A sweet 16 with COAF is more than just a number 12 June 2020 By Nane Vardanyan, Photos by: Knar Babayan 3 min read At 16, Artur-Ter-Simonyan first joined COAF volunteering as a postman. “I was eager to do any type of work just to keep myself busy and gain some experience,” he gets nostalgic.…
Fresh look: our new color is yellow 29 May 2020 By Nane Vardanyan 4 min read People often ask us what exactly we do in rural Armenia. The range of our projects is quite broad. Hence, it usually takes a little longer than a few sentences to explain the diversity of COAF programs. Well, the…
Our way of taking care of the environment 28 May 2020 By Nane Vardanyan 3 min read Just like people, organizations have their characteristics, behavior, and attitude. Speaking for us, one of the qualities COAF people have is the love and appreciation for nature. Through our educational programs and social initiatives, we prepare the new…
On the road with COAF since day one 25 April 2020 By Nane Vardanyan, Photos by Knar Babayan 3 min read “It’s been 16 years, a half-life, isn’t it?” says Razmik, laughing. We have been on the road too long of a time. So has our driver and logistician Razmik Vardanyan, a COAF veteran since…
Married in Dsegh or the art of living a beautiful life 3 April 2020 By Nane Vardanyan 3 min read “Never had I thought I would one day live in Dsegh,” confesses the young mother, the devoted wife, and the woman, who has chosen a new living environment with her young family a little far…
Quarantine life: how we work and study from home 2 April 2020 By Nane Vardanyan 4 min read Every challenge is an opportunity to grow and excel. Since the outbreak of coronavirus, the world has faced a tremendous challenge concerning health and safety, limiting social life and transportation. COAF educational programs have first been canceled…
From the pink city to the city that never sleeps 27 March 2020 By Nane Vardanyan 4 min read The working day winds down in Armenia but the COAF work cycle is everlasting. More than 5000 miles away from Yerevan, in the heart of New York City, our second office stands near the famous Flatiron…
Migration from city to village 19 March 2020 By Nane Vardanyan Photos by Knar Babayan 4 min read Roosters’ “Cuckodoodle doo!” in the morning, fresh air, and the sound of silence – a few luxuries of Armenian village life, yet unfamiliar to many urban citizens. People living most of their lives in the country might not…
Life formula of 10 COAF women 12 March 2020 By Nane Vardanyan 4 min read At COAF, 69% of our staff members and 44% of the leadership team are women. The worthwhile input they have in strengthening our mission, in our daily operations, and the feminine touch in working with children and their environment has…
Valerik 1*. Taron Marukyan 27 February 2020 By Knar Babayan, Photos by: Knar Babayan 4 min read Botaas (boot), Gizmon, Rayno, Serik (greyish), Reejeek (redhead), Zerteek (trinket)- these are a few names of COAF SMART Drawing Instructor Taron Marukyan’s cats. He has nine of them, and none of their names is chosen by chance. The…
