Village Vourgavan is in the south of the Kashatagh region of Artsakh, approximately 40 kilometers from Berdzor. The village was liberated during the Karabakh war, in 1993.

The villagers say that a soldier from Sissian Vourg Voskanyan near Kashatagh first visited this village, then went to the northern regions and was killed in the village of Vakounis. After that, the village was named in his honor – Vourgavan.

Since 1994, people from Stepanakert, Gyumri, Jermuk and other regions of Armenia began to move to the village. Today 157 people, 40 families live in Vourgavan. The head of the village Georgi Khachatryan says that there are many people willing to move in, but the jobs are not very much, so there are no new residents.

The inhabitants are mainly engaged in animal husbandry and horticulture. Location and climate of the village allow to get a lot of fruit, which are sent either to the Republic of Armenia or to Stepanakert.

The village has no health center and the school is in a dilapidated condition. The organization “Patriot” this summer completely rebuilds Vurgavan school, as well as builds medical center and the village council building. Although Vourgavan people work in farming, but still come and help in the construction work.

TAMARA GRIGORYAN
Organization “Patriot”