Satenik Dallakyan. “After the war, I thought I could never start again, from scratch”

Many people in the Goris community of Syunik marz know Satenik Dallakyan, displaced from Artsakh, who for about 1.5 years united the potential of displaced women like her under one roof and created the “Satine” beauty salon, right in the heart of the city.

During the 44-day Artsakh war in 2020, Satenik had to leave her native Ishkhanadzor and move to Syunik with two girls, hoping that the situation would stabilize shortly and they would be able to return.

“I was pregnant, I was expecting two children. We left the village so hastily that I didn’t manage to take anything with us. I constantly thought to go back, at least to take my personal belongings, but my family did not allow me,” says Satenik.

Although she was born in Goris, she moved to Artsakh with her family in 2000 and lived there for about 20 years. She received her university education in Goris, where she met her future husband. After the marriage, the family decided to move to Artsakh. They repaired the house received by the state, engaged in agriculture and trade. Satenik also provided hairdressing services in the community.

The family lives in a rented apartment in Goris. Shortly after the war, after the birth of the children, the mother of four daughters began to think about finding new sources of income while taking care of the children. Taking into account the experience in the field of hairdressing, Satenik decided to establish a beauty salon in Goris.

The initial months of the new business were very difficult for Satenik. Due to the lack of customers, the latter had to invest all the money earned and also the child allowance in the business to cover the rent and related expenses.

After some time, she decides to buy one of the small houses in the city center and turn it into a beauty salon. Despite her husband’s fears, she takes out a loan to purchase real estate. Her husband considers such a large investment risky, Satenik, however, was confident that it will succeed.

As a result of the latter’s hard work and efforts, French philanthropists Aram Kayayan provided financial support from French philanthropists in the amount of 6 million AMD  to repair the barbershop after some time.

During that time, the mother of young children also participated in a grant program and thanks to the grant she received – 1.5 million AMD – she buys the necessary furniture for the hair salon. “Karine Movsisyan” youth center operating in Goris provided financial support in the amount of 600,000 AMD. With the support of “WINNET Armenia” Women’s Resource Center of Goris, 4 women from Artsakh who expressed a desire to work in the salon received professional training and, at the end of the training, professional tools to work fully.

Despite the continuous difficulties, Satenik is not depressed. Having overcome the fears of the post-war period, She confidently moves forward today. It turns out. “After the war, I thought that I would never be able to start again from scratch, I would not have such strength, but I found that strength in myself… Now I think that there is nothing wrong. if I was able to create in Artsakh, I can definitely do it in Armenia as well. You just need to constantly learn, self-educate and develop. And I do it every day, at the expense of my sleepless nights and rest…”.

Full text in Armenian

Gayane Markosyan