As the first light of dawn spills over the rolling hills, Karen Poghosyan, 46, and his wife, Silva Grigoryan, 44, step into their ‘green heaven’—the greenhouse they have created from scratch in their homeland of Uyts, Sisian region.
Each morning, Karen's and Silva's paths divide: she goes to the tomato garden, while he heads to the cucumber patch, filled with cool green shades. Meanwhile, their 21-year-old son Vram, who stayed up late studying the greenhouse operations, still sleeps, dreaming of calculations and growth charts.
In 2019, Karen constructed these three greenhouses to grow tomatoes. “I knew it was easy to cultivate tomatoes, because they have a strong root system and are not easily exposed to diseases. After installing a heating system, we decided to grow cucumbers as well. It’s been 4 years now,” said Karen who applied to FAR’s Small Business Assistance Program (SBA) in 2022 and modernized the greenhouse cover and irrigation system thus expanding their opportunities of collecting harvest year-round. “Without FAR support, I would have to apply for a yet another loan, but I’m not sure whether the bank would give me due to my existing debt.”
As a result of this water system, Karen can irrigate the plants with warmed water which doesn’t damage the crop even during harsh winters when the temperature drops down to -25C.
For Karen and Silva the most pleasant feeling is harvesting the first bunch of red and ripe tomatoes. “We share the first one among ourselves so that each of us can have a bite and savor the fruit of our hard work.”
The Small Business Assistance (SBA) program, financed and initiated by the Atesian Family Foundation, is a dynamic initiative dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs and small business owners. SBA equips individuals with the necessary tools to launch and expand their entrepreneurship and self-employment opportunities, particularly among conflict-affected, displaced, and rural populations in Armenia.
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