Moving Forward Rural Development in Armenia
< 1 min readSHIRAK, Armenia — The American University of Armenia (AUA) Extension has helped open the doors of yet another business undertaking in Shirak. On March 24, entrepreneur Armenuhi Mkrtchyan launched an aesthetic center in her existing beauty studio, Alka in Amasia. Apart from creating one new job in the village, this added service aims at contributing to the wellbeing of the local and neighboring communities offering high-end services in skincare without having to travel to Gyumri.
Earlier in 2022, Mkrtchyan had established the Alka beauty salon, also with the assistance of AUA Extension’s Turpanjian Rural Development Program (TRDP). The salon was a great success throughout its three-year operation, providing a full range of beauty services, including hairdressing, make-up, nail care, and epilation. The business created economic opportunities not only for Mkrtchyan’s young family of four, but also for the part-time specialists working in the salon.
The high-end laser hair removal equipment, acquired in March 2025, also with assistance from TRDP replaced the older electrolysis equipment and introduced high quality hair removal eliminating skin damage.
The launch of this new service using the newly acquired equipment was a celebration for Mkrtchyan’s family and friends. The opening provided Armenuhi the right opportunity to express her heartfelt gratitude to AUA Extension and to acknowledge, once again, the immense benefits she was privileged to receive from the University in the form of financial assistance, continuous mentorship, and monitoring that helped her realize her plans.
The AUA Turpanjian Rural Development Program offers training, funding, and mentorship to new and existing businesses in rural communities across Shirak, Tavush and Vayots Dzor provinces of Armenia. To learn more about eligibility and application details, visit the program’s website.
