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FROM THE FIELD

Long-term needs for 26,000 IDP’s World Vision’s prime concern one year after conflict
06 Aug 2009 14:11:34 GMT
 Source: World Vision Middle East/Eastern Europe/ Central Asia office
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A family who lives in the former conflict zone receives agricultural training on new methods of planting and irrigation. They work on one of nine demonstration plots set up by World Vision.
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A family who lives in the former conflict zone receives agricultural training on new methods of planting and irrigation. They work on one of nine demonstration plots set up by World Vision.
World Vision MEERO, http://meero.worldvision.org

Background

•  Georgia, Abkhazia, S. Ossetia

•  Children

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Twelve months after the end of the Georgia Crisis, some 26,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) are yet to return home. The majority are now facing an uncertain future, living in government-built settlements, in rehabilitated buildings or with host families.

Over 160,000 people fled the area to seek safe shelter and help as the conflict between Georgia and Russia over the breakaway region of South Ossettia escalated.

'At the beginning of the conflict World Vision provided the basic, most immediate needs to the tens of thousands of people who flooded into Tbilisi. But now, 12 months later, their needs are more complicated and we are dealing with issues of livelihood and skill development; they need help in rebuilding their lives.' said Vano Grigolashvili, World Vision Georgia's Humanitarian Emergency Affairs and Livelihood Development Director.

According to a pilot study recently undertaken by World Vision Georgia, less than 6% of the IDPs have work and nearly 80% of the IDP families are living on less than 3 dollars per day, well below the subsistence minimum set for an average family. This dollar amount includes the monetary value of the food and non-food assistance these people receive from the international community.

Over the last year, World Vision's Humanitarian Emergency Affairs and Livelihood Development (HEALD) programme carried out several projects to meet the various needs of thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs). World Vision distributed 845 metric tons (MT) of food to 156,257 beneficiaries; 420 MT of items to 6,019 beneficiaries through the Food for Work project; 566 MT of vegetables and canned food to 46,836 beneficiaries; feed for animals in 34 villages; and non-food items including more than 10,000 mattresses, 24,000 hygiene kits, and 6,000 blankets. The programme also established 7 Child-Friendly Spaces that assisted 200 children, rehabilitated 9 schools and 1 kindergarten in conflict-affected villages, winterised 11 IDP collective centres, and de-wormed 11,900 cows.

World Vision has instituted projects to target the long-term needs of the people who have been displaced, as well as those who were able to return to their homes in the conflict zone, but have not been able to rebuild their lives, as well as continuing to provide food assistance..

World Vision has begun a new project to help these people acclimatise to their new reality. In 9 settlements, World Vision is building social community centres designed to be self-run, low maintenance spaces that need minimal resources to operate and can be sustained by the community. These spaces can then be used for whatever purpose the village desires and provides the opportunity for these people and other nearby vulnerable populations to participate in trainings, activities tailored for children and youth, and trans-generational activities for the youth and elderly to connect, among other things.

'Unemployment is a huge problem for our society. Before we used to work in the agricultural sector - now we have nothing and wait for help. I hope these centres will help our youth learn new skills in order to find jobs. I think these centres will bring joy to our society,' said 54-year-old Zaur, originally from a village now north of the administrative border of South Ossetia.

In addition to the animal feed and veterinary help World Vision gave to the predominantly farming communities, the organization also began providing agricultural training, seeds for crops, and fertilizer to help the mostly agrarian society re-energize their livelihood. When people were able to return to their homes they primarily focused on rebuilding their homes and preparing for winter, thus they could not do the usually preparatory groundwork for the planting season. As a result, these families, who are mostly subsistence farmers, did not have enough food for themselves, much less enough food to sell and sustain their families.

'For some families the only income they had was the money they made from selling the dairy products they made, but some families had to kill their own dairy cows and sell the meat since they could not sustain themselves [after they returned home]' said 65-year-old Olia from the village of Khidistavi .

Over the last two months World Vision has been able to identify some of the people's future needs. Some communities are raising concerns with the potable water supply system; many lack hygiene items and want a change in the standard food items they have been receiving for a year; they also do not feel empowered to take control of their lives, especially in relation to authorities. These are all issues that World Vision is seeking solutions for as it continues to work hand-in-hand with the communities.

The HEALD programme is based out of Tbilisi and Gori, and covers all districts of the Shida Kartli region and some settlements in the Mtskheta-Tianeti region. At its peak, the programme served nearly 100,000 beneficiaries and currently assists approximately 40,000 beneficiaries in varying capacities. World Vision has been working with Georgians since 1994.

To read the story of an IDP family and the struggles they face one year after they fled their home, please follow this link:

http://meero.worldvision.org/news_article.php?newsID=1896&countryID=11

For further information on what World Vision is doing to help the IDPs and other vulnerable populations in Georgia and on the pilot study on IDPs' and their specific vulnerabilities due to be released in September, please contact Dwayne Mamo, World Vision Georgia Communications and Advocacy Manager, at the following:

Office phone: (+995 32) 433549/ 50/ 51/ 52
Mobile phone: (+995 99) 369621
Fax: (+995 32) 433535
Email: dwayne_mamo@wvi.org


[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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•  Refugees & displacement

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[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

Background information

Briefings
Georgia, Abkhazia, S. Ossetia - [Who works where]

Topics
Children Refugees & displacement
Facts & figures
Russia
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Human development index ranking (2005)
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