Russian-Georgian armed conflict in August 2008 has changed a lot in our working directions. We’ve had some peace-building activities even before the war (screening of “Pray the Devil Back to Hell”, a documentary on Liberian women’s peace movement; collecting signatures of women for peace appeal to the Georgian government, to oppose multi-sided militaristic rhethorics etc.)
On the third day of starting the war, when thousands of IDP appeared in Tbilisi and other cities in Georgia, our foundation got involved in different kinds of humanitarian activities alongside with many of Georgian civil society organizations. Some of these activities are still running. We raised funds for these activities, but the largest part of these funds were personal contributions from our foreign friends. By the end of 2008 we raised funds from institutional donors, as a result since March 12, 2009 Taso Foundation has working in conflict zone as its main activity.
The project which has already finished the first grant-making cycle was Women’s Economic Strengthening in 9 Villages of Shida Kartli Region. (supported by Bank of Georgia Aid Fund for the Victims of the Conflict in Georgia). It is obvious that issuing grants to restore livelihood and overcomng poverty was the main objective of the project, but the implementation method meant even more. Namely, getting familiarized with the resources of local women/population and preparation of the ground for creating women’s social responsibility centers in the Region in future. This region, being a conflict zone, is even more disadvantaged and isolated from social life, democratic processes in comparison with other rural areas of Georgia.
Up to present 48 small grants have been issued to individual women and initiative groups. One thing should also be noted: all participants of the grant competition (ca 120 women) including those who did not get the grants, have taken a course in small business management. The course was provided by Young Economists’ Association of Georgia, with the support of UNIFEM.
Based on experience and lessons learned, with support of Norwegian Refugee Council and Eurasia Partnership Foundation, Taso Foundation started a project “Karaleti Women’s Center for Combating Violence and Community Development”. Important preparatory works are already fulfilled, the office space and training/meeting room is already prepared and local staff is selected, based on competition. This is an internal project of Taso Foundation, which will include training/seminars, wide program of Guest Speakers for women/community representatives, not only from Karaleti village, but the whole Shida Kartli Conflict zone as well. Besides, the Center will enable the local population to protect their rights and provide availability of services they can apply for (by different international organisations or the Georgian Government). One of the main objectives of the project is to break the “silence” of the conflict zone population, to enable them to contribute to the democracy and peace-building processes.
Taso Foundation is currently in conversation with the women from different conflict zone village based women and representatives of local governance, to find similar groups of women in other communities. The long term objective of this idea is to help the women to organise themselves and turn into strong locally based civil society organizations, with women’s leadership.
These activities will be supported by our donors: Global Fund for Women and OSI International Women’s Program. (both donors provided general support grants to Taso Foundation, which is crucially important for TF for flexibility and more efficiency in her activism).