Zugdidi LAG receives first independent funding award

In August 2022, Zugdidi LAG applied to Zugdidi City Hall to receive funding for a project to provide informational services and training for young people living in Zugdidi Municipality. After several meetings with an assessment committee the concept note and the proposal was approved, and on the 21^st September 2022 Zugdidi LAG signed a contract with the City Hall.

The title of the project is “Youth beyond the barrier and their social integration into the local community”. It aims to provide long-term support to young people living in rural areas of Zugdidi Municipality through their psycho-social empowerment. A mentoring program will be created within the framework of the project, whereby ten socially active private, public, and civil society representatives in Zugdidi Municipality will be selected as mentors who will support young people in improving their skills and competencies. The project will support the inclusion of 25 young people, including IDPs and socially vulnerable young people to assist their psycho-social empowerment and support their socialization.

Poster of the project

In addition, other young people engaged in the programme will:

• Receive information on state social and educational services
• Hear about services and projects implemented by the civil sector in Zugdidi Municipality and the importance of accessing them
• Meet and listen to expert speakers who will give lectures on topics of interest (human rights, media literacy and programming, youth policy and programs, including ERASMUS+ exchange programs)
• Receive practical and theoretical advice on pertinent topics from successful people in different fields.

Direct beneficiaries of the project will be 25 young people (18-29 years old) living in rural areas of Zugdidi municipality together with their 10 mentors. Other beneficiaries of the project will be an additional 100 young people attending the information campaigns/meetings

The total budget of the project is 7,240 GEL with the grant received totaling 4,940 GEL and the LAG contribution being 2,300 GEL.

The LAG has already started project implantation with the information poster and the registration form for mentors and mentees developed. Information has been posted on the Zugdidi LAG Facebook page, and communication with stakeholders has started.

Meeting in the Orsantia Community Centre

Zugdidi LAG was established within the project “Improving Local Governance through Inclusive Development Approaches” implemented by Action Against Hunger funded by the Austrian Development Agency, with funds from the Austrian Development Cooperation. It has been registered as a non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entity since February 2022.

Some of the communications materials.