Epress.am News from Armenia
Thanks to the efforts of Mer Doon (“Our Home”) NGO and funding from Armenian-American benefactors, there is a Mer Doon facility in Etchmiadzin that takes under its auspices 18-year-old female orphans who are past the age of remaining in care, provides educational opportunities for them, and “successfully marries them off in the future,” said Mer Doon NGO President Tigranuhi Karapetyan at a press conference today.
Press conference participants also spoke of a recently filmed documentary about the organization and its activities.
Director Alexander Mirzakhanyan, visiting Mer Doon, proposed shooting the film, which depicts the story of one girl, who, coming out of Mer Doon, marries.
“Then I understood that music is necessary for the film and I went to Martin Aharonyan, as well as numerous singers. Many agreed and both the song and the film were created simultaneously,” said the director, adding that the film is not comprised of lamentation; the contrary in fact, it completely breaks the stereotype that orphans must be pitied.
Singer Alla Levonyan also shared her impressions of her visits to Mer Doon with journalists.
“I go quite often to Mer Doon, I speak with nearly all the girls, they tell me their problems. But there’s something very important: There’s really a warm environment at Mer Doon, the girls live in very good conditions,” she said.
The director of Mer Doon also said that already 6 girls have gotten married and they already five children, which Mer Doon staff consider their “grandchildren.”
“I have a friend in the US, who after watching the film, is preparing to take a girl from Mer Doon for her son,” said composer Martin Aharonyan.