“I dream of enjoying the dried fruits I made near the walls of Shushi.” Anna Grigoryan

In 2006, Anna Grigoryan came to Artsakh for a month and stayed for 15 years. She lives with her Artsakh husband Marat and two daughters and works in Stepanakert. Three years ago, the couple tried to make dried pineapple. In a short time it turned from a hobby into a business and got the name “Yan’s Chir”. “Yan’s” would soon become a job for several women from Artsakh. In a conversation with WomenNet.am, Anna Grigoryan told about the first steps she took in business and a homemade dryer, the feelings of the war days, the dream of returning to Shushi, and more.

There is a lot of harvest in Artsakh. People do not know what to do with that crop. One part is distributed, the other – vodka is drawn. They can not consume everything. When the trees in our yard grew and the harvest increased, I faced the same problem. I began to wonder how to make dried fruit. At first I did it for my family, but little by little it became a business idea.
 

In 2019, the Armenian General Benevolent Union was accepting applications from Artsakh for the “Learn, Earn” program. I was also elected. As a result of participating in the program, I studied many things in depth, which influenced my work.
 

To develop the business, I received 1.3 million AMD from the AGBU, with which I will buy a big dryer, will improve the area where the dried fruits are made. I will direct the rest of the money to the current works: boxes, packaging, marketing expenses, etc.

I chose the name Yan’s, connecting it with the suffix “yan” of our Armenian surname. When I was presenting my business plan, I talked about it, and now I want to say that “Yan’s” is my product, but it belongs to all Armenians, it is not only my project.

It is the same for all beginner businessmen. You can produce a very good product, but you have to find a consumer market. As you know, the Artsakh market is small.
 

The consumption of my dried fruits was organized by my friends. It is still the same․ They are intermediaries so I can sell.

At first, my husband Marat and I organized the work. Since I also have a job at the Artsakh Public Radio, and the volume of business has more or less increased, 2-3 women from Artsakh will join us soon.
 

There are many people who are looking for a day job. I am glad that I can provide some of them with jobs.

I did not leave Stepanakert during April war. This time it was different. On the very first day, September 27, when I heard the sounds of bombing, I immediately understood that it was a war.
 

The district where we live is in a high position, almost equal to Shushi. I could see what was happening in the city. It looked like a movie. People did not understand what was happening. At first they even thought it was fireworks. I called many of my friends and informed them that it was a war.

There must be an idea with which we will all move and set goals accordingly. For example, what should I do to return to Shushi? I have to work hard in Stepanakert and try to help others.

Both before the war and now all my plans are connected with Artsakh. The only place I live is Artsakh. If I had to get out of here, I would definitely not live in Yerevan either.
 

What they (Azeris, -author) want is for us to leave Artsakh or not to work, to do nothing. We must work harder than before the war with bigger ideas and thoughts. That’s why I came back after the war and decided to resume “Yan’s”.

Full text in Armenian