Teach For Armenia Teacher-Leader Samvel Tavadyan left the capital of Artsakh, Stepanakert, on December 12, 2022, to teach in the Mets Shen community.
Teacher-Leader
Teach For Armenia
Teach For Armenia launches operations in Artsakh, placing Teacher-Leaders in underserved communities across the region.
The devastating 2020 war leaves Artsakh communities reeling. Students, parents, and teachers face severe disruption and trauma.
On December 12, the Lachin Corridor is blocked, cutting off 120,000 people in Artsakh from Armenia and the outside world.
Despite months of isolation, gas shortages, and supply disruptions, Teach For Armenia's Teacher-Leaders adapt — teaching remotely, organizing community programs, and providing art therapy to students.
People Under Blockade
Residents of Artsakh cut off from the outside world
Teacher-Leaders Deployed
Served in Artsakh over six years of TFA operations
Years of Presence
Teach For Armenia operating in Artsakh since 2017
Teach For Armenia has operated in Artsakh since 2017. Over six years, more than 70 Teacher-Leaders served across the region, working with hundreds of children. Beyond classroom instruction, they implemented extracurricular activities and dozens of community development programs.
After the devastation of the 2020 Artsakh War, students, parents, and teachers in Artsakh's communities faced yet another crisis at the end of 2022: a months-long blockade that brought complete isolation from the outside world. Among countless social and psychological challenges, the blockade caused severe educational disruption.
I have to shorten the time for presenting new material, and often, group work remains incomplete or cannot be carried out as intended.
When there is uncertainty and concerns about physical security, it becomes challenging to convince students that the lesson is essential and meaningful.
Teacher-Leader
To engage students beyond regular classes, Teach For Armenia's Teacher-Leaders organized hiking activities, film screenings, and intellectual games — collectively demonstrating steps toward a brighter future. These extracurricular projects, a vital part of the two-year Teacher-Leadership Program, became even more essential during the blockade.
Although gas shortages and supply disruptions critically hindered the purchase and transportation of materials, Teacher-Leaders remained resourceful. Samvel Tavadyan's students, for instance, began recreating works by world-renowned artists while studying their lives and creative journeys — a project that doubled as vital art therapy. The students expressed hope that the road to Artsakh would eventually reopen, and they looked forward to welcoming guests from different cities to view their paintings.
Throughout the challenges posed by blockade and isolation, Teach For Armenia's Teacher-Leaders showed unwavering commitment, resourcefulness, and determination. They continued to inspire their students and create meaningful learning experiences — demonstrating the power of education even in the face of adversity, and lighting the path toward a brighter future for the children of Artsakh.
On August 10th, I was able to witness what Teach For Armenia has done for the students all over Armenia by visiting Shenavan Basic School in the mountains of Lori.
