Students Lead Paper Recycling Movement in Norabats and Nizami Villages

What begins in the classroom can ripple into entire communities.

Through the “Effective Use of Waste in the Educational Setting” project, youth from Norabats and Nizami villages turned schools into engines of environmental action. Rooted in the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach, ArmeniaCorps participants mobilized local energy, knowledge, and partnerships to address a shared concern: waste management and environmental health.

The project team organized an interactive training for over 100 students at Misak Apelyan Secondary School in Norabats. The session, led by Hakob Mikoyan, president at “Makrapatum” environmental-educational NGO, raised awareness of the environmental and human health impacts of unmanaged waste, and emphasized the role of civic participation in solving local issues.

As a tangible next step, the project team, in collaboration with Tapon.am, a paper recycling company, installed paper waste collection bins in schools in both villages—transforming learning into action. Now equipped with knowledge and tools, students are taking the lead in promoting sustainable behavior within their schools and communities.

This youth-led initiative directly advances SDG 4: Quality Education, by integrating environmental awareness into non-formal learning, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, by reducing paper waste at the source, and SDG 13: Climate Action, by building local capacity to address climate-related issues through behavior change.

The project was developed and implemented within the ArmeniaCorps Development Initiative, with funding from the U.S. Department of State Public Diplomacy Section grant.