Moonk School of Technology Advances Education and Society in a Remote Artsakh Village
By Haykaram Nahapetyan
Mirror-Spectator Video Correspondent
HAGHORTI, Artsakh — The highway from Artsakh’s capital of Stepanakert to Martuni turns into an unpaved dirt road which, after ups and downs and several curves, takes you to a rural settlement where pigs and chickens run beside your car. A white, modern-looking, neat house appears somewhat unexpectedly. Moonk, the school teaching technology in the Haghorti village of Artsakh, is Ashot Avanesyan’s creation. The name stands for “we” in the Artsakh dialect.
“We needed 67 million drams ($140,000) to launch the school. We started crowdfunding on the reArmenia.com platform and collected nearly 70 million [drams]. From literally $1 donations coming from individuals to Aurora Foundation’s $50,000 substantial contribution, people and organization pitched in from many different places,” noted Ashot, the principal of Moonk.
In June, Moonk opened its doors with 3D printers, robots, computers, contemporary design, and colorful furniture. Situated next to the barns and coops of the village, the contemporary-looking hi-tech house aims to change the landscape and identity of the rural area.