Downward trend sees reversal in this rural Tavoush community

This year saw an unprecedented rise in births in the Voskepar village located in Armenia’s northern Tavoush Marz. Fifteen children have been born so far this year and three more births are expected by the end of 2010.

This marks a reversal of the downward trend of the past ten years. Newlywed couples were responsible for most of the births. Mayor H. Aghbalyan says the last time there were so many births in the village was back in the 1990s."We entered the 21 century with some pretty tragic numbers. In 2002, there were only four births in the village," he noted, adding that before this year the number of children born hadn’t topped eight. The Voskepar Municipality said that in 2008 there were 21 deaths and only 5 births in the community. Village resident Grandpa Spandar said that such good news should spur the government to do even more to improve the social conditions of young families. "These newly born kids will cry for their milk and their parents will provide it. But later on, these children will put greater demands on their parents who shouldn’t have to seek work abroad to be able to take care of them," Spandar said. Local school principal N. Beglaryan pointed out that an increasing birthrate will also help fill the classrooms. Back in 2000, there were 152 pupils. Today, the number has dropped to 98.

Syuzanna Siradeghyan