Haven for street children in Tbilisi

Summary

There are reckoned to be about 1,500 street children in Georgia, mostly concentrated in the capital, Tbilisi.

Activities

Mkurnali provides life-lines to these kids, rescuing them where possible from police stations and the courts, and giving them support to get their lives back on track.

With Mkurnali's help:

• Around 50 street children per year are given appropriate support from a lawyer and a teacher or social worker as they go through the courts.
• 45 street children are given training and employment in Mkurnali workshops
• 100 street children are given temporary accommodation during the year ad more are fed
• Thanks to long-term support, 35 street children are now living independently.  15 have married and are successfully raising families of their own.

St Gregory's Foundation has provided equipment for the enamel workshop and the printer-cartridge re-filling business.  More recently, we have made a substantial grant to help Mkurnali to buy a new house after they faced eviction.

How you can help

St Gregory's Foundation pays for a legal service for street children who get in trouble with the law. The cost is £500 per month for salary and travel expenses. This ensures that street children are properly defended in court. Most are saved from a prison sentence and move to Mkurnali, where they will be given accommodation and training. Over the past ten years, only 4% of the youngsters who have been in Mkurnali’s care following police custody have reoffended. Our faith in them is not misplaced.

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