The Ukrainians who came to us have many problems. The assistance with vouchers that our organization provides is a support for them. But support is also provided in another way: utility bills were paid for 2 families, assistance in paying for apartment rent was provided to 7 families, and telephone communication costs were paid for one family.
Medicines worth 400 GEL were purchased for one of the cancer patients. Another one was paid for doctor’s communication.
One of the refugees, living in Tkibuli, asked for help in purchasing a heating device, and this issue will be resolved soon.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
The Women Fund “Sukhumi” opened the international information campaign “16 active days against gender-based violence” a day earlier.
November 24. 19.00.
Kutaisi. Stadium named after Ramaz Shengelia – “Shengelia Arena”.
Match between “Torpedo” Kutaisi and “Dinamo” Tbilisi.
And... the most unusual and special:
The entire “Torpedo” team came out wearing white T-shirts with the slogan of our campaign: “Break the silence! Stop the violence”!
The footballers carried this slogan in the form of a large banner.
“Torpedo” Kutaisi has been the face of the 16-day campaign before - in 2003 and 2013.
In 2003, the action also took place at the stadium before the match with “Dinamo” Tbilisi. Then the players carried a long white ribbon into the stadium with the slogan: “Violence is evil! Let's unite against violence against women”!
This was quite a serious demonstration and an unusual action for that time!
As a result of the efforts of our and other organizations, society has realized that violence goes beyond the problem of one family and has more harmful consequences than we think. Three years later, in 2006, the Georgian parliament adopted a law against domestic violence...
From November 20 to 22, a working meeting was held among the network members at the Ambassador Hotel Kachreti within the framework of GIZ's global program 'Shaping Development-Oriented Migration Policy.
At the meeting, our representative, Linda Chikhladze, shared the experiences of the Women's Fund 'Sukhumi' with the participants.
In recent months, Ukrainians receive vouchers from the Women Fund “Sukhumi”. Depending on the number of family members, one, two or three vouchers worth 100 GEL are issued. Within a month, they can use vouchers to buy necessary products. As Ukrainians note, this system is convenient and practical for them.
In November, 32 families received assistance in the form of vouchers. There are currently 370 people in our database who receive our support. 13 new beneficiaries were added this month.
Although our organization cannot solve many of the challenges and needs of Ukrainian refugees, they greatly appreciate our support.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
In Chisinau, Moldova, Ekaterine Gamakharia, Head of the Women Fund "Sukhumi" representative office in Tbilisi, was honored to lead the Fireside event at a workshop with the inspiring Women's Advisory Board (WAB) for the Moldova Peace Talks, organized by the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) and UN Women. The workshop aimed at empowering WAB members with enhanced advocacy and negotiation skills, specifically addressing the Transnistrian Settlement Process. During the Fireside event, Ekaterine shared experiences of women activists' involvement in Georgia's peace processes, providing a detailed overview of the dynamic of cooperation between peace talks delegates and women's organizations. The session was open, interactive, and filled with enriching discussions.
"I believe in the power of shared experiences and knowledge exchange. Moldovan and Georgian women peace activists can learn from each other, reinforcing our collective commitment to building a more peaceful and inclusive world," said Ekaterine, reflecting on her visit.
Psychologist of the Women Fund "Sukhumi" Ekaterine Kvachakidze held group and individual meetings in the Women Support Centers of Terjola, Samtredia, Kobuleti, Zugdidi and Vani. Among the participants there were: victims of violence, representatives of families under crisis, school teachers.
The main topic of the group meetings was “The impact of traumatic experiences on the victim and abuser”. People with traumatic experiences often suffer from psychological stress. In such a situation, it is necessary to work individually with children, work with families, teachers, as a result of which we will get an effective impact.
The meetings were held in question-and-answer mode. The participants showed activity and goodwill. According to them, such meetings are necessary and useful.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Trainings of the six-month course are carried out according to plan. 5 trainings were conducted at the Youth Empowerment Centers of Chokhatauri, Samtredia, Senaki, Kobuleti and Terjola.
It was a discussion of actual issues, problems, group and individual work, which arouse great interest among young people. Parents and teachers of the participants attended the meetings. The active involvement of schools and families is a great incentive for us.
Our initiative should be mentioned - in new groups, together with trainers from the Women Fund “Sukhumi”, graduates conduct trainings on topics that are interesting for them. It has particular importance in our work.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Domestic violence, legislation, prevention of violence and raising awareness - the members of the women initiative group of the village Koki - Zugdidi municipality were trained on these issues. They talked about the forms of violence, protection mechanisms and state services. The meeting held with Koki youth initiative group was dedicated to the topic of promotion of peace and non-violent culture. The young people were informed about the campaign of "16 active days against gender-based violence".
An information-sharing meeting was held with participants from the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) and civil society representatives. Ekaterine Gamakharia, the head of the Tbilisi office of the Women's Fund "Sukhumi," along with women community leaders residing in the conflict's dividing line, participated in the meeting.
During the discussion, representatives of non-governmental organizations focusing on women's issues, along with conflict-affected women, including those residing in villages near the dividing line and displaced women, delved into a comprehensive analysis of the current situation in regions not controlled by Georgia. The conversation also covered villages located near the conflict's dividing line, humanitarian challenges faced by the local population, and the specific needs of conflict-affected women. The women emphasized the heightened sense of physical danger prevalent among the population near the dividing line, particularly following the incident where a Georgian citizen was killed by Russian border guards. Additionally, there was recognition of a concerning trend in the deterioration of mental and psychological health within the community. The discussion also brought attention to the poor socio-economic conditions and the lack of access to basic needs and services in the affected areas.
Ekaterine Gamakharia, the head of Women Fund “Sukhumi” Tbilisi Office was privileged to represent Women Fund Sukhumi and civil society organizations as a panelist at a remarkable side event organized by Canada, Chair of the Forum for Security Co-operation, and Ireland, Chair of the Human Dimension Committee. The event was dedicated to the crucial topic of „It's about people': Mental health impacts of war on civilians and military personnel.“
Among panelists were Mr. Oleksandr Klen, Clinical Psychologist at the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Dr. Julijana Stojanova, Deputy Head of the Human Resources Department, Ministry of Defence of the Republic of North Macedonia, Mr. Andrew Gardner, Deputy Head of Human Rights Departments, ODIHR, and Major-General March Bilodeau, Surgeon General in the Canadian Armed Forces.