To honor and support the heroic, inspiring, and resilient people of Artsakh: Driven with this mission Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte, together with the Anna Astvatsaturian Foundation, launched the” Ser Artsakh” initiative on June 1, 2022. This initiative aimed to give back to her motherland by gifting every newborn in Artsakh a special first gift box. “Ser Artsakh” was dedicated to highlighting the importance of building families and securing a future for children on our ancestral lands.

 

On November 14, in Yerevan, American-Armenian writer, lawyer, public figure, philanthropist, and president of the Anna Astvatsaturian Foundation, Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte, met with beneficiaries, families, partners, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and supporters of the “Ser Artsakh” program in Yerevan. 

 

The event opened with the former abbot of Dadivank, Ter Hovhannes Priest Hovhannisyan’s prayer. After, a powerful video was presented about the “Ser Artsakh” project, showcasing the initiative’s heartfelt achievements through touching footage. Over its two-year course, the project delivered 3,000 gift boxes to 3000 newborns, marking a meaningful gesture of care for each new life.

 

Anna Astvatsaturian shared the concept behind her project, along with the challenges and difficulties faced during its implementation. The idea emerged seven years ago when Anna learned that in Finland, all newborns receive a box filled with essentials for their first months, including items for mothers. Inspired by this, she envisioned similar gift boxes that could improve the quality of life for children in Artsakh while supporting local production. However, prior to the war, the project had been put on hold as Anna focused on other initiatives in Artsakh and Armenia. After 2020, it became clear that this vision needed to become a reality.

 

"The purpose of this program was to remind the people of Artsakh that they are remembered in the diaspora, that they matter, and to show the diaspora that Artsakh exists, that Artsakh lives. After the forced displacement, it became even more crucial to continue, as the people of Artsakh needed our support, love, and warmth more than ever. It was incredibly rewarding for me to see all these people—partners, beneficiaries, and those we had been working with remotely for months but had not met—in one place. Among them were people who simply supported and valued this program, and their presence continues to inspire me," mentions Anna Astvatsaturian.

 

The journey was challenging—under the blockade and severe shortages, the team did everything to ensure that the gift boxes reached hospitals on time, providing mothers and newborns with the attention and support they needed most at that time. Remarkably, 944 gift boxes were distributed to newborns during the blockade alone.

 

As former State Minister and Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Artsakh, Artak Beglaryan mentions there were missed opportunities that prevented essential supplies from reaching Artsakh. 

 

"When Anna presented the idea in 2022, I was immediately supportive, although I had no sense of the immense scale and quality of work it would require. Over time, I came to realize that this has become the most cherished and impactful program in post-war Artsakh. While, many other projects have been implemented on a larger scale, the depth of love and dedication toward this initiative has been unparalleled. Despite various challenges, we managed to bring essential supplies during the blockade. I always insisted on filling every inch of the trucks and cars coming to Artsakh with these items, as they often meant more to families than other forms of aid. These gift boxes brought light and hope to the families," he shares.

 

 

Even during the blockade, with support from the International Committee of the Red Cross and overcoming countless obstacles, the Anna Astvatsaturian Foundation team, alongside their “Ser Artsakh” partners, successfully delivered essential medical and hygiene supplies to mothers and babies in Artsakh. Despite severe challenges—lack of electricity, limited transportation, and cold weather—the team tirelessly gathered necessary items for newborns even in the basements and garages, delivered them to hospitals, and personally handed them to the mothers in what felt like a desperate situation.

 

Armine Vardanyan, "Anna Astvatsaturian" Foundation’s representative, reflected on the entire journey of the project, recalling its complexities and challenges with heartfelt sincerity and unable to hide her tears.

 

"I brought back with me from Artsakh the key to the room in the maternity hospital where we stored the gift boxes and accessories. Together with our volunteers, we did everything we could—and more—to ensure that every mother received these boxes. This program felt like our own; we were not just contributors but an integral part of it."

 

Each ‘Ser Artsakh’ box, thoughtfully prepared with love and care, contained essential baby items like nightwear, sleeping bags, towels, blankets, diapers, baby shampoo, thermometers, and pacifiers, along with hygiene products for infants. The boxes also included custom-made wooden toys crafted in Armenia. Every item in the gift boxes was a high-quality Armenian product, sourced from Armenia and Artsakh. 

Lusine Davtyan, co-founder and deputy director of the "Lalunz" company, shared that while sewing the clothes in their workshop; the women blessed the garments and wished health for the newborns who would receive them. "When Anna approached me with the idea of joining the program, I was inspired by her emphasis on quality. She didn’t want it to be just charity for show; it was essential to her that these were meaningful gifts for the children of Artsakh. Over the five years of Lalunz's work, “Ser Artsakh” has become one of our most cherished and heartfelt initiatives," said Lusine Davtyan.

 

"The box itself was filled with love and warmth, with its vibrant colors and carefully arranged, high-quality, essential items. Even from the moment of opening it, we could feel the care and love put into every detail," says Diana Dolukhanyan, one of the beneficiary mothers of the program. She received a gift box after giving birth to her first child in Artsakh. At the event, Diana received the last "Love Artsakh" gift box, which she will soon use with love after the birth of her second child. "Opening those boxes filled us with a sense of warmth, support, and importance. In that moment, it meant everything to us," Diana shared.

 

In September 2023, despite the forced deportation of our compatriots from Artsakh, the Anna Astvatsaturian Foundation continued its initiative, this time in Armenia, supporting Artsakh families who had been displaced and left with nothing during those difficult days.

 

“'Ser Artsakh' initiative will continue in a new format and with expanded goals” - was mentioned during the event. Thanks to the efforts of the Anna Astvatsaturian Foundation, sewing training courses will be offered to those forcibly displaced from Artsakh. The aim of these courses is to provide displaced individuals with practical skills, empowering them to start their own businesses or secure jobs in the textile industry, ensuring sustainable employment opportunities for Artsakh residents. The program will last 12 weeks, covering the essential knowledge and skills needed for success.

 

The book “Little and His House” by Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte was officially presented. This children's coloring book was originally intended to be a special addition to the gift boxes, serving as a lasting gift from the author to the children and mothers. However, due to the forced displacement from Artsakh, the book's publication was delayed. Now, Anna Astvatsaturian has chosen to present the book in Armenia and donate all proceeds from its sale to the foundation, supporting the continued development of the 'Ser Artsakh' program in its new format.

Partners of the Ser Artsakh initiative included Lalunz LLC, Play Artsakh, Theopharma Imports LLC, and Masterprint.

 

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Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte is an American-based Armenian writer, philanthropist, lawyer, and the elected president of the political council of the Westbrook settlement, as well as the president of the Anna Astvatsaturian Foundation. She is the author of the autobiographical book “Nowhere: A Story of Exile”, based on her diary written at the age of 11, in which she recounts the story of her family fleeing the Armenian pogroms in Baku. In 2013, she successfully advocated for the official recognition of the Republic of Artsakh within the Maine legislature. Since 2012, Anna Astvatsaturian has spearheaded numerous projects and charitable programs in Artsakh. In 2020, she founded the 'Anna Astvatsaturian' charity foundation. One of the major projects of the foundation is the 'Artsakh War 2020: Losses, Challenges, and Development Opportunities' initiative, which aims to support families with newborn children in Artsakh.

 

 

 

 

  -   Сharity