“ I was placed in Vazashen village on the border with Azerbaijan , where through teaching and new daily challenges , I began to understand my strengths and develop patience and endurance . The experience instilled in me the desire to continue developing my leadership skills and making a difference in the region that has now become my second home .”
My journey in the Tavush region began in 2016 . I left the daily life of Yerevan , and with it my comfort zone , to become a Teach For Armenia Teacher-Leader . I was placed in Vazashen village on the border with Azerbaijan , where through teaching and new daily challenges , I began to understand my strengths and develop patience and endurance . The experience instilled in me the desire to continue developing my leadership skills and making a difference in the region that has now become my second home .
Today , even after my two years of teaching , I still live and work in Tavush . Through the Tavush Talent Initiative , a partnership between Teach For Armenia and the Tavush regional government to place Alumni-Ambassadors in key roles , I was assigned to its tourism development agency . But , on the morning of September 27th , everything changed . The people of Armenia and Artsakh woke up to a war started by Azerbaijan . Refugees of the conflict began streaming into Tavush , whose regional administration worked quickly to set up temporary housing for them .
From the very first day of the war , I was part of working groups on refugee affairs . My colleagues and I quickly assessed needs , focusing on educational and psychological support for children . With homes under siege and family members on the frontline , we saw the agony experienced by our children . Through education , we aimed to provide much needed comfort and hope .
These efforts coalesced into Teach For Armenia ’ s Emergency Education Response , a wartime humanitarian effort that put a focus on a child ’ s right to access education during times of crisis . What began as a dozen Teach-Leaders from Artsakh assisting 300 displaced children in Dilijan , grew into a team of nearly 60 Emergency Education Responders providing wraparound services in six regions of Armenia .
In 2020 , my work in Tavush went from planning tourism development activities to coordinating the region ’ s emergency response to COVID-19 and then the war . I learned that under the most difficult of circumstances — emergency living , responding , and educating — it is the support of a dedicated team and hope for the future that can get you through the crisis . That is why I am proud to be a part of this network of Alumni-Ambassadors who are able to rally support and respond quickly in the face of immense challenges .
Ester Isahakyan 2nd Generation Alumni-Ambassador Education Expert for Innovative Learning , Tavush Regional Administration
Annual Report 2020 17