WINGS4ALL: BUILDING YOUTH-LED ENTREPRENEURIAL FUTURES IN TATEV

The recent influx of people forcibly displaced from Artsakh has created an urgent need for sustainable employment and community integration. Many displaced individuals face uncertainty, with limited opportunities to support their families. This has resulted in about 27,000 people migrating from Armenia, for some marking their fourth displacement. Youth within the displaced population are particularly vulnerable, grappling with trauma and the challenges of adjusting to new environments from one side and seeing despair of their parents from the other side.​

At the same time, local host communities in Armenia, such as those in the Tatev region, who might otherwise offer support, face their own security, economic, and emotional challenges. These hardships often hinder their ability to effectively understand or assist displaced families.​

In response, the “We Are Our Mountains“ Development Agency has initiated several key projects aimed at fostering economic growth and social cohesion. These include establishing an orchard garden, as well as new local market in the Tatev community. These efforts are supported by the Tatev Community Center and the Wings of Tatev Ropeway. Together, these initiatives aim to create self-employment opportunities and stimulate regional development.​

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Wings4All​

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The “We Are Our Mountains“ Development Agency in partnership with “Innobiz NGO,” have developed a holistic program called Wings4All. ​

This initiative aims to turn the challenges of Artsakh displacement and the economic struggles of the Syunik region into opportunities for unity, growth, and development. By igniting entrepreneurial spirit and empowering both displaced and local families, it leverages existing infrastructure along with the drive and motivation of teenage children. Insights from previous projects reveal that youth often bring energy, resilience, perseverance and hope for the future. This understanding underscores the value of pairing teenagers with their parents to foster mutual support. Through shared entrepreneurial goals, families can hold each other accountable, creating cycles of encouragement and elevating their lives to new levels of success and stability. ​

Through this program, 50 families will have the opportunity to learn, lead, and manage their own enterprises over a 6-month period.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS

1. 6 months-long Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Bootcamp for adults and youth. Learning focus areas include idea generation, market research and digital marketing, financial literacy, budgeting, and fundraising, legal aspects of business, sales, pricing, profit-making strategies, customer service.​
2. Educational Stipends: During the training period each family will receive a $200 support to test their ideas in action.​
3. Idea Pitching: A pitching bootcamp will be organized at the end of the training program where the 5 best ideas will be selected and rewarded with seed grants of $5,000 each.​
4. Access to Value Chains: Families and teenagers will take leadership roles in managing day-to-day market operations with support in key areas such as vendor relations, inventory control and merchandising, sales, marketing and promotion​
5. Youth Leadership Development: Teenagers will undergo leadership development component and will be encouraged to generate innovative initiatives to attract customers and foster business growth.​
6. Economic Empowerment and Job Creation:Training of 5 local trainers will be organized to create sustainable educational hub that provides ongoing professional support and training in small-scale entrepreneurship, employability and soft skills​
7. Community Integration: Community events will be organized to foster connections and partnerships between local and displaced families.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

1. 50 participants will gain hands-on experience in critical business operations, enabling them to find jobs or create their own small enterprises​
2. 50 young people will receive specialized training in leadership and entrepreneurial thinking. 80% of them will report increased confidence in their leadership abilities, and 70% will continue to engage in entrepreneurial endeavors beyond the program.​
3. 75% of participants will report a positive shift in community relations, with 60% of displaced families feeling integrated into the host community.​
4. 4 collaborative community events (e.g., local markets, workshops) will be organized, drawing participation from at least 70% of the community, strengthening mutual understanding and trust.​
5. At least 50% of participants will report achieving sustainable income levels.

BUDGET

This project is funded through a generous grant from the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation. ​

To maximize its impact and respond to critical needs identified during the initial needs assessment, We Are Our Mountains Development Agency is actively raising additional funds. ​

These resources will allow us to provide seed funding to more families — particularly those ready to unite around shared ideas to launch mini-productions, small farms, or businesses in tourism and hospitality. ​

By supporting these collaborative and community-rooted enterprises, we aim to foster sustainable livelihoods and generate employment opportunities for other families, creating a ripple effect of impact across Tatev and among displaced Artsakh families.

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