The sixth medal for 10-year-old Artur is his most memorable, marking the culmination of two years of hard work and dedication to wrestling. Artur joined the FAR Child Protection Center at seven and is now 10 years old. "A few days after my arrival, Mrs. Narine asked if I wanted to take up sports. I hesitated but eventually said 'Yes,'" he recalls, adding that he chose wrestling.
Victory felt strange for Artur, as he often believed his opponents would always defeat him, reflecting his struggles in life. "At my first competition, when the jury called my name, I felt a shiver and thought I would lose. But then a familiar voice said, 'You can do it. I believe in you,' which encouraged me, and I won. It was Mrs. Narine’s voice, guiding me throughout my sports journey for the past three years," he notes, crediting his achievements to his mentor and friend, Narine Vardanyan, who has been working at the FAR Child Protection Center for years now.
Artur is now ready to reunite with his parents. He plans to take all his medals with him, calling them the 'Era of Achievements.'
"I’ll miss my time at the Center, but it’s time to go home now. I’ve learned a lot here, becoming more disciplined and responsible for my actions. Family to me means love and unity, and I learned this at the Center," Artur concludes, now a mature boy who has overcome behavioral problems and is ready to join his mom and siblings.
"For me, victory is a test I have to pass and win. Whereas losing gives me a reason to work harder."
In the meantime, you can learn more about FAR Child Protection Center's impact on the displaced by reading Mira Antonyan's article on Psychology Today.
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