“I have been trying to bring the problems of local women and children to the attention of decision-makers,” stated Karine Kachotyan, a member of the Akhalkalaki sakrebulo (municipal assembly). Karine Kachotyan is one of just 45 female majoritarian sakrebulo members in Georgia, making them a small minority among the 664 municipal assembly members across the country.  

მე ვარ მარიამ მორჩილაძე, ოზურგეთის რაიონის დაბა ლაითურიდან. მყავს მეუღლე და ერთი შვილი. დაოჯახებამდე ვსწავლობდი ქუთაისის აკაკი წერეთლის სახელობის უნივერსიტეტში ტურიზმის მიმართულებით. თუმცა, ბავშვის შეძენის შემდეგ, სტატუსის შეჩერებამ მომიწია და მიუხედავად სწავლის გაგრძელების დიდი სურვილისა, დროებით განათლების მიღების აკადემიური გზა ჩემთვის მიუწვდომელი გახდა. სწორედ ამ დროს, 2019 წელს, ჩვენს დაბაში სამუშაოდ „ფონდი ტასო“ შემოვიდა. 

“I had this idea in my mind that if I ever started working, I would not be able to manage all the work around the house. Village life is what it is. There is always something to do. I was not going out much either because I was mostly taking care of the household. Last year, when I started going to work, I was 46 years old. Since then, I have been filled with some different sort of energy which helps me get out of bed every morning,” says Zina Tsartsidze, a resident of Ani village in the Akhaltsikhe municipality, who now works as a cook at the local kindergarten.

I am Maia Pipia, I have been living in Anaklia since 1988. I have two kids. I am the founder of the community fund Nefa. I also have my own small business and I am an entrepreneur. Until 1991, before the war, I worked as a biology teacher at Zugdidi 6th High School, but since then I have not worked in the profession. As the rural population living along the so called borderline, we have experienced all the hardships and severities of war.  

I am Iruza Kakava. I am an IDP from Abkhazia. My life was, so to speak, very difficult, because at the age of 16 my parents died and I was left with little brothers. I went through a very difficult life. I experienced what it was like to be orphaned, miserable, and hungry. The only thing I thought of was that I had to find a solution, I had to do something and go on with my life to raise my younger brothers and put them on the right path. It was 2010 when I heard that Taso Foundation had come to work in the villages located along the border.

I am Iamze Dzidzaria, I live in the village of Laituri, Ozurgeti region. I currently work in poultry and livestock, with the help of my husband. Of course, we have come so far through great labor and hardship. Taso Foundation has made a great contribution to all this.

I am Nana Kochalidze, I live in Naruja, Ozurgeti region. By the way, we have a very good village,  and I love it very much. I had been engaged in agriculture before, I was growing vegetables, nuts and I was actively involved in rural life as well. Then I heard that Taso Foundation had entered our village.

I am Tamar Aroshidze, I live in the village of Nasakirali, Ozurgeti Municipality. I always had ideas about my activities, but there was no opportunity to implement those ideas. Then Taso Foundation came to our village.

I am Keti Tsilosani, I live in Lanchkhuti. I have two kids. I got married very early, I was 15 years old, and as is often the case, my husband and I soon got divorced. I was home for years from the day I got married. I had neither the opportunity to study nor to work, I was completely cut off from society.

I am Tamar Kantaria, I live in the village of Ganmukhuri, I am the head of the initiative group Elva. Our activities and the creation of a civic center are related to 2013, when Taso Foundation entered the village of Ganmukhuri.