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The Gulakyan family lives in Khashtarak village of Armenia’s Tavush Province, 12 km from the state border. Having a decent house is not just a convenience but a matter of security for the family. Built over nine decades ago the house has solid foundations and walls, but there is a risk of the roof collapsing. Two years ago, the kitchen ceiling was torn off by heavy spring rains, and threatens the safety of the family, Viva-MTS said in a press release.

“There was a lot of soil on the roof; roofs were made of earth in the past. The soil got damp and heavier over time. And then, one day the ceiling was ripped off and the soil went down inside the house. It now threatens another room. We are scared. We are not undertaking any works there because the roof needs to be replaced completely,” said the housewife, Zarine.

The homeowner, Harutyun, a military serviceman, has been living in his aunt's house with his wife and three daughters for 17 years. He gets worried every time he leaves his family at home when he needs to go out for work. The young-aged homeowner was absent when as the shooting was underway.

There is still a danger of collapse, but Harutyun now knows how to get rid of it. The problem has been presented to organizations cooperating within the framework of the housing program. With the funding of Viva-MTS and the support of the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia, the roof will be replaced by the end of the year. Another family living in a remote region will get rid of the problem of years. Zarine assures that she will support her husband. But meanwhile, she is busy with the education of her daughters, keeping up with the goal of self-development, too. She is now engaged in a distant learning program, and is a role model for her girls.