Accelerating Tech Learning in Armenia: COAF to Launch First GIS Program for Rural Youth

COAF's 2025 Back to School Appeal raising funds to bring GIS program into SMART Center's free curriculum in Lori, Armenia.

The COAF SMART Center offers 19 free afterschool programs to expand horizons for rural youth.

Back to School Appeal Seeks $100K to Bring Geographic Information Systems Program to COAF SMART Center in Lori

GIS education gives our children the ability to understand their environment along with the skills to improve it. This course will open doors to careers in one of the world’s fastest-growing fields.”

— Liana Ghaltaghchyan, Executive Director of COAF

YEREVAN, ARMENIA, August 19, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) has launched its Back to School Appeal to introduce a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program at the COAF SMART Center in Lori. The program will expand COAF’s free afterschool curriculum, empowering rural youth with a cutting-edge opportunity to join one of the fastest-growing industries in global tech.

COAF aims to raise $100,000 by the end of September to cover equipment, instruction, and program expenses, including fieldwork and site visits.

Transforming Rural Villages into Digital Labs

The new GIS course will give students hands-on experience with advanced tools—drones, sensors, AI, satellite data, and 3D modeling—to tackle local challenges and reimagine their communities as dynamic labs. Students will:

- Monitor crop health through precision agriculture using drones, satellite imagery, and sensors
- Assess flood and earthquake risks to strengthen community preparedness
- Design smarter infrastructure for clinics, schools, and emergency response services

Why GIS? Why Now?

The demand for GIS expertise is growing rapidly worldwide, opening career pathways in agriculture, urban planning, environmental management, and more. Introducing this technology to rural youth now positions Armenia to lead in a high-growth, high-impact field.

- The global GIS market is projected to reach $21 billion by 2032
- GIS-related jobs, including data analysts and drone technicians, are growing at 11% in the U.S., faster than most other careers
- There is a global shortage of spatial data experts, creating an opportunity for Armenia to take a leadership role

“GIS education gives our children the ability to understand their environment at a systems level and the skills to improve it,” said Liana Ghaltaghchyan, Executive Director of COAF. “This course will open doors to careers in one of the world’s fastest-growing tech fields.”

“The SMART Center was designed to give rural Armenian youth access to world-class learning,” said Dr. Garo Armen, COAF Chairman and Founder. “With GIS, we are taking another leap forward—training the innovators who will help Armenia lead the future.”

Learn more about COAF's Back to School Appeal.

Mark Gargarian
Children of Armenia Fund (COAF)
email us here

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Accelerating Tech Learning in Armenia: COAF to Launch First GIS Program for Rural Youth

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