World Vision: Changing the Lives of Georgian Children

Exclusive Interview

World Vision is an international organization whose presence in Georgia has been key in improving the living conditions of children through their three strategic directions: Child Protection and Welfare; Youth Development and Empowerment; and Early Childhood Development Sectors.

GEORGIA TODAY sat down with Country Program Director Eka Zhvania to find out more about their work in Georgia.

Please summarize the operations of World Vision in Georgia

World Vision has three strategic directions (Child Protection and Welfare, Youth Development and Empowerment and Early Childhood Development Sectors) within which we implement our programs in Georgia. The primary focus of the organization worldwide is the protection of the most vulnerable children. World Vision International branch in Georgia has been operating since the mid-90s. Five years ago, the organization undertook the national strategy evaluation. Based on evaluation findings, the strategic directions were respectively tuned and new approaches elaborated.

Children being our key focus, we are doing our best to incorporate holistic interventions which are targeted towards children whose welfare can’t really be guaranteed. If in past, WVG was known for its strong regional presence and grassroots work through three regional offices in Samtske-Javakheti, Imereti and Kakheti, within the new strategy, the organization embraced operations at different levels: to achieve a systemic, sustainable impact the cooperation between the Government of Georgia and all key stakeholders in child protection and welfare sector; as part of regional operations, and to closely collaborate with local governance bodies through advocacy and support provision for the development of quality services and systems in the area of child protection welfare. Welfare implies not only the provision of services but educating duty barriers and communities that the rights and protection concepts stand for. Through our regional programs, we work with the most vulnerable households and children of different age groups. Most recently, we launched an urban development program with the main focus on the Gldzani-Nadzaladevi destrict due to the high concentration of vulnerable children in that area.

What do you mean by “protection”?

In our work, we use the term ‘child protection’ to refer to preventing and responding to violence, exploitation and abuse against children. Children subjected to violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect are at risk of death, poor physical and mental health, different infections, and homelessness. These are children being deprived of any choice for a better life. Children’s rights awareness, the readiness of the Government of Georgia to strengthen the child protection system and services, and collaboration with civil society and all major actors to join the efforts is key in that regards.

As a child-focused organization, we work both on prevention and response programs. Respectively, our focus is two-fold, the key emphasis of the WVG prevention program is to support the most vulnerable households, in most cases in close collaboration with Social Service Agency so that those households start experiencing a better quality of life. This is carried out through diversified approaches such as material/technical support, education or professional skills development opportunities, job coaching, supporting in small business start-ups, and psychological support. The support needs very from household to household. Furthermore, through the work at local or central levels, WVG provides support to professional development and social services establishment so that needs-based social services are ensured for most vulnerable children. Through household-strengthening and economic empowerment, we strongly believe the violence against children will substantially decrease. Violence towards and neglect of vulnerable children may not be so obvious to a regular citizen but is frequently encountered in the daily lives of children living in poverty. Many of these children end-up living and working in the streets. Such children can be found encountered in most big cities in Georgia. Those are the children WVG focuses on within the response program framework.

How fast are things changing in Georgia ?

Considering the social sector funding limitations, the likelihood of fast changes is obviously low in Georgia. Thus, WVG took the strategic decision to co-fund the development of a number of key services and quality provision strategies in the area of child protection and welfare. Three daycare/24 hour shelters, two in Tbilisi and one in Kutaisi are administered and have been co-funded by WVG since 2014. It needs to be noted though, that the scale of services to address the problem of children working and living in the streets is not sufficient and is under funded unless constant donor support is ensured.

Have you faced social stigma?

Definitely. Even though people see vulnerable children at traffic lights, in shops and central crowded areas, they often avoid them or just give small change in the belief it will be of help. In reality, each of us handing over a few coins contributes to an endless cycle of violence against children. To break the cycle of violence, and to contribute to a decent life for every child that is free of violence and focused on development, World Vision Georgia joined the global partnership campaign ‘It Takes a World to End Violence Against Children’ with a specific focus on combatting child exploitation on the streets. The local campaign with the name ‘Not My Choice’ envisages raising general public awareness that a child already on the street is the result of multiple vulnerabilities, and that giving change when passing-by is not the act of charity the majority of us perceive it as. There are other ways, through citizen engagement, that can make the lives of children working and living in the streets better. Through an active social media campaign, WVG strives to better educate the general population on how we can support the positive change if our efforts are united.

What has been the biggest challenge you have had to overcome with the implementation of the child protection program?

If we look at it through the prism of street children, with whom we work extensively in Tbilisi and Kutaisi, the biggest challenge we face is the full rehabilitation and integration of children. Especially those children at daycare services who can be seen on the streets at night time. Also the question: what happens next? Once a child (who has been under state care) turns 18, they are removed from the system and left with no support mechanism.

Economic empowerment and strengthening of households also remains an outstanding issue. Unless the empowerment and strengthening of those families is a key priority of the Government of Georgia, the flow of vulnerable children will constantly increase.

The funding scheme for shelter services established in 2014 under EU/UNICEF funding is now insufficiemt. Since the donor funding phase-out, the shelters are being financed though the state per capita/voucher scheme. While the substantial budget gaps were topped-up by WVG international donors, it needs to be noted that the state funding is insufficient for the quality functioning of shelter services. The quality and sustainability of shelter services is at stake in view of the gradually decreasing international financial support unless the funding scheme is revised by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

By Máté Földi