Georgian Grantmakers Come to Belfast!

Having undergone a week’s training each peer educator now has the skills required to train other young people in Georgia who are opening six new YouthBank branches in the country. Each peer educator hopes to provide new grant-makers with the skills to manage a YouthBank, allowing them to improve more communities in Georgia.
As part of their training in Belfast the group completed activities which improved their leadership, facilitation and interview skills. A new YouthBank training toolkit was also tested by each peer educator who then provided feedback on what they had learnt. 
The YouthBanks in Georgia have completed their first round of funding and presented grants to applicants at a celebration awards ceremony, attended by local government officials.
Funding was distributed for a range of community activities which included, providing equipment to a local orphanage, buying books and supplies for local schools and organising a number of sports competitions for young people, including those who are disabled or homeless. Some of the funding was also used to begin a recycling initiative and to promote the importance of environmental protection to school children.
While helping its local community Marneuli YouthBank also decided to travel to Gori, a city affected by the Georgian and Russian conflict.
Mirza Dargali from Marneuli YouthBank explained, “We brought warm clothes and other supplies to Gori as thousands of people had been made homeless during the conflict. The group returned to the city following a donation drive with schools in Marneuli, who donated a huge amount of educational and hygiene supplies, along with warm clothing. A third trip is now being planned to bring more supplies to people in Gori before a new YouthBank is opened there.” 
Each of the YouthBanks already established in Georgia has made an incredible impact on the local community. This was reflected in the respect the community now has for young people who have taken responsibility for improving the local area. The success of the first year of funding also inspired a local government official to make a financial contribution to the project, ensuring a second round of funding can help benefit more people within Georgia.