Linking sustainable practices throughout Europe
When a social enterprise brings new activities to Kalavan village in Armenia
Rural topic(s): Places to be (work in progress), Rural entrepreneurship and diversification of activities
Type: Narrative story
Date of writing: August 4, 2021
Organization(s): ABCD Innovation Center
Text:
§ A few words on KALAVAN village
Kalavan, is a small village in Gegharkunik province of Armenia, a community development model for others.
ABCD Innovation Center has huge experience in organizing various non-formal education projects in Kalavan village. Two years ago the organisation decided to establish a social enterprise called Hooga House that is located in Kalavan village and implements rural tourism development projects and consequently addresses women and youth unemployment issues among rural people.
Some of the rural young people work in the social enterprise, others do guided tours, young artisans conduct master classes for tourists and sell their products in the souvenir shop and other youth sell their agricultural products to the social enterprise like milk, fruits, vegetables etc.
Basically they created a rural tourism social enterprise that affects the lives of almost every single young person in the area.
♪ What kind of experience can you have there…
Visiting this place you can make rich experiences in the following fields of activities:
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agriculture
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ecovillage/ smartvillage
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self organised community
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organisation of events, trainings
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co-working
The village is 1600 meters above sea level, having graveyards and stone-century outdoor stations in the surroundings. The archaeological monument Kalavan 1 dates back to the 14th millennium, and Kalavan 2 is more than 34 thousand years old.
☼ Travel information & location
The closest railway station is less than 1 hr away.
You can find more travel information on the Hooga Guest House website
☺ Contact & information
Informations:
Scale of intervention : Local
Keywords: eco-housing, empowerment of rural communities, rural youth, rural tourisme, coworking space
Places: Armenia
Actors: local community, young person, association