Five years with the Armenian Volunteer Network
Five years ago, as the world began shutting down in the initial days of the pandemic, the Armenian Volunteer Network (AMVN) was born. It was an organic birth, based on a simple idea: we wanted to help Armenia, and we keenly felt that the best way to do that was by improving educational opportunities for our youth.
Armenia faces numerous challenges—it’s small, landlocked, located in a tough neighborhood and dependent on others for trade, energy and security. It may sound cliché, but it remains a simple truth: our greatest resource is our young people and their inquisitive minds.
In conversations with our good friend, Hasmik Torosyan (AMVN co-founder and Director of the European Institute for International Languages), we brainstormed ideas that eventually led to the creation of a new organization. We knew that we weren’t alone in wanting to help—there were people in Armenia and around the world who shared a desire to make a difference.
The concept of volunteering is well-established in the U.S. and throughout the West. In Armenia, however, the idea is still growing—albeit rapidly—led by a new generation of young people eager to contribute. If we could tap into the talent of volunteers willing to share their knowledge, we could organize free classes for Armenian students. This was and continues to be our core focus.
In our eyes, everyone has something to contribute. You don’t have to be a teacher or hold a Ph.D. to teach with AMVN. For example, if you’re a native English speaker, you can teach English to students in Armenia. If you’re fluent in another language, you can teach that language. If you’re a computer programmer, a lawyer, a singer, a graphic designer—you get the idea.
Early on, our volunteers were primarily relatives and friends who had heard about our project. However, as word spread, we started receiving volunteer applications from all over the world. Each prospective volunteer is interviewed, and we try to pair their knowledge and availability with an educational need in Armenia. We do this through partnerships with primary schools, secondary schools, colleges, universities, NGOs and cultural institutions in Armenia.
Most of our volunteers teach remotely, once or twice a week, via Zoom. We also offer the opportunity to volunteer in-person and have placed volunteers in Yerevan, Gyumri, Ijevan and elsewhere.
Setting up and operating a non-profit organization has been challenging and required lots of hard work. Funding has been limited, and none of our staff are paid. No student is ever asked to pay for a class. My wife Kristina, AMVN co-founder and Program Director, likes to say that we’ve created a small world where money plays no role.
Our reward comes in the stories. Children in a border village who wanted to learn English, even though it is not offered at their school, now have the chance to learn a language that opens doors to new opportunities. A new teaching graduate aces her job interview at school, impressing them with what she learned through AMVN teacher workshops. An Armenian woman born in France studies her mother tongue with a volunteer in Armenia.
Many students, in turn, become volunteers, paying it forward. Volunteers learn about Armenia, and many have made enduring ties with their students. Some have even visited Armenia and been warmly welcomed by their new friends. In short, the lives of both students and volunteers have been changed and enriched.
Five years down the road, Armenian Volunteer Network is growing and thriving. We are working to expand our class offerings for Armenian educators—realizing that building the skill set of teachers in Armenia will have positive ripple effects for many students.
Our budget may be modest, but our hearts and dreams are big. If you would like to volunteer or support our organization, please reach out and help make a difference.
By Seroj Terian, Director and cofounder of the Armenian Volunteer Network (www.amvn.org)
Guest Contributor
What a great accomplishment by AMVN to create a volunteer group to support education of Armenians using talent from around the world! This is a heartwarming article and well written. Recognition goes to all the volunteers and endless hours of work by Kristina and Seroj Terian. I am confident AMVN will continue to grow and impact many more lives.