For many young people, life in a small Armenian village can feel quietly stale. Jobs are scarce and often seasonal, and many families rely on relatives working abroad. This makes young people focus more on everyday survival rather than on personal ambitions. With limited training opportunities and spaces for participation − combined with a ‘nothing-will-change’ belief − it is easy for a sense of resignation to take hold. However, for many young villagers in Gegharkunik region, things are now going differently. With EU support, the Azhdahak Environmental Centre, a local NGO based in the village of Gegharkunik, is mobilising young people through volunteer initiatives that spark real community change.

Clay jugs, wooden sieves, a woven carpet − each of these old household objects carries a story.  Rescued from attics, family kitchens and donated by elderly villagers, they now have a home in a classroom at Gegharkunik Secondary School, teaching younger generations how life was once lived. 

Sofya Avetisyan, a 16-year-old school student, is passionate about traditional antiques. Her idea was quite simple: to collect traditional Armenian household items and create a small exhibition at school. She started in May 2025 with a team of friends, but her initiative soon involved the entire village of Gegharkunik. “The most memorable moment was when people shared stories and memories connected to the objects,” recalls Sofya. “One elderly lady donated an old, worn carpet saying that it had belonged to her grandmother’s mother.”

Parents, teachers and neighbours came to see the small museum corner the students had created. The display became more than a collection of objects – it turned into a space where generations met and shared stories.

Around the same time, in the nearby village of Tsaghkashen, another group of students and villagers gathered outside the schoolyard with shovels and seedlings. Led by Vardan Khachatryan, 17, they planted more than a hundred decorative and fruit trees, transforming an empty area into a green learning space. “When we came back to school in September, teachers and students were praising our garden. That experience changed my involvement in community work,” recalls Vardan. 

At first glance, these actions seem small: a school exhibition, a new garden. Yet they are the beginning of something much larger.

The invisible work behind the scenes

Behind these and over 60 other educational, environmental, cultural, social and charitable initiatives stood a network of teachers, mentors and community activists brought together by the Azhdahak Environmental Centre, with support of the EU and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

The organisation itself was born from a similar small initiative. Nearly two decades ago, Gegharkunik residents noticed that the river flowing past their village school was filled with waste. “It seemed as if the river was asking for help,” recalls Nellie Drnoyan, the NGO’s head. Students and villagers cleaned the riverbank, transforming the collected metal cans into flowerpots. That single act led to the creation of an eco-club and eventually, the Azhdahak Environmental Centre.

Today, the organisation works with schoolchildren, young people and community activists across Gegharkunik province and twelve surrounding communities. To address the persistent challenge of young people remaining disconnected from community life, the NGO has turned to a simple yet engaging approach: volunteering. “Volunteer work does not require significant financial resources. It allows a team to form quickly and start with small but visible changes,” explains Nellie. 

The first step was the training of mentors – teachers, social activists and community leaders, who would later guide young volunteers. They learned not only the basics of volunteerism and recent legal developments in the field, but also how to recruit, interview and support young volunteers. Rosa Hakobyan, a social studies teacher, stresses: “I was interested in strengthening the connection between the school and the community. Now I use new skills in project planning, communication and teamwork in my professional activities at school to encourage students to become more active.” 

When ideas start to move fast 

Once the mentors were trained, the momentum shifted to the young people. Sixty volunteers aged 14 to 30, joined the initiative. Under the guidance of 12 mentors, they developed practical skills in community engagement, teamwork and communication, as well as project planning, creative problem-solving and social responsibility. As their confidence grew, the ideas started to surge. Across several villages, young people launched almost 70  initiatives, touching almost every aspect of community life. 

Some focused on education, organising tutoring sessions for younger pupils, helping them with homework, and building interest in learning and reading, through projects like ‘Books as a Driving Force of Education’. Others focused on environmental actions, cleaning riverbanks, planting trees and promoting recycling through initiatives such as ‘Second Life for Waste’. Cultural projects organised traditional dance performances, choir activities and craft workshops, while the ‘Cultural Bridge with a Volunteer from France’ helped discover local sights. Many initiatives addressed social needs, ranging from classroom renovations to awareness campaigns on health, safety and children’s rights.

There was also a remarkable act of solidarity: residents of the Gegharkunik village collected clothes and essential supplies for a large family displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh.

But the real impact lies in the ripple effect of their efforts: the initial 60 volunteers sparked the involvement of over 500 youngsters into meaningful community actions. 

The unexpected reward

Each initiative was documented in short videos and shared online, where they gained recognition through public voting and expert evaluation. Yet for the NGO the best award was the fact that many initiatives have taken root, some becoming community traditions.  

In Gegharkunik, for instance, volunteer Nare Avetisyan and her team turned recycled paper into eco-pens with messages promoting volunteerism. She plans to expand her activity this year. In the same village, Davit Gishchyan’s school flower garden keeps growing, and new planting is already underway. Narek Gasparyan launched peer-to-peer discussions on the dangers of smoking, bringing older and younger students together in conversations that are still ongoing. In Sarukhan, volunteer Rita Danoyan assists elderly residents with the use of payment terminals installed in local shops. A youth centre, established at Sarukhan School No. 1, has plans to organise a summer camp.

“Many young people continue volunteering,” says the head of the NGO. “It shows that our activities achieved more than immediate results – they fostered a lasting culture of volunteerism and active citizenship.”

What began with a small museum corner in a classroom and newly planted trees in a schoolyard has grown into something much larger: a culture of participation. Residents – once cautious about volunteers’ ideas – gradually became supporters, suggesting ideas, joining events and contributing to community cooperation. Rosa emphasises: “The culture of volunteerism must be encouraged in Armenia. Initiatives like this contribute to empowering young people, fostering responsibility and building stronger connections between individuals and their communities.” And perhaps the most important lesson is that a community change always starts with a small action, carried by people who believe that their efforts matter.

Authors: Volha Prokharava, Kristine Hovhannisyan