STORY OF IMPACT : FROM SPAIN TO SYUNIK
As a couple , Paloma Rubio and Mikayel Zohrabyan are passionate about the environment , community development , and adventure . Mikayel , who was born and raised in Armenia , met Paloma while living in Spain for ten years . Together , they moved to Lebanon and then Tandazaver village in Armenia ’ s Syunik region , where they started an NGO promoting rural development through youth engagement , outdoor activities , and tourism .
Paloma first applied to Teach For Armenia in 2018 but was not accepted because she did not speak Armenian . Two years later , she was still determined to teach . This time , Paloma applied to Teach For Armenia and Teach For Spain . She was accepted to both programs . “ In the past , I studied Chinese and then dropped the language . Now that I had learned Armenian , I didn ’ t want to drop that , too . After two years of studying the language , I wanted to use and improve my Armenian ,” she explained . That is why Paloma ended up choosing Teach For Armenia . Today , both Paloma and Mikayel are among our first Teacher-Leaders placed in the Syunik region . Paloma teaches English in Tsav village , while Mikayel teaches English and art two hours south in Nrnadzor village near the Iranian and Azerbaijani borders .
“ I love that despite their everyday problems , my students come to school eager and willing to learn ,” said Paloma . “ As a teacher , I hope to teach my students something that no one else has before .” Paloma has brought her love for the outdoors into her classroom . In a lesson taught together with Mikayel , they introduced students to a range of outdoor activities that can be enjoyed in Armenia , such as kayaking on Lake Sevan and canyoning at Devil ’ s Bridge in Goris . Not only did students get to touch and feel their arsenal of sporting equipment – hiking sticks , headlamps , wetsuits , and helmets – but they also got to use them on field trips throughout the year . For many students , it was their first time discovering what is possible in their region and country .
“ Every day , I see my students gradually changing for the better , which is precisely what motivates me ,” said Mikayel . In Nrnadzor , Mikayel uses storytelling and Change-Based Learning to motivate his students and pique their interests . In the fall of 2021 , they studied the environmental challenges facing their community such as the scarcity of water . Through their very own Student-Led Innovation Project , students will create vertical gardens using recycled material and plant fruit trees using innovative agricultural techniques . As part of the project , they will also go on hikes to explore local nature . “ I hope that one day , at least one of my students will feel like someone really believed in them and tried to support them . That is the impact I want to have as a teacher ,” said Mikayel .
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