Shoushan Ohanyan

Ever since a debilitating auto accident forty years ago, Karineh Mananyan has been confined to a wheelchair.

Any number of surgeries hasn’t alleviated her condition.

Karineh says there were times when she had to fend for herself but that her sister now cares for her.  The woman expresses a stoic viewpoint regarding her disability.

“I’ve long since gotten used to being confined to a wheelchair, but I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. It’s life and there are no guarantees,” Karineh says. “Sometimes I get out with the assistance of my sister and neighbors. I’ve overcome the complex I once felt from the stares of people who saw me getting around like this.”

Karineh says that many in her condition, especially men, avoid coming into contact with people.

She lives in the southern Armenian town of Goris and knows by heart the names of all those who have mobility issues like herself.

“We are like an extended family. I am basically the one who raises our issues to the appropriate authorities. I understand them,” Karineh says with a half smile on her face. “While we meet each other infrequently, we are in constant touch by the telephone.”

Goris Municipality: No disabled access ramp

The main issue that Karineh and her physically challenged friends are now raising with the municipal government is to have a room where they can meet at least once a week.

“I don’t think it’s an expensive request or something difficult to achieve,” she notes, adding that many buildings in Goris aren’t outfitted with wheelchair ramps and that many disabled residents stay indoors as a consequence.

“Having a place of our own to meet would be great. But how can officials who can walk on their own know the basic joy we’d get from human contact,” Karineh says.

Goris Church: An access ramp steep and impractical

Carmen, Karineh’s sister, shares her concerns about the impediments to mobility for the disabled in Goris.

“If a person, whether a man or a woman, wants to go to a store and pick out some clothes it’s impossible in Goris. What I have to do is wheel my sister to the store entrance and stop there. She’ll then look inside to see if anything catches her fancy,” Carmen says.

Amazingly, the steps leading to the social services building in Goris are a challenge for a person who can walk, let alone for someone in a wheelchair.

Carmen says that when they have business to conduct at social services they are forced to wait for a worker to come outside.

In comparison, Karineh praises the improvements made to the Goris Medical Center and the newly installed wheelchair access ramp. She says that the interior of the center has also been refurbished for ease of mobility. (The medical center is a non-governmental facility)

Local Store: Another steep ramp and a box of tangerines blocking access

“The laws are there but I haven’t seen any changes in our town. What good are laws when even the municipality building has no ramp,” Karineh says. “It means that we don’t have the opportunity to speak with our officials.

She does commend the church for installing an access ramp, even though it, like many others, is too steep.

Karineh requests that I not present her in such a light that others will take pity on her. She says that there are many worse off than her who need care and compassion.

She is consoled by the fact that those with hearing and vision problems are still capable of finding work. The plight of those who must get around with support devices is another matter.

The wheelchair Karineh received six months ago has broken and it will cost 8,000 AMD (20 U.S.) to fix. It’s an amount she can’t afford on her disability pension and social allowance. So, she’ll have to wait for two years to be provided a new one.

During the winter, Karineh also faces the problems of heating her home. The Goris Municipality gave her 10,000 in assistance. She’s also written to the regional government but hasn’t heard back yet. It’s no wonder that she looks forward to warmer weather.

When it was time to leave, Karineh looked up at the sky, squinted her eyes, and turned to me and said, “Every morning when I open my eyes and see the sun, I am happy. My biggest protector, the Lord above, is taking care of me.”