Rural communities in Armenia continue to face deep challenges rooted in decades of conflict and economic hardship. These realities have strained social bonds and slowed local development in areas already burdened by limited resources. Yet amid these challenges, Hayasa Tahmazyan, founder of Armenia Corps, is helping communities chart their own path toward recovery and sustainable progress.
In Episode 9 of Credo Voices, Hayasa shares how her organization empowers rural communities to recognize and mobilize the skills, resources, and networks they already possess, transforming what they have into what they need for lasting change.
Before founding Armenia Corps, Hayasa gained invaluable experience with the Aleppo Compatriotic Charitable Organization (Aleppo NGO), coordinating efforts to support Syrian refugees and displaced groups in Armenia. That experience deepened her understanding of the intersection between humanitarian aid, community resilience, and locally led development.
Following this, Hayasa was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship. Upon returning to Armenia in 2020, amid the twin shocks of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic, she was driven to establish Armenia Corps.
Armenia Corps adopts an asset-based approach to development, guiding communities through “asset mapping” to uncover hidden strengths that can be channeled toward social and economic growth. By identifying existing capacities, such as human capital, infrastructure, and grassroots networks, communities can design their own locally relevant solutions. This approach fosters ownership, strengthens collaboration, and ensures sustainability that is both community-driven and contextually grounded.
At the heart of Armenia Corps’s work is the empowerment of women. Through skill-building workshops, rural women are trained to create artisan products for local and wider markets. Another signature initiative, “Solutions to Important Problems around the Coffee Table,” equips women with knowledge on reproductive health, parenting, financial literacy, and digital security, empowering them to lead in both household and community spheres.
Beyond community programs, Armenia Corps actively partners with civil society organizations, government institutions, and the private sector to expand its reach and amplify its impact. By connecting local initiatives to broader networks, the organization helps strengthen rural economies and foster long-term resilience.
Through this inclusive, community-driven model, Armenia Corps advances Sustainable Development Goals 5 (Gender Equality) and 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), demonstrating how empowering local capacities can translate into lasting, systemic change.
“Hayasa’s story reminds us that communities already hold the keys to their transformation,” says Awele Okigbo, CEO of Credo Advisory. “Her approach proves that when development begins with listening and builds on local strengths, it creates change that truly endures.”
Listen to the full episode on Spotify and visit our website for more information. To learn more about Hayasa and her work, follow her on LinkedIn, and Visit the Armenia Corp website.
New episodes of Credo Voices are released monthly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube as part of Credo Advisory’s commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and fostering a global community of change-makers.