During the Armenian genocide in Western Armenia, hundreds of thousands of children lost their parents. The rescue of these children was one of the most urgent problems of the time. From 1915 onwards, shelters were organized for homeless children, first in Kars and then, after the capture of Kars, in Alexandropol. In October 1915, the number of emigrants in Alexandropol province amounted to 22,815.

On October 30, 1914, under the leadership of Artak Vardapet, head of the Alexandropol diocese, a national commission was established with departments of volunteers and self-defense, assistance to emigrants and the wounded, and collection of statistical information. The construction work was expanding. In 1915-17, 8 orphanages were opened in Alexandropol, where 500 Armenian orphans, resettled from Western Armenia, found refuge.

The first orphanage in Alexandropol was opened on November 20, 1915 by the “Youth Union”, which maintained it until February 1916 with great difficulty and at its own expense.

On April 25, 1916, the “Second Orphanage of the United Societies” was opened with 62 orphans. The Armenian Central Committee for Assistance to War Victims, which was under the Armenian Benevolent Society of the Caucasus, also opened an orphanage.

The orphans were fed, clothed and provided with medical and sanitary facilities. In addition to general education subjects, they studied various professions and foreign languages. The orphan girls mastered all kinds of domestic chores. The children spent part of the day in school and part of the day in the workshop.

The orphanages survived until 1927-1929, when the Lukashin yarn factory and a textile factory were opened, employing some of the adult orphans.