Social protection of its population is recognized as a priority for the state policy of any country, and the Charter of the Association is in complete compliance with this goal. The Association, including its regional organizations, 
is unsparing in its efforts to do the maximum, within the scope of its competence, to help resolve the social problems of the most needy part of the population. Vice-President Neli Gurgenidze is heading the activities undertaken by the Association in this sphere, which is full of complex problems, often without easy solutions.
At the first stage, the bulk of the work consisted of compiling an “information bank” with lists of the socially vulnerable groups in the population. The lists serve as the foundation for launching the humanitarian and charity actions in which the Association is permanently engaged…
The list of charity deeds executed by the association during the entire time of its existence, with the help of foreign partners, is very long. During the year 2000 alone one of the American charity organizations sent to the Association food products amounting to 104 tons and second-hand clothes of 64 tons. German businessmen assisted the Association by donating 45, 000 German marks, which were spent on purchasing 45 tons of food products. Everything was distributed among the socially unprotected members of the population, both in the capital and the regions.
Within the framework of only one of the charity actions, food products, as well as clothes, shoes and various hygienic facilities were delivered to 8,000 socially vulnerable families in Tbilisi, among them the families of those soldiers who gave their lives during the wars for the territorial integrity of Georgia, orphans, and persons handicapped from childhood. At that same time, 500 of the neediest families were identified in every region of the country, and 25 kg of humanitarian cargo, containing food products of six brands, was allocated to each of them.
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The memebers of association unexpectedly visited 91 years old Mrs. Nino Kopaliani in high village Kulbaki in Lechkhumi area. How happy she was! 2001 July |
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Humanitarian aid in high mountain village in Racha-Lechkhumi. |
Maguli Gogitidze the head of regional organization inAchara at ecological action. |
The populations of Ajara, Racha-Lechkhumi, Qvemo-Svaneti, Imereti, Shida-Kartli, Guria, Samegrelo-Zemo-Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Qvemo Qartli and some of the villages and towns of Kakheti, all places where the situation tended to be the most critical, often were beneficiaries of the help and assistance extended to them by the Association. Our representatives visited needy families living in the most remote parts of the country and even people who were seriously ill and confined to bed, in order to deliver “hand in hand” the food products, clothes, family utensils and medicines allocated to them. During the charity activity held in April 2000, the Association distributed 58 tons of food products and 17 tons of clothes to about 5950 families; during the Easter weeks of 2001 and 2002 more than 5000 families in Tbilisi were graced by Easter gifts.
Examples of this kind are abundant….
Care for elderly people
The memebers of association unexpectedly visited 91 years old Mrs. Nino Kopaliani in high village Kulbaki in Lechkhumi area. How happy she was! 2001 JulyThe Association is providing special care to those old people with very low pensions and invalids who, because of their miserable conditions, have found shelter in the old people’s house of Tbilisi, called the “Savane” (Sanctuary).
Through a program designed by the Association and with the help of international organizations, the damaged roof of the main wing of the building and the floor of the dining-room were repaired. The staircase was replaced by a special cover which makes it easy for the elderly to move through the corridor to the dining-hall. New chairs and tables were purchased for the dining-room, the design of the interior was renovated and the kitchen was reconstructed and provided with all necessary utensils. The seniors were presented with new beds, mattresses, quilts, and bed-clothes. In addition to this one- time, large-scale help, the senior citizen’s house has regularly received second-hand clothes, detergents, personal hygienic facilities, food products and even milk powder; we can therefore state that the Association has acted as a long-term exclusive provider of the “Savane” institution.
Those honorable representatives of Georgian culture and art who have found themselves in a grave situation at an old age, are enjoying very subtle treatment on behalf of the Association; within the scope of our abilities, without unnecessary noise, we extend a hand of help on the holidays and especially on the occasion of the jubilee dates, by sending various gifts and presents to them.
Please, come and help yourself!
The Association has fulfilled its long-term dream and opened a free cafeteria fro the neediest and the most vulnerable part of the citizens in one of the central regions of the capital city. The first guests from the Mtatsminda-Krtsanisi, Didube-Chugureti, Isani and Vake-Saburtalo regions were welcomed in June, 2004; boundless is the gratitude of those 50 beneficiaries, who can help themselves here with delicious dinner every day. Equally happy are the hosts, who have been granted the opportunity to bring such a serious project to being. Just like any other large-scale and significant actions, implementation of this project proved possible through the Association funds, as well by the charity donations. The main objective of the government now is to strengthen the country’s economy so, that nobody would need this kind of “free cafeteria” any more.
