Growing mounds of garbage in Aleppo became a problem. But in the Armenian neighborhoods like Nor Kyugh, Armenian young men donned gloves and transported the trash farther afield. Neighborhoods remained relatively clean.
The academic year for Armenian schools in Syria will begin in two weeks. Many will find themselves in a bind because they will be unable to pay the school fees. In the last school year and in Armenian schools in general, 15 out of 100 students were children.
Families in need come to the office and fill out a detailed questionnaire in order to receive assistance. The care package they are given includes sugar, wheat, oil and canned meat – about $35 worth of goods.
On Tuesday, two small planes took the last group of Armenians kids from Aleppo to the safety of Armenia. But children from the Armenian National Shelter in Aleppo weren’t in the group. They couldn’t get the necessary passports due to the situation on the ground.
We hear reports that kidnappings have increased dramatically as a way for some to get rich quick. Many groups involved in the fighting are tempted to go this route when their finances run low. Armenians, naturally, have not been immune to such kidnappings due to the general perception that they are well off.
I should note here that a few weeks ago a bus headed for Armenia was stopped by some armed militant a few kilometres from the Turkish border. The militants entered the bus and seeing there were Armenians on board on the way to Armenia, they let it continue on.