Sixteen-year-old Garik Ghazaryan from Debet Village is one of the SMART Center’s veterans. So far he’s managed to participate in seven programs. Prior to attending SMART, Garik was engaged in all sorts of activities, like karate, wrestling, dhol (Armenian drum), and Armenian folk dancing. Participating in the AgriTech program at SMART inspired him to delve into agriculture, specifically beekeeping.
“We have a couple of beehives, but we had to ask our neighbor, Grandfather Ubo, to take care of our bees for us. When the COAF beekeeping program started, I decided to participate and get skilled at beekeeping, since it could lead to a successful business,” says Garik.
Garik’s friendly character and his love for nature created the opportunity for him to become a professional tour guide, and he worked as one in his hometown for a short while.
Garik is crazy about photography. He was over the moon when he got to volunteer as a photographer for the SMART Summer Programs.
“I want to open a photography studio in Debet. It will allow me to do two of my favorite things at the same time: take photos and be a tour guide,” says Garik.
“The knowledge I’ve gained at SMART helps me to be an active participant on various topics of discussion, instead of a passive listener,” says Garik.
In the village, it’s impossible to pass by working people indifferently; an extra pair of hands can’t hurt.
Teamwork guarantees the quick and timely completion of farm chores.
Every now and then Garik likes to take down the dhol (Armenian drum) from the top of his closet and recall the tunes he learned not too long ago.
When the Chanakhchi tributary of the Debet river warms up, Garik takes his fishing pole and goes to the river bank with his friends to catch fish and swim.
Programming is yet another class that Garik is taking. He’s still thinking about how and where to use his new knowledge.
Garik has not only learned how to drive a truck from a young age, but also how to repair one when it’s needed.
The beekeepers of Lernajur village share their experience with the participants of COAF’s “Beekeeping to Empower Economic Systems” (BEEs) project.
