Volodya, Rima, Anzhela, Nazeli, Mariam, Milena, Arianna, Never, David, Edvard – 6 girls, 4 boys: The eldest is 19 years old, the youngest is 1 year and 8 months old.  Despite the social difficulties and problems, the Karapetyans living in Akhuryan are not complaining: their 11th child will be born in a few months.

Trying to introduce the children one by one, the 39-year-old mother hurries to assure that no matter how difficult it is, one child is good but many children are better. Only the eldest of the children is an adult and is currently in military service.

“It is difficult, the difficulty is in everything. It is true that they are not demanding but they attend school, college, they need food and clothes. they don’t demand, but school, college, food and clothes.  Thanks to God, I can provide for their needs by loans, by credits. They have many goals, let them learn and become human,” says Ashkhen.

 

The monthly income of the family is 160,000 drams: the husband’s salary, who is engaged in cattle breeding, the amount given for the youngest child and the family allowance. This amount is not enough for 12 persons but she does not hide that there are individual donors and charitable organizations that support the family.

 

Her husband, Hovhannes, is ready to do any work, but the whole salary goes for food and the first needs of the children. They have a cow which has been bought by the youngest child allowance received from the government. This somehow eased the worries of the family. At least they do not buy milk for young family members. They received another heifer as a gift from an individual donor. “I buy daily bread and managed to buy only sofa. Other things like TV, refrigerator, etc., were bought by the donors. And my older daughters always tell me that they want to study in order to do charity as well,”-says Ashkhen. She also mentioned that the family is engaged in Armenian Caritas “Warm winter. Today and tomorrow” project by the assistance of which they received winter support for gas payment also this year. “Not only this. We received also food and clothes from Armenian Caritas which is very important for our family,”- added Ashkhen.

 

Despite the difficulties, 11^th child will be born to the Karapetyans family. The biggest problem is the space. They can hardly place in one small house and the problem increases in winter. The house is heated with wood and dung.

 

“Just buying only bread for 12 persons costs enough that is why I mostly bake the bread. When I was young, I always told myself that I will have only 1 child but I will give birth to the 11th child soon. Now I think that those who have 1-2 children they do not look at life fully, each family should have at least 4-5 children”.

 

Though the children do not have separate rooms, computer or modern toys and in the bedroom the temperature is lower than in the yard, the children are happy telling that being many in the family is very good. However, the number of families with many children like the Karapetyans is decreasing year by year.