When Karabakh refugees arrived in Osakhan, Armenia, three friends decided to start a small factory so women refugees could earn some money and focus on work. 

When Arman Mkhitaryan was three, his parents baptized him in the Armenian Apostolic Church. Ten years ago, however, when Arman was 27, he decided to convert to an ancient Armenian pre-Christian faith, Hetanism.

Yezidis trace their history in Armenia back for centuries. The largest religious minority in the country, there are an estimated 35,000 Yezidis living in Armenia today, or just over one percent of the population. Yezidis say they feel at home in Armenia—the country is host to the largest Yezidi temple outside of Iraq. But the community has failed to assimilate in some ways. For instance, in Yezidi families, girls are rarely encouraged to stay in school. Families prioritize work over education, and even when girls can graduate from school, communities tend to shun young women who go to university. 

While Facebook is still the most popular social media site in Armenia, with 1.5 million registered users, TikTok is quickly evolving from a kids’ app for funny dance videos to an influential platform.

Taguhi Mansuryan was not always an “other.” The 41-year-old beautician used to follow all “the rules” Armenian society demanded of her: she got married, she had a son—and she stayed with her husband even after he beat her.

Shafi, moved to Armenia in 2012 after stumbling upon it on Google. He says he immediately felt a connection with the Armenian people.

G.U.M market traders agree that despite the difficulty of earning a living selling goods, the market has become a source of comfort.

A gap in the law regulating family leave in Armenia is robbing scores of working mothers of state benefits.

A residential neighborhood in the Armenian capital feels the full impact of the city’s polluting landfill.

For years, Armenians have fled villages in search of a better life. Now some are bucking that trend.

Three decades after independence, Armenia’s empty factories are a missed opportunity for development.