Baku - Last year’s conflict forced thousands of families to flee their villages located near the frontline. Many uprooted families stayed with relatives in Azerbaijan, others took refuge in public buildings like schools, kindergartens, or hotels. When the conflict was over, many of those who returned to their villages found their homes damaged, but few have the financial resources to restore their houses. A project implemented by IOM Azerbaijan with funding from European Union Humanitarian Aid helped 1,500 of the most vulnerable, including Anar and his family, through cash assistance.

Anar’s family fled their native village Ilkhichilar during the first conflict in the 90s. During the conflict last year, Anar, a father of three, was yet again forced to leave his home. When their settlement, located near the frontline, came under fire. Anar realized that the whole family was in grave danger and he quickly decided that he must bring them to safety. Together with other families, they made their way to the neighboring village, carrying a few meager possessions. “That village was far away from the frontline, and some families from our settlement stayed in the village school,” said Anar.

Families lived in the school for 44 days and returned to their homes when the fighting came to an end. “We were lucky. Our house was not seriously damaged, the shrapnel hit the roof and wall of our house, and windows were broken,” said Anar.

Anar used aid from IOM Azerbaijan to repair windows and a wall of his house. “Winter is coming. I needed to repair windows first that my family can stay warm in the house during the cold season,” said Anar.