Arajamugh

Arajamugh (Armenian: Առաջամուղ) is a model village located in the de facto Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR). It was founded in 2004 by the Tufenkian Foundation, working in conjunction with the NKR Department of Resettlement and Refugee Affairs. The village is administered de facto by the NKR Hadrut region and is de jure part of the Khojavend District of Azerbaijan. As of 2014, the village features 19 houses with 85 inhabitants, including native Karabakhis as well as former refugees from Azerbaijan. Arajamugh also features a school and possesses modern amenities - water, power lines, and gravel roads.

Map of Arajamugh, Azerbaijan

The village’s designers foresaw not only construction of houses and infrastructure, but also opportunities for residents to develop livelihoods for themselves. Having in mind this goal, the Tufenkian Foundation planted 7 hectares of pomegranate orchards, which are now actively cultivated.

The village continues to grow and develop, now with further support from Artsakh Fund – Eastern US. In 2015, there were renovations of facades for all houses, the village school and the mayor’s office. In 2016 a new phase of house construction has begun:. Six more houses will be finished by the end of the year, with resettlers moving in shortly thereafter. Moving forward, Artsakh Fund – Eastern US is gradually assuming responsibility for the village’s future growth and prosperity.