Free Language Education for All

Free Language Education for All is part of the “Increasing Literacy Through Access” program that ArmeniaCorps launched as a direct response to insights gained through ongoing collaboration with community workers, librarians, and local leaders.

Period: June 2024 – ongoing

Geography: Ghukasavan village and Masis city, Ararat region, Armenia

Direct Participants: 24

ArmeniaCorps’ “Free Language Education for All” program provides free foreign language classes to youth and women in rural areas. By fostering language development, the program expands socio-economic opportunities and strengthens community resilience.

In June-July 2024, we partnered with book and business content editor and ESL volunteer tutor Karen Aroian from Texas, USA, and the Ghukasavan village administration to offer free English classes in Ghukasavan village, Ararat region. These classes united women from multiple rural settlements, helping them build skills for personal and economic advancement.

In March-June 2025, the program expanded to Masis City through a collaboration with Peace Corps Armenia volunteer John Quinn and the Masis Community administration, continuing its mission to empower rural populations through language education.

Impact:

In 2024, through the free English classes, we empowered 14 women from Ghukasavan, Argavand, and Norabats villages—including students, young mothers, and aspiring entrepreneurs—fostering both personal and professional growth. One participant recalled how she once struggled with spoken English and felt ashamed of her foreign language abilities. Today, she communicates with confidence to grow her small business.

Beyond language skills, the “Free Language Education for All” initiative helped participants overcome personal barriers and build self-confidence. Tutor Karen Aroian’s strengths-based teaching approach guided students from basic proficiency to confidently presenting and sharing their aspirations in English. By combining skill development with empowerment, the program not only improved language abilities but also instilled self-belief, reinforcing its lasting impact.

Partners: Masis city municipality, Ghukasavan village administration, and Innovation and Technologies school in Ghukasavan village, Ararat region.

Funding Sources: In-kind contribution of volunteers, partners, and ArmeniaCorps.

Sustainability:

Empowerment through access to language education: By enabling participants to express themselves in a global language, the program strengthens their ability to advocate for their needs, access opportunities, and engage in wider networks.

Growing Community Ties: Classes bring together youth and women from multiple villages, fostering inter-community connections —laying the groundwork for future collective action.

Replicable + Scalable: The program’s low-cost, high-impact model—built on local partnerships, volunteer engagement, and community participation—makes it adaptable to new contexts and scalable across Armenia and beyond.