“When the school is a target, shooting can happen every moment”, Lorik Badiryan, head of Vazashen bordering community in Tavush says, showing the signs of shootings on the walls and the windows half closed by bricks, “We do everything possible to protect children from shooting and a spear”.
The community has 18 km border with Azerbaijan. Having 2000 tons of grape production yearly in Soviet time, now Vazashen has no single vine growing in the area, 30-40 percent of the vineyards now remained in the other side of the contact line, the irrigation system is not functioning. The main income for the community with the population of 870, are the households and financial support from the relatives working abroad. 68 pupils study at local schools, when this number was 376.
And for these children, Armenian Red Cross Society constructed protective wall and play ground at the community center, to protect them from shooting.
Vazashen is not the only community in Tavush with this problem: aiming to ensure the safety of the bordering communities of Tavush, especially children, with the support of International Committee of the Red Cross and German Red Cross, Armenian Red Cross Society has constructed safer spaces, play grounds and protective walls in Berdavan, Vazashen, Chinari, Narkin Karmiraghbyur, Aygepar, Movses and Paravakar.
