Mutual assistance group meetings were held in municipalities of Western Georgia according to planned. Assistant Nino Chabukiani held five meetings in Terjola, Vani, Kutaisi, Tskaltubo and Kobuleti. The remaining five meetings were organized and facilitated by the leaders, who successfully completed their tasks.
During the meetings in Zugdidi, Chokhatauri, Senaki, Tsalenjikha, and Khobi, group participants discussed issues related to the civic initiative competition. Emphasis was placed on feedback, so that they would be better prepared for the next stage.
The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)
Social work is becoming increasingly important at Women Support Centers. Para - specialists meet women with various needs. During these meetings, women share their most pressing concerns. Among the identified issues, women migration is a priority, as labor migration rates are increasing monthly.
Papa – specialists provide women with information about economic development programs, training courses for women, and refer them to existing services that meet their needs. Strengthening social work in local communities helps raise women's awareness, which is important for violence prevention.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
In parallel with providing information, Women Support Centers are actively working to empower women.
With the help of mobilizers and para-specialists, five cases were addressed at Women Support Centers in Tskaltubo, Vani, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, and Chokhatauri. Various tools were used to provide support: psychological support, consultations, and referrals to specialists. Three women used psychological services and their condition improved. Thanks to the para-specialists' consultations, three women received social support.
The work of the centers to provide women's information and psychosocial support continues.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Women Support Centers understand how important it is to disseminate information about victim assistance services. In August, meetings with women's groups continued. In parallel with information, communication with beneficiaries continues.
Women have already addressed the mobilizers for help and consultations. Six new cases were recorded in the communities of Kutaisi, Khoni, Vani and Tsalenjikha. Identification of new cases means that assistance opportunities have expanded. Each woman has already received information about who to contact and what services to use.
Para-specialists of the centers are actively involved in the identification process. The success of social work depends on the trust of the beneficiaries and the desire to cooperate.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Women support centers actively worked in various communities and held informational meetings. Mobilizers provided participants with information about services and programs for victim assistance.
During the informational meetings, priority issues were identified that were relevant for communities in terms of violence against women. Participants of the meetings in Senaki, Khobi, Chokhatauri, Terjola, Tskaltubo and Zugdidi emphasized the need to support women who have suffered from violence so that they do not feel alone.
In August, five families under the risk group were identified - all families became active users of the services of the Fund “Sukhumi”. The participants of the meetings disseminate the information received, which helps attract new beneficiaries and is important for the prevention of violence.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Preparation for the implementation of civil initiatives has begun in the women's groups of Kutaisi, Khoni and Khobi. It was preceded by a civil dialogue on the causes of migration, its psychosocial consequences and ways of prevention.
During the meetings they heard interesting opinions from young people who have their own attitude to this problem and believe that there are many sensitive topics, the understanding of which is extremely important for society. For example, according to their observations, parents sometimes unintentionally contribute to the alienation of their children from their peers by buying expensive things, which further aggravates their psycho-emotional state.
At this stage, consultations are being held with initiative groups, events are being planned and appropriate resources are being sought.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
In July, civil dialogue was continued in women's groups of Kutaisi, Khoni and Khobi. Participants discussed the reasons of migration, its psychosocial consequences and ways of prevention.
Their vision of what needs to be done to reduce migration and mitigate its consequences, reintegrate women and improve the psychosocial climate in their families was interesting; increase of teachers' awareness of the emotional and behavioral characteristics of children of migrant parents was also noted. Some participants shared their experiences on this topic:
"My parents' emigration brought a lot of psychological trauma, some of which I still experience. What children of immigrant parents need most is the right atmosphere." "The school period should be useful for them, because it was the teacher who brought the light back to me."
Some participants expressed a desire to share their emotions:
"I have some sketches and you can share them. If I could, I would give everyone the strength to talk about their pain, as I do."
"I would be happy to join the creation of interesting stories. I myself have a short but painful experience of migration. I know many others who would be happy to share their emotions."
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
A psychologist of the Fund “Sukhumi” held meetings in five municipalities, in Women Support Centers of (Khurcha/Zugdidi, Tskaltubo, Senaki, Vani, Terjola). The main topic of the meetings was "Violence against women and the importance of relationships."
These meetings imply support and care, which is especially important for those who have ever faced violence. Violence is not only physical (blows, beatings), it is often silence, fear, offensive words and loss of self-esteem. Often violence occurs quietly, within the walls of the family, from where no sounds are heard. According to the psychologist, this is why meetings and personal communication with such women are necessary to tell them: "You are not alone"! One meeting can give strength, woman can start to speak, ask for help, and we can support and save her.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
During the next meeting of the women's mutual assistance group in Vani, the participants shared various information with each other. One part of the meeting was devoted to digital literacy.
The group members always attend the meetings with great interest. Such meeting was held in the village Khurcha (Zugdidi municipality), Kobuleti, Chokhatauri. In accordance with the needs of the women's mutual assistance group members, sewing courses were opened in Tskaltubo, which is very important for them.
Some of the meetings - in Tskaltubo, Tsalenjikha, Terjola, Kutaisi, Senaki, Khobi - were held online, but no less active and interesting.
A psychologist participated in the meetings together with a digital literacy teacher, who gave the participants useful advice. The group members got acquainted with new materials on our web page https://sosfsokhumi.ge/ – “Digital Service Center for Women Victims of Violence”. Project Assistant Nino Chabukiani notes: “During the meetings, we talked about civil initiatives. The group members filled out questionnaires where they recorded these initiatives. They are interested in different areas of work – poultry farming, cooking, cutting and sewing. These and other areas are presented in the questionnaires. According to the women, support for their initiatives is very important.”
The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)
