Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti

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View map of programs in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti

Democracy and Governance

Applied Civic Education and Teacher Training (ACETT)
Timeline: July 2010 – July 2013
ACETT improves the quality and scope of school-based civic education to influence positively the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of youth, empowering them to be active participants in building a democratic society. ACETT is implemented nationwide in Georgia. It enhances civic education materials and approaches, establishes accredited courses for civic teachers, introduces practical application of classroom lessons, provides small grants in support of applied learning, maintains an interactive website, and promotes social-networking for teachers and students. ACETT activities in Samegrelo include civic education activities in schools in Poti, Abasha, Zugdidi, Martvili, Senaki, Tsalenjikha, Chorotskhu, Ingiri, Kakhati, Darcheli, Chitaskaro, Tsaishi, Narazeni, Odishi, Rukhi, Pakhalani, Lia, Jvari, Kurzi, Khabume, Abedati, Ledzadzame, Kheta, and Khobi.

Good Governance in Georgia Project (G3)
Timeline: Feb 2011 – March 2014
G3 addresses the diverse challenges and shortcomings in governance at the national and local levels. The program improves transparency and institutional efficiency at all levels of government in providing better services to citizens, as well as improving communication channels between government institutions, stakeholders, civil society and citizens. At the national level, the program promotes improved public administration, advancing public sector reform in target institutions using human and institutional capacity development approaches. At the municipal level, the program will promote more responsive, professional, and engaged local governance in Zugdidi. In addition, a Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) in Zugdidi provides a public gathering space dedicated to civic discourse.

Policy, Advocacy, and Civil Society Development in Georgia (G-PAC)
Timeline: Oct 2010 – Oct 2014
G-PAC helps institutionalize more balanced and effective public oversight of and engagement with the government by strengthening Georgia’s civil society sector. It does this by implementing two interlinked and mutually supportive objectives to accelerate the development of civic leaders and organizations that will: (a) become effective advocates for an empowered citizenry, and (b) provide viable policy options to government reflecting citizens’ needs. G-PAC supports a number of projects in the region including efforts to support civil society development; civic monitoring of the Zugdidi-Mestia road construction; protecting the rights of people with autism; and supporting economic growth opportunities, community mobilization, and civil society development.

Georgian Media Enhance Democracy, Informed citizenry and Accountability (G-MEDIA)
Timeline: Oct 2010 – Oct 2014
This project improves the public’s access to a range of news sources and information by developing a more politically balanced, editorially independent, and professional media able to deliver news, information, and analysis to audiences throughout the country. G-MEDIA is providing grants to improve the public’s access to a wider range of higher quality media content, and is reaching the public through emerging channels, including social media, internet-based, and wireless delivery systems, It provides practical, hands-on education of journalists at the university level, and targeted skills training in investigative and specific issue reporting; strengthens journalists’ capacity to monitor and respond to infringements on their rights; and works with individual media outlets to build their financial sustainability and to address barriers to attracting advertisers. G-MEDIA supports the Georgian Association of Regional Broadcasters and Georgian Regional Media Association in the area, as well as projects that support improving local television news programs.

In addition to the projects above, national Democracy and Governance projects including Political Party Strengthening, Advancing National Integration, and Increased Trust in Electoral Processes serve the region.

Economic Growth

Empower Women of Samegrelo
Timeline: Sept. 2009 – Dec. 2012
The objective of the program is to provide marketable technical and vocational training to at least 350 women in Tsalenjikha over a 2 year period, and to improve the cultural and traditional family practices towards supporting female-controlled economic resources. It will also extend financial and material support to businesses by issuing small grants and linking this targeted population to local microcredit organizations. One of the intended outcomes of this project is to reduce the cultural barriers that currently prevent women from having more control of their economic resources. This will be achieved through maintaining participation in gender-related workshops and seminars. Increased numbers of trained women will obtain better jobs with higher wages and/or improve self-employment activities in traditional and non-traditional businesses.

Agriculture Mechanization Project
Timeline: Sept. 2009 – Mar. 2012
This project is establishing institutions and systems for a private sector-driven, sustainable small holder approach to the provision of mechanized agricultural services that are supportive of increased agricultural sector productivity, competitiveness, and profitability. Grants and limited technical assistance are being provided to private sector organizations to procure tractors and related equipment and deliver market-based mechanized services to smallholder farmers. Farm services are made available to IDPs that received land from the Government of Georgia. The project supports a mechanization center in Senaki. The center is expected to create 9 new jobs and provide benefits to 400 farmers.

New Economic Opportunities (NEO)
Timeline: Apr 2011 – Apr 2015
The NEO project is designed to improve rural incomes; reduce poverty levels; improve food security; address critical, small-scale infrastructure priorities in targeted communities; enable targeted IDP communities (old and new) to sustainably maintain their households; and assist communities distressed by natural or other disasters. The project will target 10 municipalities and will benefit at least 70,000 households that are considered vulnerable. The project is expected to work in total of 25 communities, with an anticipated 24,100 beneficiaries in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti.

Economic Prosperity Initiative (EPI)
Timeline: Sept 2010 – Sept 2014
This program will improve Georgia’s overall economic competitiveness through assistance designed to: 1) expand and deepen the country’s economic governance capacity; 2) improve agriculture sector productivity; and 3) strengthen targeted non-agricultural value chains that have the highest growth potential. As part of the upcoming Global Development Alliance (GDA) with Ferrero International and its Georgian subsidiary AgriGeorgia Ltd., EPI is conducting trainings to 680 local hazelnut growers in Zugdidi at EPI Knowledge Plots at Ferrero’s plantation. EPI is also closely collaborating with USAID’s NEO project in Georgia, which has mobilized approximately 200 farmers from its target communities to attend these trainings. In support of access to finance in the agricultural sector, EPI promoted leasing as a tool for agricultural finance to 20 farmers and processors in the region through the Khobi Farm Service Center.
Additionally, EPI is leveraging the private sector funds of Poti port to develop and implement a trade facilitation system for trade information sharing between Batumi and Poti ports, shipping lines, Georgian customs, and railways.

Municipal and Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project
Timeline: Feb 2011 – Feb 2014
This project will 1) develop and rehabilitate municipal infrastructure, in five municipalities affected by the 2008 conflict; 2) upgrade the existing cottages constructed by the GOG for IDPs from the August 2008 conflict, redevelop buildings for use as durable housing for IDPs from previous conflicts, and ensure overall sustainability of housing solutions. In Samegrelo, the project may rehabilitate three buildings expected to house approximately 83 IDP families.

In addition to the projects above, national Economic Growth projects, including loan guarantees through the Development Credit Authority, serve the region.

Energy and Environment

Integrated Natural Resource Management in Watersheds
Timeline: Sept 2010 – Sept 2014
This program will introduce innovative approaches to the sustainable management of natural resources to Georgia, and aims to ensure needed environmental resources and services are sustained for Georgia’s long-term ecological health and rural development. It will reinforce Ministry of Environment Protection and Natural Resources (MEPNR) efforts to reform practices in ways that ensure more sustainable resource use for future generations. The program will use technical best practices from internationally accepted integrated natural resource and watershed management approaches and address government structures. It will especially emphasize the balance between economic uses and benefits of water and other natural resources in watersheds with principles of ecosystem protection and sustainable use. In Samegrelo, integrated natural resource management planning and implementation engage the local communities in Khobi and Senaki.

 Power and Gas Infrastructure (PGI) Project
Timeline: May 2010 – Nov 2013
PGI will assist the Government of Georgia in undertaking strategic interventions in gas and power infrastructure aimed at enhancing the energy security of the country. It will support the ongoing efforts of Georgia’s power transmission company and Georgia’s gas transit operator to construct and build necessary power and gas transmission infrastructure. The five project components aim to improve power and gas infrastructure and capacity building, construct portions of the Senaki-Poti pipeline, replace and rehabilitate segments of the Saguramo-Khashuri pipeline, upgrade electricity transmission, and facilitate data collection and energy sector modeling.

Electricity Transmission Upgrade, Reconstruction and Operation
Timeline: To be completed by Nov 2012
This component of the USAID’s Power and Gas Infrastructure program includes reconstruction of the 220kV Senaki twin chain power lines dismantled in 1992 during Georgia’s Civil War. It includes full and partial construction of new power substations to support the Senaki line, and operational controls designed to improve efficiencies and reduce risks in transmission management.

In addition to the projects above, national Energy and Environment projects, including New Applied Technology Efficiency and Lighting Initiative, GNEWRC Partnership Program, and Black Sea Regional Transmission Planning Project serve the region.

Health and Social Development

Social Infrastructure Project
Timeline: July 2010 – Mar 2012
The Social Infrastructure Program provided enhanced learning and living conditions for orphans and vulnerable children. The project also improved the short-term economic status of ethnic minorities, IDPs, and graduates of the Vocational Education Programs by employing them in the rehabilitation of schools in Senaki, Poti, Chaladidi, Koki, Orsantia, Narazeni, Rike, Tkaia, Chkhoria, Pakhulani, Muzhava, Chale, Jvari, and Khaburne, as well as rehabilitating small group homes in Tsalenjikha, Sachino Mazandara, and Chokhorotsku.

Strengthening Childcare Services and Systems
Timeline: Aug 2010 – Aug 2013
This activity focuses on the following areas: improving access to social benefits for vulnerable groups; improving alternative care and expansion of family support services; strengthening policy, oversight and accountability in the childcare system; and addressing the issue of domestic violence. The activity supports small group homes Tsalenjikha, Sachino Mazandara, and Chokhorotsku.

Development Credit Authority (DCA) Loan Guarantee for Hospitals
Timeline: July 2010 - July 2020
USAID signed a DCA loan guarantee agreement with the TBC Bank for the $8 million loan to Block Georgia. The funding will be used by Block Georgia to construct and/or rehabilitate 9 hospitals in West Georgia (Kutaisi, Tskaltubo, Poti, Mestia, Chkhorotskhu, Tsalendjikha, Abasha, Khobi and Martvili).

HIV Prevention Project
Timeline: Feb.2010 - Dec.2014
The HIV Prevention Project supports HIV prevention among high-risk groups in Georgia in order to avert the spread of HIV to the general population. It focuses on: prevention in primary risk groups; interventions with secondary risk groups most likely to be infected next (youth); and stigma reduction. The HIV project conducts capacity building training, counseling and testing in Zugdidi.

Job Counseling and Referral Project
Timeline: Mar 2010 – May 2012
This activity provided job counseling, referral, and placement of the unemployed in Georgia, with particular outreach to internally displaced persons (IDPs). The activity created job counseling and referral centers, facilitated outreach to employers, and placed beneficiaries in vocational education programs. In Samegrelo, there is an active job placement program in Poti. Since 2010, the center in Poti has provided job counseling to more than 1838 individuals and market-oriented vocational education to more than 652. The center has helped more than 1012 beneficiaries gain employment.

Georgia Sustaining Family Planning and Maternal and Child Health Services Project (Sustain)
Timeline: Oct 2009 – Oct 2014
Sustain meets critical maternal and child health and family planning needs while laying the foundation for long-term, sustainable family planning and maternal and neonatal health programs in the private sector. Through private insurance industry plans, existing health clinics and planned health training units, it also promotes a broader range of contraceptives available in pharmacies throughout Georgia. This activity supports a maternal and child health center in Zugdidi and supports sustainable family planning throughout the region.

Nursing Vocational Education Project
Timeline: Oct 2009 – Oct 2012
The immediate goal is to improve the competencies of nurses currently practicing in Georgia through an intensive training program. An important segment will be teaching leadership and management skills to key nursing staff, and demonstrating how to provide continuous in-service education in their respective hospitals. A long-term goal is to establish a degree-granting school of nursing in cooperation with the Government of Georgia that will help to improve the nursing profession in Georgia. This project works with nurses in Zugdidi.

In addition to the activities listed above, national Health and Social Development programs, including the Health System Strengthening Project, Tuberculosis Prevention Project, and Hepatitis B Catch-up Vaccination project, serve region.