More support and better solutions needed for Georgia's street children

Messenger , November 20, 2007

To the Editor,

I spent several months this year volunteering for the Mkurnali "Healer" Association in Tbilisi, an NGO that provides humanitarian aid, legal assistance, and vocational training to street children and children in prisons. Mkurnali is sort of a “mom and pop” NGO that has had some great results with very few financial resources.

Accompanying vice president Nino Chubabria to police stations, the Avchala prison, and court, I observed her juvenile defense project at work. The project, started in 2005 and staffed solely by Ms Chubabria and Lela Abashmadze, is the only program of its kind in Tbilisi. Operating completely without funding, Mkurnali has successfully rescued dozens of children from the criminal justice system. Mkurnali has also been running successful vocational training workshops and providing a free lunch for street children for seven years.

There are very few places for street children in Georgia to go. The government’s Gldani shelter in Tbilisi has been mired in scandal from its conception. Only 20 out of the estimated 1200 street children in Tbilisi are staying at the shelter, which has 47 beds and employs a staff of 35. The children stay away because a disconcerting number of them end up being sent from the shelter straight to jail for petty reasons. With no refuge to be found, Georgia's street children become trapped in a cycle of poverty and crime.

There are many parallels between the current Georgian criminal justice system and the Stalin-era gulags: pressure from a high government source to make arrests, regular police intimidation to sign false confessions, absurd convictions, unreasonable sentences for petty crimes, and severely overcrowded prisons. Street children in Georgia suffer disproportionately under the government's zero tolerance frenzy to arrest criminals. When the real perpetrators cannot be found, it is often easier to accuse a homeless child then it is to explain an unsolved crime.

UNICEF reports that higher and higher percentages of juveniles are going to prison for petty theft in Georgia and are receiving longer prison sentences by the courts. The Avchala juvenile prison population swelled from 150 to 210 in just a few months this year. It is alarmingly common for a hungry child in Georgia to go to prison for seven years for stealing a wheel of cheese to eat. This kind of theft is treated as a criminal problem by the government, but in reality it a humanitarian one.

Once in prison conditions are grim. Eighty boys were moved in August from the Avchala juvenile prison to Rustavi adult prison No. 2 as a punishment for a disturbance. Some of the children moved to Rustavi were as young as 14, committed crimes as minor as stealing a pair of socks, and had nothing to do with the Avchala disturbance. In Rustavi the children have spent three long months languishing in locked cells without proper ventilation 23.5 hours a day. The Rustavi prison, which does not supply clean drinking water, adequate nutrition or sanitation to inmates, made it almost impossible for the families to visit their children, who were rumored to be abused by prison guards.

It simply does not serve the Georgian people to pay for a child to languish in prison for seven years for stealing a pair of socks. A much better solution is a community service program, picking up rubbish in Tbilisi's public parks, for example. Until the government takes a humane approach towards juvenile justice, it is more important then ever to support the NGOs that provide humanitarian relief, education and legal assistance to Georgia's vulnerable street children and economically disadvantaged youth.

Tawnya Ferbiak
Boulder, Colorado

The Healer of Street Kids


Victoria Evangelina Belyavskaya
Georgia Today, August 10, 2007

How many street children are there in Georgia? During its Coming from the Streets project implemented from June 2006 to March 2007, World Vision Georgia identified 285 children living on the streets of the capital, while country statistics compiled by Save the Children shall be ready in mid-September. For now, people working in NGOs estimate that there are approximately six hundreds street children throughout the country. Not a lot, especially considering that in Tbilisi alone there are over 1,500 registered NGOs addressing with this problem.

Georgia, one of the wealthiest republics of the former Soviet Union once enjoyed prosperity and allowed its people to follow their dreams, albeit within the closed space of the system. After the collapse in the early 90s the country was left with conflicts, no infrastructure and empty resorts, the depressive signs of which illustrates the crush the country has survived with silent precision. It was then that those children who had lost families or had to leave them due to economic hardship went to the streets in search of food, shelter and any kind of security. This process continues to a lesser extent today as children facing hardships hope it will be easier to survive among others like themselves who have to work or beg, sleep in parks, abandoned cars and the railway station. Most of these kids are in the capital. Many are alcoholic or drug addicts, and become sexually active in their early teens. The hard life makes many look middle-aged by their 20s. Many have no documentation - and thus officially do not exist.

It is common for police to set rates for children to beg in certain areas. "District inspectors often force street children to share the income earned in small enterprises. If a child refuses to share their income with the inspector, he is often detained, and must bribe his way out of custody," writes Georgia Streetkid News, a section of the World Street Children News website. Walking with one of my Georgian-speaking friends, I talked to several seemingly homeless kids who worked in a market carrying or loading wares and at a gas station. They confirmed the information.

Among the 1,500+ NGOs "helping" the children from the streets, Mkurnali (healer) is one that really seems to do so. It assists street children and children in prison by providing food, medical, legal assistance and workshops to teach them skills. Mkurnali was founded in 2000 in Tbilisi with the support of UK DFID (Department for International Development). The idea comes from Ms. Lali Meskhi (DFID) and it was developed by Father Giorgi Chachava (Father Superior of the Georgian Orthodox Church under name of St. Panteleimon). Nino Chubabria met me at the gates. She is little, skinny and big-eyed. In her short summer dress she looks like a teenager, and it is difficult to believe that she's the vice-president of the Association from the first days of its creation and is also a mother of two daughters, 13 and 20 years old. She walked me into a small yard surrounded by doors and windows from several workshop rooms. A couple of boys were eating lunch. A pretty girl was working on enamel. A Dalmatian puppy was sleeping on an old sofa.

"Not everybody comes here every day," starts Nino "but it is the place to come to, to talk, to wash clothes, to have some food. Our main goal is to involve children into life skills workshops and give them a profession and a chance to have an income. We have our own Ltd Berkli dealing with refilling and reparation of the cartridges of the copiers, printers and faxes. For now, service is used by more than 40 local and international institutions; it helps to support the Association: buy food for the children, supplies. Some of our children have begun their own business."

"Pavlik, Fedya, Mirza...." "Poti, Tbilisi..." Nino is telling me about the children who have been a part of Mkurnali. Many of them stay in a tight contact with the Association, or even work there, like Pavlik Nefedov. He's been training in jewelry and enamel since 13, today at 20 he teaches workshops at Mkurnali and is about to open his own little office. Pavlik has brothers and a family: a wife and a son.

A4 sheets of papers printed on a black and white printer cover two walls of Nino's office. They are photos of faces, eyes, smiles, hugs, fluffy hair, and eyes again. These are photos of Mkurnali children. Looking at these open faces I am trying to imagine what each of them has gone through. "They are just children," says my friend Nagila, who brought me here. "They want to be loved, and they want to have a chance in life, to study, to work, to see the world, to meet people. They have been through so much, and yet they are still kids. Strong kids." Currently Association has about 60 street children. All together there have been over 200 of those who received help: be it moral support, financial, provision or training.

"We always want our children to teach workshops," continues Nino, "it is easy for them to establish and maintain contact with newcomers. Also we are lucky to have very good teachers, for example, sewing is new to us, Lyalya Badalova teaches it, and she is a great specialist. Computer specialist is David Chalabov, one of the founders of the Association. Enamel is often taught by masters of Ornament Gallery, where works by our children are sold."

Younger children have a better chance to come off the street. The older ones may end up in jails, for it becomes more difficult to earn living by begging on the streets and they are forced to steal to survive. Many children are held in detention for stealing food and underwear. Since 2005 lawyer Leila Abashmaz has been volunteering with Mkurnali to represent children in the court. Unfortunately, I have not met her yet. One of the main current projects of the Association Mkurnali is OUR HOME, a community-home for street children after age of 16, the age-group that the government can not provide with assistance. These children have no living space, no working places and no hope. The community-home will give them a chance to start their lives. The staff of the Association Mkurnali conducted survey among the Street Children regarding the living conditions and the job related needs and opportunities. The 90% of the mail part of the recipients wish to learn the basics of the agribusiness, cattle breeding, trade and related activities. As for the future professional orientation, the majority of the young men choose the profession related to the mini market and bakery auto service. In the future, Mkurnali wants to develop the existing rural area and prepare it for establishing the OUR VILLAGE community. Both projects are in a sharp need of financial support.

The conditions in the Georgian juvenile and adult prisons, where many street children end up, are very poor. To help children and young people in prisons, International Women Association formed a committee Friends of Prison Children in May 2007. It is a group of volunteers working directly with Mkurnali.

Friends of Prison Children has provided toiletries and fans for the children in prison, and now aim to help Mkurnali with other projects, such as legal assistance, creating workshops in the prison, providing housing for the kids and young adults after they leave prison. If you want to volunteer for this activity please contact Nagila Guimaraes: nagilag@gmail.com or Cathy McLain, co-president of IWA: mclain.cathy@gmail.com

 

 

In the end of 2006 MKURNALI successfully completed the “Working places for Socially Unprotected Youth and Street Children” project funded by the International Executive Service Corps (IESC) Grant Agreement No.:AID-G-2006-00104-00-17.

1. Goals of the project

The project aimed to help the unprotected part of the population: 16 -21 old youth, approximately 40 children at the “MKURNALI” through establishing and developing of 1. Jewelry Workshop, 2. Enamel Workshop, 3. Sewing Workshop and 4. Computer Service Center. The professional trainers and the specialists will lead the above mentioned Workshops and Computer Services Center. Basics of the Small Business Management will be delivered as lectures to all participants. In addition computer basic training will be arranged for all the participants. In a long term run when some permanently attending the courses children are trained and most gifted and responsible participants could play the role of facilitators of knowledge and habits they will form Board of Children and take responsibility on each workshop which will go private and juridical established as SME (LTD form).

2. Objectives of the project
 

In long run create SME (Ltd companies) with children participation.


3. Technical Approach

Within the framework of the project three existing workshops (Jewelry, Enamel, Computer Service Center) will be strengthened and at a newly established Sewing Workshop will be launched through:
3.1. Furniture (needed for new working places), equipment and tools were purchased.
3.2. Teaches were hired through public competition.
3.3. Four working rooms (each 20-25 sq. m) were rented and equipment installed.
3.4. Well-trained children produce crafts and services which are offered on local market. The income from trade is spent to further strengthen SME component managed by association MKURNALI or, other words, according the MKURNALI charter requirements.

4. Methodology

Socially unprotected youth and street children were chosen for each activity according to their wish and abilities. The Association MKURNALI has already conducted surveys and needs assessments among the street children and collecting information about youth needs resulting in list of their names and location where they are available. Mostly these children are from Boarding Schools, Orphanages or the Street Children Shelters and another group contains children and young people from economically vulnerable or low-income families. The assessment of their art abilities were assessed during first month after project start up.

In parallel, needed tools and equipment were purchased. The Association MKURNALI deriving from its experience arranged teaching, training and manufacturing process.
The teaching process started after equipment was installed and powered and participants were enrolled.

4.1. The lessons at Jewelry Workshop were arranged in two groups, 3-4 times a week, each 2 hour duration, participating 7 – 8 children in a group. Thus, 14-16 children were mastered in Jewelry crafts manufacturing by the completion of the project.

The curriculum contained:
4.1.1. Brief information on Jewelry history
4.1.2. Visits to the professional Jewelry exhibitions and art studios
4.1.3. Training on the basic techniques of the Jewelry
4.1.4. Practical exercises

4. 2. The lessons at Enamel Workshop were arranged in two groups, 3-4 times a week, each 2 hours duration participating 4 – 5 children in a group. Thus, 8-10 children were mastered in enamel manufacturing by the completion of the project.

The curriculum contained:
4.2.1. Brief information on Enamel history
4.2.2. Visits to the Enamel exhibitions and professional art studios
4.2.3. Training on the basic techniques of the Enamel
4.2.4. Practical exercises

4.3. The lessons at Computer Service Center were arranged in two groups, 3-4 times a week, each 2 hour duration, participating 4 – 5 children in a group. Thus, 8-10 children were mastered in computer simple repairmen (basically filling up of cartridges) by the completion of the project.

The curriculum contained:
4.3.1. Practical skills on repairing the peripheral computer equipment.

4.4. The lessons at Sewing Workshop were arranged in two groups, 3-4 times a week, each 2 hour duration, participating 7 – 8 children in a group. Thus, 14-16 children were mastered in sewing by the completion of the project.

The curriculum contained:
4.4.1. Visits to the modeling houses and exhibitions, professional art studios
4.4.2. Training on the basic techniques.
4.4.3. Practical exercises

4.5. Simple lectured on how to arrange small business were delivered for all children. Four groups will be formed, lectures will be arranged 2 times a week, each 1 hours duration participating 10 children in a group. Thus, 40 children got basics on small business management including juridical issues.
4.6. Training in computer basics was arranged for all children. Eight groups were formed, lectures were arranged 3 times a week, each 1 hour duration participating 4-5 children in a group. Each course lasted about two months or 24 lessons were given which is more then enough to teach basics of computer for street children. Thus, 40 children were educated in basics of computing by the end of the project.
Upon the completion of the project, in January, 2007 presentation was arranged at the Karvasla hall. During the presentation trained children showed their practical skills in sewing and making enamel.