Tsmakahogh village is located in the Martakert region of Nagorno Karabakh Republic/Artsakh. There are approximately 280 residents in the village, living in an estimated 80 households.  


During the 2007-08 academic year the Tsmakahogh village school served 44 students: 

5 students in the 1st grade   (3 boys and 2 girls)

6 students in the 2nd grade  (3 boys and 3 girls)

6 students in the 3rd grade   (3 boys and 3 girls)

4 students in the 4th grade   (2 boys and 2 girls)

5 students in the 5th grade   (2 boys and 3 girls)

5 students in the 6th grade   (2 boys and 3 girls)

5 students in the 7th grade   (2 boys and 3 girls)

0 students in the 8th grade

5 students in the 9th grade   (2 boys and 3 girls)

3 students in the10th grade  (2 boys and 1 girls)  


The school serves students until eighth grade. Hence, those students in ninth and tenth grades have to walk a minimum of 30 minutes from Tsmakahogh to reach the neighboring Arajadzor village school. Alternatively, some students relocate to other cities such as Shushi or Stepanakert to complete their studies in ninth and tenth grades.  


Villagers take a lot of pride in the prominent physicist Andranik Iosifyan, who was born in 1905 in Tsmakahogh village. The school is named after this scientist who is called one of the architects of the twentieth century.  


Currently, Norayr Sarukhanyan, a very talented wood sculptor, lives in Tsmakahogh with his family. He facilitates painting and sculpture classes in the Tsmakahogh village school.  Mr. Sarukhanyan had his first exhibit in Yerevan in 2008 and hopes to have an opportunity to display his work in the United States as well.

 


One of the Artsakh’s war heroes, Gurgen Isajanyan, is the only person on a wheelchair in Tsmakahogh. Mr. Isajanyan cannot leave beyond his balcony and home, since there are no proper roads available to him in the village. He is constrained from moving around due to the lack of resources available to disabled residents. He currently lives with his mother, son and wife (who is his caregiver). Mr. Isajanyan is seeking a sponsor to have his spinal problem cured, which will enable him to walk again. I’ll be more than happy to connect a potential sponsor with Mr. Isajanyan.