Dusty streets and people with downtrodden, dour faces…

This is the general picture I get when visiting Armenia’s rural communities. Village residents have nothing but complaints to tell the reporter who stumbles into their realm. Turn on the tape recorder, however, and their tune changes – What hardships? What frustration?

Go to the village of Voskehat, in Armavir Marz, and you’re greeted with the same picture.

But the village has one proud boast under its belt – it’s where Catholicos Garegin II was born and where his brother Gevorg Nersisyan serves as mayor.

The village has its host of problems ranging from a dilapidated irrigation system to a school in need of urgent repair. Mayor Nersisyan’s answer is that the community just doesn’t have the resources to tackle these problems.

When we stopped to converse with some residents in the street, they all agreed that conditions in the village could improve if only the Catholicos and his brother would utilize their connections towards the development of Voskehat.

Mayor Nersisyan told us that his brother doesn’t like to intervene or call in favors. The mayor confessed that being the brother of the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church doesn’t automatically translate into any practical advantages.

“The Catholicos views all villages and their residents as equals. I petition him on certain issues and if he can, he helps out. For example, I contacted him about paving the road to the school. He tells me to get in touch with him about any problems we might have and I do,” noted Mayor Nersisyan, who had difficulty pointing to even one problem that was solved through the auspices of the Catholicos.

Nersisyan told me that his brother visits the village only occasionally and rarely gets involved in community matters. The Catholicos owns a private residence in Voskehat with walls that are several meters high.

Voskehat has a population of 3,400 that mostly engage in animal husbandry and farming. The irrigation water problem restricts any development of these sectors. Presently, the water is pumped from 19 deep wells and then directed to the fields. If the electricity is cut and the water stops flowing, the fields dry up.

Mayor Nersisyan said that 1.5 kilometers of pipe was laid as part of the Millennium Challenge program at a cost of 20 million AMD. The community covered 15% of the cost. He says there are tens of kilometers of pipe that need to be repaired. 

70 hectares of the community 630 hectares of arable land aren’t cultivated. Again, it’s due to the water problem. Then too, only the moderately well off can afford to engage in agriculture.

Mayor Nersisyan said that it costs 60,000 AMD just to till and plant one hectare of land. Add in the costs of fertilizers, pesticides and seed and the whole affair is beyond the scope of most residents.

He told me that the apricot trees never bloomed this year due to the early season temperature changes.

The budget for Voskehat is a tad over 30 million AMD; just enough to pay municipal employees, keep the kindergarten open, and launch a few projects.

This year, Voskehat plans to kick in 3 million towards a 30 million central heating project for the municipal building.

The community has a cultural center which rarely is used as intended.

Ishkhan Muradyan, who worked as a film projectionist in the village, says that nothing is being done to organize arts and crafts, dance, music and other classes to keep young people engaged and active.

“Why was the center renovated if it isn’t to be used,” asked Muradyan.

Mayor Nersisyan told me that the center was renovated by the Social Investment Fund at a cost of 75 million AMD.

Voskehat chipped in 10% from its municipal budget.