$8 million for the development of Lusagyugh: what has been done

The Armenian Future charitable foundation has invested $8 million in the development of Lusagyugh village in the Aragatsotn region, with the aim of turning it into one of Armenia’s tourist destinations. The foundation works across five areas: education, infrastructure, tourism, the local economy, and culture and everyday life.

In an interview with Alpha News, Meruzhan Badalyan, the foundation’s director, explained why Lusagyugh was chosen and what steps have already been taken. Over the course of six months, various communities across Armenia were studied, and Lusagyugh was selected as the one that best matched the foundation’s criteria.

“We took into account the natural appeal of Lusagyugh and its surroundings, its proximity to Yerevan, and other factors. The motivation of our overseas entrepreneurs was a desire to serve their homeland, to be of benefit, and to ensure that our village develops in step with the times,” Badalyan noted.

According to him, a new school has been built from the ground up, equipped with modern educational technology; a fence stretching over 3,000 meters and a children’s playground have been constructed; roofs on homes have been replaced; breadfruit saplings have been planted; the road leading into the village has been landscaped; and other infrastructure facilities have been improved.

Lusagyugh residents have been actively involved in all the work. Rather than leaving to earn money abroad, they have been given the opportunity by the foundation to make a living in their home village. The project is not yet complete: construction of a recreation area and other facilities is planned for 2026–2029. The Lusagyugh development programme has a ten-year timeline, having launched in 2019 with a planned completion date of 2029.