This month, we are thrilled to highlight the remarkable work done by our Affiliate, Society Biliki, in Georgia throughout the year 2024. Their dedication to youth development has been truly inspiring, and we’re excited to celebrate the impactful strides they’ve made in empowering the younger generation.

In 2024, Society Biliki hosted a variety of enriching cultural and cognitive activities for children, ranging from drawing and excursions to cooking and handicraft lessons. Handicraft sessions, held twice a week at Biliki’s day centers, have provided children with opportunities to enhance their fine and gross motor skills, as well as improve hand-eye coordination in a fun, creative environment.

A key initiative that stood out was the organization’s daycare center. The center’s team of psychologists offered individual and group sessions that tackled vital life topics, such as understanding emotions, building social skills, and navigating human anatomy, societal concepts, family dynamics, and even friendships and romantic relationships. Art therapy was an essential component of these sessions, helping children express their emotions and foster creativity, all while developing their fine motor and academic skills. Notably, seven pieces of artwork created by children in the daycare center were selected for the “One World, One Future” exhibition at the Louvre in Paris, a proud moment for both the children and Society Biliki.

In addition to these programs, Society Biliki launched the “Vibes for Youth” project, designed to support young people aged 15 to 35 in Gori. Running from May 2023 to October 2024, the project helped 52 out of 55 participants successfully complete the Next Economy training course, which focused on life skills and employment readiness. As a result, participants received certificates, with nine completing an entrepreneurship course. Among them, two reached the final stages of a grant competition, emerging as grant recipients. The project has already shown significant success, with 17 young people employed, 13 self-employed, and eight participating in internship programs. Additionally, 20 individuals completed a vocational training course, and eight enrolled in a vocational college.

The results of the “Vibes for Youth” project have been transformative, creating new pathways for young people to thrive in both their personal and professional lives.

One of the participants, a woman who faced numerous challenges, shared her personal story of success:

Success Story:

"I have gone through a very difficult path, years of hard work to get here. I faced many obstacles because of my family and children. When you want to do what you love but you have a family, young children, live in a rural area, and must do hard physical labor every day, often your goals and dreams are put on the back burner.

However, when I heard about the project, I thought that now was the right time to set a goal and follow this path. I think that the path to my dream has appeared. And indeed, my long-standing desire has come true. Now I am a professional nail specialist. I am a self-employed woman in a rural area, I have my own customers, and I have my own income."