Armenian-made. The business idea born of pain and hope 

Probably for all the little girls the favorite summer ornament is a pair of cherries hanging from the ears. Journalist Lilit Harutyunyan still does not remember the idea of turning Armenian fruits into jewelry. Maybe just a pair of cherries.

She has been dealing with hand-made jewelry from school years, mainly making various jewelry accessories for herself, her family, and friends but the war made her think more broadly.

“During the war, when we were trying to come to our senses and think about how we could help each other, I realized that it was time to implement the idea I had long ago. In those days I decided to make earrings, all the money from the sale of which would be directed to the families displaced from Artsakh, being in a socially vulnerable situation. I thought that if each of us tried to lighten the other’s worries a little, it might be easier to endure what was happening, make it more durable and safer to maintain. The feedback was very good, and the first question that worried all the buyers was whether they could be eaten, ”says Lilit.

After posting a pilot batch of fruit earrings and Christmas tree toys on social media, strangers responded not only to buy them but also to give each other a unique “challenge”. Each piece of jewelry was first eco-packaged, then completed with some good wishes.

During or after the war, before or after work, journalist Lilit hurried to one of the temporary shelters for IDPs from Artsakh to teach the Armenian language and literature to their children. She says that journalism is to help people, but during the war, she wanted to help people more tangibly, in practice.

In just two weeks, Lilit managed to raise enough money to meet the basic needs of two socially vulnerable families in Artsakh. 9 children grow up in one of the families. A small miracle happened during the initiative. One of Lilit’s friends,  knowing where the money would be directed, decided to help and allocated half a million AMD.

Lilit says the war became a period of self-discovery for each of us. People had many ideas but were often afraid or reluctant to implement them. The war came to say that there is no time to wait! Each of us must find the strength to work for someone, for some idea.

Now Lilit is working harder to turn the idea into a brand. Armenian Made will offer a new product on the eve of Valentine’s Day – fruit chips for loved ones.

Full text in Armenian