As part of her visit to Lori region, on 8 May UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia Natia Natsvlishvili visited the newly renovated office of the Tashir+ Local Action Group (LAG) to learn about the day-to-day activities of the LAG NGO. The organization serves 27 settlements in the Tashir community and 9 in the Lori Berd community, covering approximately 25,000 residents. To date, the LAG NGO has conducted more than 20 capacity building trainings, and around 40 grant projects have been awarded through competitive calls.

Within the framework of a seed grant provided by the Tashir+ LAG and with co-financing from the applicant, the "Tashir" sports club was renovated and equipped with the necessary equipment. As a result, the number of children engaged in sports has doubled. Currently, the club serves 120 children, who have participated in various regional and national competitions.

Within the framework of the project, a children’s room was built adjacent to a café in Tashir and now operates free of charge. Through a seed grant provided by the LAG, the room was furnished and equipped with a development wall, which supports motor skill development, especially for children with mobility challenges. This initiative also promotes a culture of parental freedom in the community by allowing parents to actively engage in their children’s development—combining learning with play.

The EU Local Empowerment of Actors for Development in Lori and Tavush Regions project is funded by the European Union and implemented by the UNDP, in partnership with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and in close collaboration with the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure.