Hovhanna Hakobyan May 15 is the International Families Day, declared by the UN General Assembly in 1993. It provides an opportunity to raise awareness of issues relating to families, as well as social, socio-economic, demographic and other factors affecting it. The UN theme for this year is “Family and inclusive society.”
Although human relations have been transformed over the past decades, the family remains the main basis of society and one of the guarantees for its sustainable development. First of all, the role and importance of the family is great in the life of the child, but that role is greater when it comes to children who live in their own world, perceive the surrounding environment in a different way.
Hovhanna and Anna are twins, the 5th and 6th children of the family. In 2008, coming to the world they brought new hopes, happiness, and motivation to their parents and family. But everything was changed a few months later, when doctors diagnosed blindness in Hovhanna. “For a moment the world seemed to be darkened, the colors disappeared, and everything and everyone in the world was forgotten”,-the mother of the child Mrs. Narine tells, -“ what was the meaning of my life or how to live”?
It seemed the most terrible thing that parents could hear, but no, this was just a moment that should be overcome, adapt to the new reality and look ahead. The next shock for the family were the “kind and caring” advices of relatives, “to get rid of the child leaving her in the orphanage”. What did it mean? How to abandon the one you gave a life and why to do it? Could it be possible to leave your own child and deprive her of the right to have a family? The parents’ decision was out of discussion. The child would live in the family, surrounded with love, warmth, and sometimes even too much care. The little girl having no light in her eyes became a light for the family herself.
“The doctors advised surgery, which was possible only abroad”,- the child’s mother was telling. This surgery required huge expenses, especially for a family of eight children, while it was giving very little hope. But when it comes to your child, you are ready to do everything. You even want to give a glimpse of the sunlight to your child, but unfortunately it is impossible. In spite of the financial difficulties, the child’s family could cover the expenses of several surgeries abroad, which, unfortunately, did not give any positive results. However, the parents did all depending on them.
The next difficulties appeared when Hovhanna turned 6 and would go to schools as her peers.
At that time the overall inclusion was not applied in the system of education and the schools did not accept the child for different reasons. Only one of special schools in Yerevan was ready to provide education to Hovhanna, but she would stay there. And again the same advices, “let the child get education, there are good conditions in this school, the child will be able to live without you”. “Although we did not even think to leave our child, but these words made me realize that even if my daughter can stay without us, we can’t, and we need her not less than she us ” ,- the mother of Hovhanna tells.
Finally, the girl was accepted by school #40 in Gyumry, where she attends now. While speaking about the girl great hope, will and an endless love towards her child were noticed in the eyes of the mother.
Today, Hovhanna lives in the family, attends school, communicates with her peers, and undoubtedly, due to the unity, love and care of the family, the world is bright for her even without light, colorfull without colors, beautiful without images.
Prepared by Ani Maghakyan