Women Support Centers (530)
Women Support Center these are the branches of the Fund “Sukhumi” in Kutaisi, Tskaltubo, Khoni, Terjola, Senaki, Poti, Khurcha / Koki (Zugdidi Municipality), Lanchkhuti, Ozurgeti, created since 2009. The centers are designed to strengthen women, provide social, psychological, legal assistance to women - victims of violence and to crisis families in a difficult life situation. They promote to the protection of women's rights and ensure their socio-psychological rehabilitation.
On December 20-22 in Borjomi, the hotel "Borjomi Palace" hosted a training on the topic "Fundraising, project design and project management". It was attended by the mobilizers of 6 Women Support Centers.
In the first part of the training there was provided psycho-rehabilitation of participants, over which the psychologist of the fund "Sukhumi" worked.
During the training, attention was paid to the following questions: how to find funds, the main stages of fundraising, SWOT analysis.
Participants actively joined the work. They already have practice, independently implement projects, and for them it is very important to find means. At the training, specific problems were selected, and projects were developed in these areas.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
On September 29-30 and October 1 in Kobuleti there was held a training for mobilizers of WSCs. The training was actively attended by 11 mobilizers of 6 centers of the fund “Sukhumi”. During three days they worked on elaboration of the projects and discussed several important issues: writing projects, formulation of goals, identification of problem and work with applications, financial management of the project, planning and allocation of project budget.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
In August, one of the psychologists of fund "Sukhumi" held three meetings.
The first meeting was held on 16 August in Tskaltubo, in IDP collective center "Medea".
Second - on August 18, in the Women's Support Centre of Poti.
Third – on August 24, In Khoni women support center.
Among audience there were representatives of both IDPs and local population - young and older women. They familiarized with the stages of development of family relations and crises, according to Virginia Satir, an American psychotherapist.
According to participants, psychological advice will help them in overcoming family crises and achieve harmony.
The psychologist of the fund “Sukhumi” held three informational and consultative meetings: on April 5 at Poti Women's Support Center, April 6- in the administrative building of the village Tskaltubo (Tskaltub Municipality) and on April 10 at the Women's Support Center of Khoni.
In the Women's Support Centers, there were talks on the topic of preventing domestic violence: an assertive methodology for solving the problem, the psychology of decision-making, the simplest strategy is a method of trying and making mistakes, and learning new skills.
Since all new participants - medical workers and representatives of the administration - were present in the village of Tskaltubo, the topic of the meeting was the work of fund “Sukhumi” in eradication of violence and its prevention. They received information about free psychological and legal services.
Khoni Women's Support Center carried out an interesting mini-project in the villages: Gocha Jikhaishi, Didi Kukhi and Nakhakhulevi. The project "Sanitary and hygienic culture - the guarantee of a harmonious family" was dedicated to the International campaign "16 active days against gender-based violence". Within the framework of the project, information leaflets were printed and information meetings with the doctor were held. Only women (from 25 years old) were present at the meetings, since the conversation concerned not only sanitary and hygienic norms and seasonal problems (common cold, flu). The accent was also made on the popularization of screening (uterus and breast) – majority do not know that it can be done free of charge and very near, in Kutaisi.
Rural women do not have the comfort of such meetings and, in their opinion, it was a special project, with interesting topics presented by the doctor.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
- I was always against a woman who go abroad. Especially at an age when the children need mothers very much. But when our family faced such problems, I supported my mother, who decided to go to work in Turkey. Now I no longer feel so painful. The main thing is for everyone to feel their responsibility.
- My family lives next door. Mother went to work. The child is brought up by my grandmother. Father began to drink often and there were constant conflicts. The girl did not listen to her grandmother at all. There were finances in the family, but a mess began. Mother was forced to return home.
Against the background of similar stories, workshops were held in Tskaltubo, Khoni and Koki (Zugdidi municipality). Despite disagreement, young people believe that women's migration can help to resolve conflicts if all members of the family feel their personal responsibility.
Khoni Women Support Center started a small project. According to the project, work is being carried out in two villages of the Khoni Municipality - in Nakhakhulevi and Matkhoji - raising students' awareness, developing skills in conflict resolution and their inclusion in bullying prevention.
In February, meetings were held with authorized villagers and school directors.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
A psychological group meeting took place in the Women Support Center of Poti, where 12 beneficiaries from 26 to 69 years old presented. Participants in the meeting talked about how to get rid of negative feelings and emotions, for regulation within the family relationship and prevention of domestic violence.
Self-blame, self-discontent are the main topics for discussion. To this are inclined those whose self-esteem is unstable, any failure they are ready to attribute to their account, and are afraid of failure. The inner critic suppresses his desires, impulses, slows down his plans. It is easier for such a person to become locked in himself than to begin to change something in his life. Therefore, it is very important to be able to examine the problem from two sides, including both emotional and arbitrary thinking, such were the advice of a psychologist.
Lawyers of the fund “Sukhumi” conducted 6 meetings in Women Support Centers.
The main issues of the meetings was – changes in the law against domestic violence, made on January 24.
The participants were given information about 4 changes in the law:
- Harassment became punishable by law up to 2 years of imprisonment.
- Female circumcision has become a criminal case.
- Extended the scope of the Law of Georgia "On Eradication of Domestic Violence, protection of victims of domestic violence and their assistance"
- The list of aggravating circumstances for violence against women increased
Kutaisi Women Support Center held a meeting at the school №15, which was attended by 35 students and talked about the legal aspects of early marriage.
In addition, individual consultations were given during the meetings. Woman living in Borjomi, was given a phone consultation and the work has been provided on the basis of the complexity of the situation, it will be continued in the next months. The woman was identified in Khoni, who relates to the risk group of violence.