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“Youth Bank taught me that there is nothing impossible in this world. We had been devastated and depressed after the war. Now I am different: Youth Bank trusted us to design and run a project ourselves, allowing us to address an issue of direct importance to us.” Zurab Mdzinarishvili, 16, student of Gori Public School.

During the post-communist transition period, Georgian women took on numerous responsibilities to support their families. In rural areas, however, patriarchal social systems limited women’s role outside the home. But the lack of opportunities did not reduce women’s desire to think of innovative, entrepreneurial activities.

Eighteen years ago, Mtvarisa Sakheishvili, a doctor from Abkhazia, fled her home in Sokhumi in what remains an occupied territory of the Georgian state. She came to Kutaisi and began working as a medical specialist. Soon, however, she found herself unemployed; but rather than despair, she saw an opportunity to devote her skills and enthusiasm to civic activism. By 2000, Mtvarisa and a team of other physicians who had fled their homes in Abkhazia had founded the NGO Medical Sector of Abkhazia to focus on issues affecting internally displaced persons (IDPs), especially healthcare. In 2009, the organization was reregistered as the Medical Workers Initiative.

We have built a mini ‘Caucasus home’ in the Bolnisi Youth Bank,” says 16 year old ethnic Armenian Robert Sargysyan about the seven member Youth Bank (YB) grant making committee established in Kvemo Kartli by Eurasia Partnership Foundation (EPF).

In 2008, EPF funded the NGO Green Alternative to focus on the decentralization of forests, which were being transferred to the authority of local governments. During the project, Green Alternative conducted four trainings in the underserved regions of Oni (two), Ambrolauri, and Lentekhi to educate both representatives of the communities and the local authorities on the basics of forest sector decentralization.

EPF’s Youth Bank project increases the capacity and provides the opportunity to local youth aged 16 to 21 to engage as active citizens in the development of their communities in Georgia. Through comprehensive training, EPF teaches participants how to manage small pools of grant money (approximately 300-500 USD) that are distributed to support small-scale youth-led development projects in their communities.

Founded in 2001, the union Saphari rehabilitates victims of family violence and conducts public awareness campaigns. Since 2004, EPF has supported the organization with four grants. Through EPF funding, Saphari has implemented projects aimed at curbing domestic violence (including providing aid to the victims of domestic violence), raising public awareness about domestic violence, training policemen and social workers in addressing domestic violence incidents, and lobbying for implementation of the Georgian Law against Domestic Violence.

In November 2008, Youth Bank members from Akhaltsikhe, Marneuli and Batumi, Georgia visited the EPF-funded Youth Fund (as the program is called in Azerbaijan) in Azerbaijan to share best practices in implementation of the Youth Bank model.

Through their participation in the Youth Bank project, Mariam and her friends are finding it within themselves to change their own lives and community for the better.

Youth Banks are designed to encourage young people aged 16 to 25 to increase opportunities for volunteerism and civic activism.

Frequently, CSOs are founded on the good idea of a passionate and enthusiastic group. This scenario, however, does not...... »

Empowering Citizens through Participatory Civic Monitoring and Advocacy... »

Eurasia Partnership Foundation (EPF) invites proposals for an Open Door grant competition. ... »

Citizen Empowerment through Participatory Civic Monitoring and Advocacy... »

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- Last updated: 10 September 2010