Honoring Sona Manuelian

Last year, we at the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia (FCHA), experienced excruciating pain — the loss of a longtime friend, a veteran volunteer team leader, an ambassador of our mission, and a human being who dedicated her love, efforts and willingness to support destitute families in Armenia for over a decade. Sona Manuelian’s loving and dedicated spirit was contagious, and her constant support has transformed the lives of hundreds of families.

”Sona was a person whose kindness and love towards Armenia and Armenian people can’t be described through words. Her dedication and the way she inspired others to join our mission were stupendous. She will always be alive in our hearts,” said FCHA president Ashot Yeghiazaryan.

Sona’s husband Leo also dedicated his life to FCHA’s mission of helping underprivileged families in dire need of decent housing. He decided to honor her loving memory by giving a new and better life to families that have been deprived of living a deserving life for many years and asked people to donate to FCHA in lieu of flowers. From all the generous donations in Sona’s name, two families will feel the jubilance of living a deserving life.

One of the families, the Aghamalyans, lives in a metal container. Valerik was born in Kirovabad; his father was a professional welding specialist, who was once invited to work in Spitak. During the 1988 earthquake, Valerik was five years old, and his twin brothers were three years old. They lived in Spitak, on the fifth floor of a five-story building. Fortunately, the family did not experience the loss of a family member; however, their health was affected badly. His mother had to live with one kidney, and his father suffered a spinal injury. His health never bounced back, and he passed away in 2002.

The only relative they had in Armenia was Valerik’s aunt who lived in Artashavan village of the Aragatsotn region. They had to move to the village and settle in a metal container. They have lived there ever since.

Valerik is a janitor at school, and his wife is a preschool teacher. The house will be built and completed by the end of the year.

We are sure that Sona is watching over us, and she will be happy to see the lives of more families transformed.