Believe. Challenge. Grow.

From Shy to Self-Confident: Lena's Journey

"Before joining Nor Luyce, I rarely spoke in public and felt uncomfortable in unfamiliar environments. I didn't know what volunteering was, and I had never imagined meeting inspiring professionals or speaking confidently in front of others."

Lena's story is one of remarkable transformation. Through Nor Luyce's mentoring and skills development program, she learned to communicate with confidence, deliver presentations, express her ideas clearly, and step outside her comfort zone. Today, she adapts easily to new environments, embraces responsibility, and speaks openly about the issues that matter to her.

"Every meeting gives me something valuable," Lena says. "Since joining Nor Luyce, I have recommended it to all my friends because it offers opportunities that are hard to find anywhere else. It is a place where teenage girls discover themselves, build meaningful connections, and grow into confident young women."

Lena's journey reflects exactly what Nor Luyce strives to achieve: empowering girls to believe in themselves and confidently shape their futures.

Preparing Girls for Their Future

This quarter, our Skills Development Program focused on helping mentees make informed educational and career decisions through hands-on learning experiences, career exploration, and university exposure.

Over the course of the quarter, 11 group sessions (22 instructional hours) equipped participants with practical knowledge and essential life skills. To help girls connect their interests with real-world opportunities, we organized educational visits to:

• The Financial Systems Mediator office
• Central Bank of Armenia
• Shirak State University
• Armenian State University of Economics (Academic Council)
• Gyumri Vardan Achemyan Drama Theater
• Yerevan State University
• Yerevan State Medical University

These visits allowed participants to explore university campuses, learn about academic programs and admissions, discover high-demand professions, and engage directly with faculty and professionals who answered their questions.

Recognizing that financial knowledge is an essential life skill, we also introduced our mentees to the Armenian financial system through the Office of the Financial Ombudsman. This experience strengthened their understanding of financial rights and financial literacy.

To ensure that higher education feels attainable, participants were also introduced to scholarship opportunities, including the Armenian Educational Foundation. Learning about available financial support encouraged the girls to think strategically about financing their future education.

Building Confidence for Lifelong Success

By the end of the quarter, we witnessed significant growth in our mentees' confidence, motivation, and sense of purpose. The combination of interactive workshops, career exploration, university visits, and mentorship empowered them to make more informed decisions about their educational and professional futures.

Every experience brought them one step closer to becoming confident young women ready to pursue their dreams - and, like Lena, inspire others to do the same.

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As one of our mentees, who is also currently a staff member, says: “I spent three years at Nor Luyce as a mentee, and for the past two years I have served as a mentor. Now I have joined the team of the changemakers.

Through my own experience, I have seen firsthand the profound impact the organization can have on a teenager’s life. During my journey, I developed many skills and personal qualities that continue to shape who I am today. I can confidently say that Nor Luyce became a strong foundation for my personal and professional growth. Nor Luyce is more than just a program - it is a true family where everyone is valued, heard, and supported.

Nor Luyce Mentoring Center for Youth, the first mentoring center in Armenia dedicated to supporting the development and empowerment of adolescent girls, continued to create meaningful opportunities for growth and connection during the second quarter of the program year.

At the heart of the program is the mentoring relationship, which provides girls with consistent emotional support, guidance, and encouragement as they navigate adolescence and prepare for their futures. During this quarter alone, 965 individual mentoring meetings were held, totaling 1,930 hours of one-on-one mentorship between mentors and mentees. These regular meetings help build trust, strengthen self-confidence, and support the personal and academic development of each participant.

Throughout the program year, Nor Luyce organizes a series of inspirational meetings built around two central themes: “My Key to Success” and “Motivation in Movement.”

The “My Key to Success” series brings together respected and well-known artists and professionals from Armenia who share their personal stories of perseverance, their professional journeys, and the challenges they have overcome. These conversations provide powerful role models for mentees in the Higher Education phase, helping them envision new possibilities for their own futures and careers.

The “Motivation in Movement” meetings are designed for mentees across all phases of the program and are open to broader participation through prior registration. These gatherings create spaces for dialogue, learning, and inspiration, encouraging young women to remain motivated, active, and goal-oriented.

Building a strong sense of community and belonging is another key component of the Nor Luyce model. To support this, the organization regularly hosts engaging social and recreational activities that strengthen bonds between mentees, increase program engagement, and create positive shared experiences.

To encourage leadership and initiative, five of the most active and engaged mentees from each phase are recognized every month and invited to participate in special recreational gatherings. This initiative celebrates commitment and motivates participants to remain active contributors to the Nor Luyce community.

Nor Luyce also believes in celebrating meaningful moments together. During this quarter, the organization hosted several festive community events, including New Year celebrations, Secret Santa, International Mentoring Day, International Volunteer Day, and St. Sargis Day. These events create joyful shared memories and further strengthen the supportive community that surrounds each mentee.

As the quarter concludes, the impact of these activities is clear: mentees remain highly engaged, motivated, and increasingly confident in their abilities and future aspirations. Through mentoring relationships, inspirational role models, and a strong sense of community, Nor Luyce continues to support young women in discovering their potential and building pathways toward successful and fulfilling futures.

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