rights andgender relations.The impressive list of the organization’sendeavors goes on. Andall members are encouraged tobring whatever they can offer tothe table. “It’s in the name,” saysLara, “It’s a resource center. Youbring your resources, and you receiveresources from others.” f
The Armenian Reporter | October 25, 2008 17Armenia“With the people, for the people”Opening ceremoniesof the ArmenianRelief Society’s 69thGeneral Assemblytakes place inYerevanby Sosseh TachdjianYEREVAN – Over 200 women fromall over the world converged in Armeniato take part in the ArmenianRelief Society’s (ARS) 69th GeneralAssembly. They had come fromGreece, Lebanon, Australia, France,Syria, Canada, the United States– 26 countries in all – bringing withthem an almost 100-year historyof dedication and commitment totheir people. Their motto is a reflectionof their purpose, “With thepeople, for the people.” The womenof the ARS are truly inspirationaland the proof is in the pudding.Established almost a hundredyears ago in New York City in 1910,the ARS is the oldest Armenianwomen’s organization, providingeducational and humanitarian assistanceto Armenians throughoutthe globe. The ARS has affiliates in26 countries who realize programssuch as building, operating andsubsidizing Armenian languageschools, community centers andnursery schools; sponsoring orphansand orphan meal programsin Armenia and Artsakh; grantingscholarships to deserving and outstandingstudents; building a longneededcommunity infrastructurein Javakhk, Georgia and providingLeft: HasmigDerderianwith ArmenTopouzian. Right:Hagop DerKhachadurian ofthe ARF Bureau.critical maternal care and generalhealth services through the Motherand Child Medical Clinic and BirthingCenter in Akhourian, Armenia.Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian,various ministers, includingthe Minister of Education SpartakSeyranian, Minister of SocialAffairs Arsen Stepanian, andMinister of the Diaspora HranushHakobyan, representatives fromUSAID, AGBU, Hamazkayin Culturaland Educational Association,the Lebanese Ambassador to Armenia,Armenia’s former first ladyBella Kocharian, high-rankingofficials of the Armenian RevolutionaryFederation (ARF) Bureauand Supreme Council of the partywere on hand to participate in theofficial opening of the General Assemblyof the ARS in Yerevan onOctober 18.The evening’s host was AlvardPetrosian, member of the ARS’sboard in Armenia and a memberof parliament elected on theARF ticket. Ms. Petrosian read themessage from Aram I, Catholicosof the Great House of Cilicia,afterward noting that KarekinII, Catholicos of All Armenians,had not sent a message, nor hadhe sent a representative of theChurch to partake in the ceremonies.Armenia’s prime ministerand minister of the diasporawelcomed the participants andwished them success in all theirfuture endeavors.Hasmig Derderian, presidentof the world body of the ARS, theCentral Executive Board, presenteda comprehensive report on theactivities of the organization overthe past several years and alsospoke about their preparations forthe ARS’s centennial celebrationfor 2010. Ms. Derderian said thatalong with the special activitiesbeing organized globally to commemorate100 years of work, theyA bold leap into the unknown, kids and allhave also established a CentennialFund which, to date, has alreadyraised over $1,000,000. This pastyear, the ARS opened its archivesand during the opening ceremoniespresented the first collectionof their archives to the ArmenianNational Archives’ Executive DirectorAmatuni Virapian. Duringher presentation, Ms. Derderianalso presented Armenian-Americanbenefactor Armen Topouzianwith a special plaque from theARS thanking him for his diligentand selfless contribution to themany nursery schools that the ARSoperates in Karabakh.The ARS is a participating nongovernmentalorganization (NGO)at the United Nations. Since 1977the ARS has been a member of theUnited National NGO Departmentof Public Information and in 1998was accepted for roster status bythe UN’s Economic and SocialCouncil (ECOSOC). The ARS is alsoan active member of UNICEF andits Working Group on Girls; theNGO Committee on the Status ofWomen (CSW); the planning committeeof the NGO DPI Conference;the CONGO NGO committees onMental Health, HIV/AIDS and Children’sright.One of the most moving momentsof the evening was a speechby Galya Arustamyan, chairpersonof the Mothers of KarabakhFreedom Fighters Union who hadcome to Yerevan from Stepanakertto take part in the meeting. Ms.Arustamyan lost a son during thearmed conflict with Azerbaijan inthe early 1990s. But she had cometo Yerevan with an important messageabout the activities of the ArmenianRelief Society. She said thatthe work carried out by the ARSover the last two decades has hada lasting impact on the people andespecially the children of Karabakh.She thanked the ARS for its monumentalefforts to help the people ofKarabakh and wished the organizationcontinued success.Closing the evening’s ceremonieswas a speech by Hagop DerKhachadurian, member of theARF Bureau, who said that whilethe ARS is one of the most experiencedand well-organized globalArmenian organizations, and whiletheir mandate is providing educationaland humanitarian assistance,the organization should work moreclosely with women’s and children’srights issues in the future.The General Assembly of the ARFwrapped up on October 24 in Yerevan.Undoubtedly the women ofthis organization will return to theirrespective countries armed withmore energy and vigor to continueserving their fellow Armenian. fn Continued from page 16menia, but soon, he decided it wastime to move on. “With time, I realizedthat I needed to have my ownthing,” he says, “At 36, I decided tostart my own company.” And so in2006, Raffi Niziblian and ArsinehKhachikian fulfilled their mutualvision with Deem Communications,a full-service marketing andcommunications agency.With their professional endeavorsgoing strong and three schoolage children, Raffi and Lara havetheir hands full. Leaving a comfortablelife in Canada behind andmoving to Armenia is one thing.Doing it with a young family is another.People often ask them whyand how they did it, but Raffi andLara cannot be more pleased withtheir decision.“It started out as somethingvery emotional,” says Raffi, oftheir decision to move to Armenia,“But we approached it from arational perspective. We weighedthe pros and cons of raising ourchildren in Armenia versus Montreal,and Armenia won. There aremore cultural opportunities here.Safety and security are anotherbig issue. Here, they play with allthe other kids in the yard behindour building, and we don’t haveto worry.”At first, the couple had theirdoubts about whether they weretaking something away fromtheir children by raising them inArmenia, but those doubts soondiminished. Lara was sure thatthey had made the right decisionon their last trip back to Canada.Their children were singing, dancing,playing piano, and happilyentertaining themselves whilethe other kids around them werepreoccupied with the latest videogame or Barbie doll. “They havea more cultural upbringing here,”she says, “And they’re happy withsmall things. Now I’m sure thatthis is the place. They’re receivinga strong base here. In Canada,most of my energy would gotowards raising them Armenian.Here, I can focus more on raisingthem as people, as good humanbeings. The Armenian partis natural.“Healthcare is a major challengein Armenia,” she admits, “But youhave to know your resources…. Iwas confident. I had read a lot.I always keep myself informed,and resources are available here.”Lara decided to have her thirdchild, Vayk, in Armenia. “It wasan amazing experience,” she says.“I have a good doctor that I trust,who I can call whenever I want ifone of my kids is sick: somethingthat is not available in Canada.”So everywhere has its advantagesand its drawbacks. Technologically,the Armenian healthcaresystem may not be the bestequipped, but there is a personaltouch here that you cannot findanywhere else.And as for education? Again,it’s not as big a challenge as onemight think. The children are enrolledat Aregnaz, an alternativeWaldorf school, where they learnArmenian, English, Russian, andGerman. Plus, Lara teaches themFrench at home. In North America,it’s hard enough to raise bilingualchildren. The Niziblian childrenare simultaneously learning fivelanguages, and still find plenty oftime to play with the neighborhoodkids in the yard.On to the tricky question. I askRaffi and Lara how their familiesfeel about their move to Armeniaand surprisingly, it’s notthat big an issue. “They’re happywe’re happy,” says Raffi, “Justnot happy that they don’t get tosee their grandchildren, niecesand nephew regularly.” Laracontinues, “They don’t like theidea, but just a couple of yearsago, they started understandingwhy we’re here. They figured, wemoved to Canada to escape thewar, for a better life, so why areyou going backwards? But sincethey started coming every summer,they see that it’s a good decision.I have three kids and avery active life – something thatwould have been next to impossiblein Canada.”Looking to the future, Raffi andLara understand that many factorscan come into play like health,world events, and family needsback home, but their repatriationis not a passing phase. “Nothing ispermanent,” says Raffi, “But we’rehere indefinitely.”f
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