To address children’s post traumatic stress symptoms of anxiety and depression, AFG’s Georgian office helped establish a kindergarten at the Isani temporary housing center. It provides nutritious meals and a nurturing educational environment for 46 children, ages 2-6, and employs several IDPs as well.
This project is cosponsored by an anonymous corporate foundation from Great Britain. A German foundation, the Elizabeth Gast Foundation, provided art therapy classes in the afternoon for one year, which AFG is continuing to provide. AFG initially provided funds ($7,905) for classroom and kitchen renovation. AFG also uses the facility to feed elderly IDPs in the evenings.
The Isani kindergarten helps Georgian children who escaped from their homes under threat of violence in August 2008 during Georgia’s conflict with Russia. These children are now living in substandard temporary housing at the Isani IDP settlement with little hope of returning to the familiar surroundings in which they were born.
Initially, anxiety and depression were widespread amongst these children. Some had nightmares and others were no longer eating properly. While many were listless, some were hyperactive. The kindergarten offers consistent emotional support as well as peer socialization in a nurturing and age appropriate educational environment. As a result, post traumatic stress symptoms in the classroom have decreased dramatically.
In addition, the parents of the children, so worried about their own future, are extremely grateful that their youngest offspring, profoundly affected by the war, have a school to attend, because Tbilisi’s public schools, overburdened with older refugee children, cannot accept these smaller ones.
The kindergarten opened in May 2009 and has become the social and cultural hub of the IDP center. It is a full day program with the children staying until 5 pm (education, entertainment, rest, three meals a day). In September 2009, AFG was able to expand the program to include a nursery school for younger children.
“My second visit to Isani in August 2009 was very exciting because the kindergarten is now a real oasis in the midst of the Isani temporary housing center, which elsewhere is still a ruin,” Marusya Chavchavadze, AFG’s executive director/US Office, said.
“When I met with Nino Agapishvili, the kindergarten’s director, she explained that during vacations, the kindergarten also takes older IDP children from the 1st and 2nd forms (ages 6-7) who would otherwise be unsupervised. “
AFG’s accomplishment:
Today, 46 children attend the program, receiving support, food and education. Parents are encouraged to take part in the kindergarten, and many take turns preparing favorite dishes to feed the children during classes. The kindergarten head, Ms. Nino Agapishviliarranges different kinds of theatrical performances, entertainments, and cognitive programs for children. In January, children had a special treat when Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy, Kent Logsdon and representatives from the U.S. Marines brought toys and karaoke to the children.
“It is very important to support IDP children. They had a lot of pain and stress in their life and now to see them so happy is very beautiful”, said Nino Agapishvili, the director of the kindergarten.
In order to continue improving the program, AFG is asking for donations to help renovate the bathroom facilities at the center, as well as help to cover the cost of renovating the kitchen and day to day expenses.