SANTA ANA : Foreign Aid Part of Lesson in Life

Students at Ari Guiragos Minassian Armenian School are studying computers, fine arts, biology and all the other usual subjects. But they’re also learning about the importance of charity--and the harsh realities of life in the former Soviet Union.

Four years ago the school “adopted” what was originally called School No. 58 in the Armenian capital of Yerevan, and is now named for writer/poet Mousegh Ishkhan, who was persona non grata during the Communist era.

Facilitating relief efforts for the children in Yerevan and the cultural exchanges is Tustin resident Sylvie Tertzakian. She said that as a result of the interaction, students in Santa Ana have learned that items they take for granted, such as toothbrushes and electricity, are considered luxuries in Armenia.

The impoverished country is suffering under a trade blockade organized by Azerbaijan and its allies as part of the Nagorno-Karabakh war. The United States has been sending emergency humanitarian assistance such as food, clothing and medical supplies to Armenia.

So far, Tertzakian has collected $17,000 in cash donations and supplies for the dilapidated school in Armenia. That’s a substantial sum, she said, considering that teachers there get paid the equivalent of $1 per month.

“They’re living at a survival level,” said Tertzakian, who describes the relief effort as a small and manageable program “that doesn’t get lost in bureaucracy.”

Vahram Shemmassian, principal of the Santa Ana school, said his students have had fund-raisers for their Armenian counterparts and have been corresponding by mail on a regular basis.

Soon they will be communicating on-line via the Internet. Computers have been donated to both schools by several groups in Orange County.

“We would like to impact positively on Armenia,” Shemmassian said, by sharing “what is worthwhile and applicable from the West.” At the same time, students of Armenian heritage in the United States can learn about the culture of their ancestors, and perhaps offer some solace as fuel-starved Armenia braces for a harsh winter.

“It’s a hopeful time,” Shemmassian said, “and a fearful time.”