ArmeniaCorps Shares Community-Led Development Model with Female Local Government Leaders

As part of the “Good Governance for Local Development in the South Caucasus” program, ArmeniaCorps Development Initiative head Hayasa Tahmazyan and ArmeniaCorps participants were invited to a strategic meeting hosted in Vagharshapat, Armavir region, showcasing effective models of locally-led, participatory development in Armenia.

Organized by GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH), the session brought together female staff from local governments across the country. The visit aimed to foster inter-community cooperation, elevate women’s roles in local governance, and introduce models that have demonstrated measurable impact.

During the event, the ArmeniaCorps Development Initiative was presented as a successful application of the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach, which focuses on mobilizing local skills, institutions, and relationships to drive sustainable change from within. The presentation emphasized how ArmeniaCorps:

• Enabled rural women to take leadership roles in community projects
• Built networks between neighboring villages to share resources and co-design solutions
• Fostered inclusive, non-formal education and livelihood development opportunities

The “Good Governance for Local Development” program is implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). In Armenia, it is co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented in partnership with the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure.