TUMO announced on January 23 that TUMO Vanadzor is now fully funded, clearing the way for a new full-scale TUMO center in Vanadzor, the capital of Armenia’s Lori Region, to open by 2028. The milestone was made possible after a landmark $5 million gift from an anonymous philanthropic family secured final funding, enabling TUMO to deliver the complete TUMO experience and reach 5,500 teens across Lori, reports Zartonk Media.
For years, teens and families across Lori have been asking when TUMO would come to Vanadzor. To further anchor the project in Vanadzor, the Government of Armenia has donated a historic building that will become the future home of TUMO Vanadzor. Long vacant, the site will be restored and reimagined as a vibrant learning hub for the Lori Region.
“This has been a long time coming for Lori,” said TUMO CEO Marie Lou Papazian. “We’re excited to bring TUMO’s innovative education model to Vanadzor and expand access to tech and design skills for 5,500 teens across the region. Students will get the full TUMO experience, from self-learning activities to hands-on workshops with visiting experts, and learning labs that turn curiosity into real skills. Vanadzor has long been one of Armenia’s cultural and industrial hubs, and this center builds on that legacy by investing in the region’s next generation.”
The funding came together through what TUMO described as an extraordinary collective effort. TUMO said a visionary philanthropic family made a transformative $5 million donation, choosing to remain unnamed so the focus stays on Armenia’s youth and TUMO’s mission. The organization said the family’s leadership made the project possible and expressed gratitude for their trust.
TUMO also recognized the generosity of early champions whose contributions launched the effort and carried the project to full funding: Toros Mangassarian; Judith Saryan and Victor Zarougian; and Clara Margossian and the Margossian Family, alongside many other early supporters.
About TUMO
TUMO is a free, after-school program where teens build skills at the intersection of technology and design through self-learning activities, workshops, and project-based labs. Founded in Armenia in 2011, TUMO now serves 35,000 students each week in the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Argentina, Armenia, the Netherlands, Portugal, and beyond through a network of centers and TUMO Boxes.
