The “Pharmacist” which has become a dream, a link connecting to the homeland. Sofia Mnjoyan

Sofia Mnjoyan is from Texas, studied at the University of Texas, received a degree in Pharmacology, and for many years dreamed of returning to her homeland, trying to support various socially vulnerable groups in Armenia through various programs implemented from afar. This year, however, she decided to make the support more substantial and to test the first “Pharmacy” program of its kind in Armenia as a project of the NGO of the same name. In a conversation with WomenNet.am, Sofia tells about the reasons for leaving Armenia, the dream return and the “Pharmacy” project.

The 2000s were difficult years for families of scientists
 

 My parents are scientists. My father is a chemist and my mother is a biologist. Both have the title of academician, but as you know, the 90s and the beginning of the 2000s were difficult years for scientists. They could not feed their families, in the true sense of the word. The situation was getting worse… And when my mother was invited to Texas during those years to work as a scientist at one of the major science centers in the area, she accepted the invitation and we decided to settle in Texas. And we have been here for 21 years. I have long wanted to move to Armenia for permanent residence, but so far I have not been able to do so for various reasons. At the same time, I am constantly trying to be useful to my homeland in some way.

To return not because something has changed in Armenia, but because I want to change something myself
 

 I visit Armenia for a few days almost every year. A lot has changed in Armenia since the early 2000s, but I want to return not because something has changed in Armenia, but because I want to change something myself.
 

Even in the professional field of healthcare, in general, in terms of people’s worldview and approaches. I think it ‘s time. Many of us from the Diaspora have to leave everything and return to our country.
 

The Government of Armenia has been implementing the “Business” program for Diaspora Armenian specialists since 2020, which gives Diaspora Armenian specialists the opportunity to work for a year in the country’s state structures. I know that now there are 100  in Armenia under that program. I think that number could have been higher, instead of 100, it could have been 500, if the state had allocated appropriate funds for the implementation of the program. 

The “Pharmacist” – in addition to delivering medicine, it is also a link to the homeland

 
The idea of ​​creating a “pharmacy” has been running through my head since my university years. That is to create a pharmacy, but on wheels, which, in addition to being a pharmacy, will have a social component to support the elderly and children. Our “Pharmacist” will tour the border villages of all regions, in places where pharmacies are not available, will try to bring the service of using medicines closer to the patients. The elderly and children up to 2 years old will have the opportunity to use free medicine at the expense of orders and payments of the solvent population. The “Pharmacist” will travel around the whole territory of Armenia on a clear schedule and will deliver the necessary medicine to the addressee’s house.

Women are very different in Armenia

 
 There are many different women in Armenia, but in general, it seems to me that they are much more conservative than abroad, often not so confident in their abilities. Unfortunately, in the last 20 years, it has become very common for women to receive a diploma and take it as a dowry, but they do not work. It is unfortunate that we have women who sit at home and do not use their potential, but on the other hand, I see a lot of progress in the IT sector, in various business sectors. We have a lot of smart women in all walks of life, which is only gratifying. The only bad thing is that successful women often do not start a family…
 
The best way, unfortunately, may be to maintain a balance between family and work, which is not always the case with all women.

Full text in Armenian