Moving from House to House: A Journey from Khnapat to Debet

[In the Artsakh dialect] "Davit, hello! Would you like to play a game?'' Three-year-old Davit responded to my question with a gentle smile, then, quickly, hid his embarrassed face behind his mother's back.

Davit from Khnapat village in Artsakh is one of the thousands of children who have faced the blockade, wars, and forced displacement. He was "a little lucky" because he transitioned from one familiar home to another. Davit's paternal grandmother lives in Debet village in the Lori region, where his family has settled today.

Davit is a recent addition to the Child Development Corner at the COAF SMART Center. In this brief period, he has not only managed to befriend his Child Development Program instructor and psychologist, Marina, but has also discovered his talent for styling her hair during free playtime. This has become one of the three-year-old's favorite pastime activities.

In a room full of toys, Davit exhibits a particular fondness for hairdressing accessories, Legos, and musical instruments.

His family is already joking that Davit will become a good barber.

Davit is thinking about which new hairstyle to give his mother this time.

Davit is enthusiastic in two scenarios. when strangers speak to him in the Artsakh dialect and when he picks up a musical instrument.

In addition to styling the hair of his instructor, Marina, Davit engages in various other games with her.

The three-year-old Artsakhtsi is a great master of improvising music, songs, or dances.

And now, Davit is a doctor. The patient's smile proves that she is in safe hands.

Davit's car collection has been enhanced in Debet. His mother, Tsaghik, explains that they left the village so hastily that they didn’t manage to bring any toys with them.

Davit is renovating his new house with his father, Hovhannes.

The universal language of a child is play.

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