The Science of Change: Tatev’s Path to a Scientific Breakthrough

Tatev Nazaryan grew up in Mets Ayrum, a quiet village in Armenia’s Lori region with fewer than a thousand residents. In 2014, when the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) first introduced its programs to the village, Mets Ayrum gained something transformative: a newly renovated SMART Room.

For 11-year-old Tatev, the brightly lit space and its after-school clubs became an irresistible draw. She hurried there each day, eager to explore beyond the boundaries of her regular schoolwork.

When Tatev first stepped inside, she could not have imagined that this space would spark a lifelong love of science. What began as afternoons spent experimenting and discovering new ideas gradually expanded into a passion for environmental innovation and entrepreneurship. The SMART Room became more than a classroom—it was the beginning of a journey that would lead Tatev far beyond the borders of her village, carrying with her the spirit of curiosity she first discovered within those walls.

Turning Curiosity Into Innovation: Tatev’s Eco-Leather Breakthrough

Tatev Nazaryan’s passion for biology emerged early and only deepened over time. Her inquisitive nature and dedication to learning eventually led her to Yerevan State University, where she pursued her studies with the support of a COAF scholarship.

It was in one of her university biology classes that a transformative idea first took root. Tatev posed a question to her professor that seemed simple yet daring: “Is it possible to make eco-leather from organic waste?”

Her professor’s reply—“Yes, anything is possible”—was the spark she didn’t know she had been waiting for. With encouragement from COAF’s Startup Incubation Program, Tatev began a rigorous process of experimentation. Dozens of trials, failures, and refinements later, she created something extraordinary: a sustainable material—eco-leather crafted from organic waste. Today, her innovation is patented and holds the potential to reshape the future of sustainable design.

“I still remember the moment I saw the final product,” Tatev recalls. “It was real! I had made something with my own hands, from waste, that could replace something as common as leather.”

Meet the brilliant young woman behind this innovation and discover the inspiring journey that is redefining what’s possible when science meets imagination.