Mentoring Girls in Gyumri

Nor Luyce’s program aims at stabilizing emotions, forming values, self-esteem and self-confidence of all our mentees, arming them with knowledge and skills, which will provide them with an opportunity to take steps toward a sustainable future, while breaking the stereotype that getting married as the fastest way of getting out of the orphanage. Nor Luyce is trying to empower teenagers with their own voice by providing mentoring relationships and applicable skills.

In order to improve the future and career opportunities for girls from socially disadvantage families and orphanages, we created a 3-phase, 3-year mentoring program that impacts approximately 40 girls a year. Currently, we are seeking funding for our first phase, which will provide a mentoring to 15 new Nor Luyce beneficiaries, aged 14.

Our Mentoring Phase program covers 11 months, during which 15 girls, aged 14, from socially vulnerable families and orphanages receive mentoring. Each mentor-mentee pair meet approximately 40 times for individual meetings as well as partake in 20 group meetings. During our mentoring phase, we also focus on empowering participants to become active community members through service activities, cultural events, and building leadership through various responsibilities such as presenting information to their peers and other organization members. We also offer tutoring services for any participant who is struggling academically.

In order to decrease the likelihood that girls will be trafficked or married off at a young age, we strive to provide teenagers with a positive role model and a strong connection with other girls and prominent community leaders. We focus on career aspirations and how to create the best version of themselves, using the traits, skills, and strengths the participants already possess. We also believe, that in order to empower young girls, we need to have a comprehensive approach to their development, as such following the first phase we then focus on skill-building trainings, career development, and offer scholarships for higher education. As of now, we have twelve girls in a higher education institution.