Diary from Armenia: After the escape comes the big game

One, two, three...eighteen. And on the way back we have to overcome the same 18 steps again," says Yulia Anfilatova, trying to catch her breath. The petite mother of five carries the heavy stroller up step by step. Every day. Just to be able to leave the house with her little daughter.

For almost four years, even the simplest things have become a challenge for her - shopping, going for a walk or going to a doctor's appointment. The path begins and ends with 18 steps each time.

After the Russian war broke out in Ukraine, Julija moved from Russia to Armenia with her husband and four children. The fifth child was already born in Armenia. There was a simple reason why the family stayed.

Donations to the taz panter foundation provide financial support to independent and critical journalists on site and in exile as part of the projects “War and Peace Diary” and “Our Window to Russia, Belarus and other post-Soviet countries”. On the last day of every month our podcast “Free Speech” appears, in which voices from the foundation’s projects have their say.

“The first thing I noticed in Armenia was the love for children,” she says. "It doesn't matter how old a child is, what gender or nationality he or she is. If you go for a walk with your child or want to eat in a cafe, suddenly everyone cares. They hold the child in their arms, play with him or give him attention, while you can drink a cup of hot coffee in peace. Armenia is a country of warmth."

But in addition to this openness, Julija quickly noticed the other side. There is a lack of many things that make everyday life easier for families: ramps, barrier-free transport, taxis with child seats, family-friendly leisure activities - and often even safe playgrounds.

Instead of coming to terms with it, she decided to take action herself. The “Yerevan for Kids” initiative emerged from her experiences as a mother. Their goal is to create safe and inclusive playgrounds in Yerevan and other cities in Armenia.

The initiative has been working with city administrations, companies and private supporters for around two years. The team includes architects, city activists and marketing and funding experts. They are all Russian migrants and have fled to Armenia to escape Putin's repression. Together they advise municipalities, develop concepts for inclusive playgrounds, support construction projects and organize fundraising campaigns.

One of the first projects was an interactive map of all playgrounds in Yerevan. It documents their condition, makes deficiencies visible, supports city planning and helps parents find suitable playgrounds.

Other projects followed: public playgrounds in the provinces. A total of 15 million Armenian drams, which is the equivalent of around 35,500 euros, are to be collected. Around 12,000 euros have been donated so far.

Julija is successful in her persuasion. Nevertheless, little has changed in her own everyday life. She still takes the stroller in her arms and carries it down step by step, counting quietly: “One, two, three… eighteen.”

Sona Martirosyan is a journalist living in Yerevan (Armenia). She was a participant in an Eastern Europe workshop organized by the taz panter foundation.

Translated from Armenian by Tigran Petrosyan.

Donations to the taz panter foundation provide financial support to independent and critical journalists on site and in exile as part of the “Diary of War and Peace” project.