Ms. Roza has already had a colony of bees for

four years and she proceeded with the repro-

duction of the bee families seasonally. When

she heard about the CHCA’s project “Income

Generation and Business Support Initiative”

Ms. Roza decided to apply to the organization

with the aim of receiving an interest-free loan.

After attending the business training, Ms. Roza

was issued an interest-free loan of the amount

of 1800 GEL after the decision of the Loan

Committee. With this financial help, she pur-

chased new colonies of bees and expanded her

business activity which is the only income of

the family.

USAID representatives visited CHCA’s

Income Generation project loan recipients

On February the 27th the USAID Deputy Mis-

Interest-free loans were issued to 53

additional beneficiaries

In January and February 2013, 53 benefici-

aries were issued interest-free loans amount-

ing to 50.760 GEL in the framework of the pro-

ject “Income Generation and Business Support

Initiative”. In the scope of this loan cycle 96

loan applications were received in total and

out of them 81 beneficiaries were selected to

attend business trainings foreseen within the

framework of the project. During the training,

participants were familiarized with topics such

as: business management, effective manage-

ment of loan, preparing business proposals,

etc. At the end of the training each participant

presented a business plan and the authors of

the most viable business proposals – 53 bene-

ficiaries in total – were issued interest-free

loans after the decision of the Loan Commit-

tee.

At present loan recipients are already suc-

cessfully running their business activities and

they earn stable income.

CHCA continues to support income

generation activities among IDPs and

other vulnerable populations

Ms. Roza Abdelani is from Sokhumi and

lives today in Kutaisi together with her hus-

band and 3 children. The family decided to

start their own business activity of honey pro-

duction as nobody was employed in the family.

sion Director, Mr. Roy Plucknett, and other

USAID representatives observed the implemen-

tation process of the projects being conducted

within the framework of the USAID NEO pro-

gram on spot. The event consisted in visiting

the beneficiaries of the CHCA’s “Income Gen-

eration and Business Support Initiative” project

in Karaleti IDP Settlement. USAID representa-

tives visited the beneficiaries being issued in-

terest-free loans under this project, observed

their income generation activities and were in-

troduced to the problems they encountered

while running the business activities as well as

their achievements.

IN THIS ISSUE:

January-February 2013

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The Governor of Shida Kartli Mr. Andro Barnovi paid a visit to CHCA Gori office

IDP youth against unemployment

CHCA at the working meeting organized by the Small Group Homes Association

Maintenance teams are successfully carrying out the maintenance of the

common property

IDPs were delivered a training on the topic of “legal aspects for establishing

Homeowners’/Tenants’ Associations”

CHCA participated in the meeting for charity organizations in Batumi

Meeting between CHCA representatives and the Mayor of Poti City

CHCA has been implementing a new project since January

EVS Coordinators paid a visit to CHCA Tbilisi and Zugdidi offices

CHCA is hosting a new EVS volunteer

Meeting between CHCA representatives and

the Mayor of Poti City

On February the 27th CHCA representatives met with the Mayor

of Poti City, Mr. David Sarsania. The meeting aimed at exchanging

information and discussing the possibilities for future collabora-

tion. CHCA thanked the Mayor for his active involvement in the

ongoing project “Youth Civic Partnership Initiative” and intro-

duced him to the organization’s interests regarding the new IDP

settlement in Poti. Mr. David Sarsania in turn introduced CHCA

representatives to the Poti City Hall’s future plans towards the

youth development as well as the infrastructural development of

the new settlement. In their conclusions, the participants empha-

sized the importance and the necessity of future cooperation and

agreed to hold these kinds of meetings permanently.

The Governor of Shida Kartli Mr. Andro Barnovi paid a

visit to CHCA Gori office

On February the 14th the Gov-

ernor of Shida Kartli, Mr. Andro

Barnovi, paid a visit to CHCA Gori

office. CHCA Acting Executive Di-

rector and CHCA Gori office Ma-

nager introduced the Governor

to CHCA’s mission, main activities

and its ongoing projects. Mr. Andro Barnovi in turn presented his

own vision for the region's development and spoke about the im-

portance and the necessity of implementation of long-term pro-

jects.

IDP youth against unemployment

On February the 27th CHCA project beneficiaries gave presenta-

tions on the topic of unemployment and the ways for supporting

employment processes in the new IDP settlement in Poti City. The

research carried out by them revealed that 80% of IDPs and local

populations are unemployed and the main reason for this is the

lack of jobs. The absence of appropriate skills and information

among job-seekers was also revealed to be one of the main rea-

sons preventing employment.

With the aim of solving the mentioned problem the project’s work-

ing group members delivered training sessions on career planning

to the pupils of Poti public schools #4, #6 and #11. The training fa-

miliarized the participants with topics such as: CV writing, presen-

tation skills and communication.

Great interest was expressed towards this activity by the adoles-

cents that resulted in the extension of this element throughout

other schools as well. The event was attended by the guests from

Tbilisi: The Project Manager and CHCA EVS volunteer. At the end

of the training, all the participants were awarded with certificates .

CHCA has been implementing

a new project since January

Since January 2013 CHCA is implementing the project

“Developing and Maintaining Homeowners’ and Tenants’

Associations for Internally Displaced Persons” in the

framework of the USAID NEO program which is the con-

tinuation of the last year’s project of the same name. This

year the project covers an even wider geographical area:

Shida Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Imereti and Samegrelo.

The main aim of the project is to establish Homeown-

ers’ (HOA) and Tenants’ Associations (TA) and the mainte-

nance teams for ensuring the proper maintenance of the

common property.

Throughout the implementation of the project 28 HOAs

will be established in IDP collective centers and 9 TAs in

IDP cottage type settlements; in total 1800 IDPs will be in-

volved in that HOA/TAs. The members of the associations

will be trained in sustainable housing and infrastructure

maintenance in order to provide them with the required

skills and knowledge. In the scope of the project, trainings

will also be delivered to 20 government officials in housing

services. By the end of the project, HOA/TAs will prepare

business proposals with the help of CHCA with the aim of

acquiring further financing and developing their own in-

come generation activities.

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IDPs were delivered a training on the topic of “legal as-

pects for establishing Homeowners’/Tenants’ Associations”

Since February CHCA

began to deliver trainings

to the target IDP commu-

nities on the topic of

“legal aspects for estab-

lishing Homeowners’/

Tenants’ Associations” in

the framework of the project “Developing and Maintaining

Homeowners’ and Tenants’ Associations”. Until today 16 train-

ings were organized in Shida Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Imereti

and Samegrelo IDP collective centers and settlements and were

attended by 419 participants in total. The participants are intro-

duced with the important issues such as: the essence and pur-

pose of the association, its advantages and the legal aspects for

its establishment and operation.

As a result of the training, IDPs will be provided with all the

necessary skills for establishing the HOA/TAs ensuring the

proper maintenance of the common property afterwards. It

should also be emphasized that during the training, participants

revealed the problematic issues on which the associations will

work in the future.

In total 60 trainings will be organized in the framework of the

project.

Maintenance teams are successfully carrying out the

maintenance of the common property

The maintenance teams established within the framework of

the project – “Developing and Maintaining Homeowners’ and

Tenants’ Associations for Internally Displaced Persons” – are

successfully carrying out the maintenance of the common prop-

erty and the results of their work is already evident. The

Homeowners Association “Hope for the Future” established

in Rustavi collective centre on Tbilisi str. #28 has built a rain

cover in front of the building protecting it from the rain water

after receiving profes-

sional toolkits. They have

also installed water and

gas heaters. One of the

main problems of the

mentioned collective cen-

tre was the lack of individ-

ual water meters. The chairman of the association applied to

the Rustavi Municipality to solve this problem.

The feedback was positive and individual meters were in-

stalled for each family. One other problem of the association is

the basement of the building, which is full of water and re-

quires cleaning up and a drainage installation. For this specific

purpose the association will collect a certain amount of money

from the residents of the building and the chairman of the asso-

ciation will also apply to the Rustavi Municipality for further fi-

nancial assistance. The maintenance team is also actively nego-

tiating with one of the construction companies to employ it on

one of the construction sites. 10% of the income gained will go

into the associations’ reserve fund.

EVS Coordinators paid a visit to

CHCA Tbilisi and Zugdidi offices

On February the 22nd and 23rd a group of EVS coordinators

paid a visit to CHCA Zugdidi and Tbilisi offices as part of a study

visit called “EVS Argonauts” organized by SALTO EECA Resource

Centre for EVS coordinators to Armenia and Georgia.

The visitors were introduced to CHCA’s ongoing activities and

the working environment of the EVS volunteer; got interested

in the organization’s current and already implemented projects

and discussed the ways for future cooperation and the possibili-

ties of implementing joint projects.

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CHCA is hosting a new EVS volunteer

On January the 5th a

new EVS volunteer,

Anita van den

Brandhof, arrived in

Georgia. She will be

working at CHCA

Tbilisi office and will

stay in Georgia until

June.

Anita is from the

Netherlands and after

graduating from the

University of Amsterdam she has chosen to come to Georgia

to gain professional experience and get familiairized with the

Georgian culture and traditions. Anita is already actively

involved in the organization's activities. While working on

fundraising and reporting issues, Anita is also actively

participating in field visits observing the projects’ ongoing

activities on the spot. Anita is especially interested in the

socio-economic living conditions of IDPs and hopes to make a

useful contribution to the work of CHCA.

CHCA at the working meeting organized

by the Small Group Homes Association

CHCA participated in a working meeting organized by the

“Small Group Homes Association” at the Ambassador Hotel.

The results of the research carried out in Small Group

Homes to identify the existing needs and requirements were

presented at the meeting, and were discussed afterwards by

the participants.

The representatives of the service providers, international

organizations, the Social Agency of the Ministry of Labour

Health and Social Affairs of Georgia and psychologists at-

tended the meeting .

CHCA participated in the meeting

for charity organizations in Batumi

On February the 14th, the meeting for charity organizations

organized by the Civil Society Institute and the East-West

Management Institute was held in Batumi at the Democratic

Engagement Center. CHCA actively participated in it.

The meeting aimed at discussing the legislative gaps that

prevent the functioning of the charity organizations and that

in general prevent charity development in Georgia. These

types of meetings will be held in the future as well for the

joint discussion on the mentioned problematic issues and for

finding the best solutions .