The life situation in Georgia
It is twenty years since the tragic events that shattered Tbilissi on the 9th of April 1989. People protested in front of the state building against the soviet system and were imprisoned. A gas attack by a special military unit cost the lives of many protesters. And yet that was only the beginning.
Up until 1990 Georgia was a rich country with a population of ca. five million people. It had a well developed agricultural and cultural life. Poverty was hardly heard of.
Then suddenly the problems became clear. First the problems with fuel, long queues of cars at the filling stations, especially evenings as many drivers had to sleep in their cars. Grave problems arose in the areas of hygiene, there was no soap. It was a state of emergency.
In 1991 a coup took place, the legally elected government had to step down, criminal military groups terrorised the country, robbed villages, shot at demonstrators who were against them. There was a change in currency, intransparent money dealings in banks burdened the economy, a large amount of the population lost their savings, particularly hard hit were the elderly people. A few got large amounts of money in hand, others had nothing.
In 1991 the staple food supply broke down. There were long queues of people standing in front of shops to buy bread, through the night they would stand there and wait, even during the winter, fires were lit on the streets to warm people. There were difficulties with the power supply complete darkness reigned throughout the country and it lasted up until 2005. The local public transport collapsed, the underground got stuck and people had to leave the trains and walk through dark tunnels toward exits.
In 1994 the Russians stopped their fuel supplies to Georgia. This meant a great fuel shortage which lasted in Georgia up until 1997. Because of the high inflation rate the state could not pay salaries. Injustice, corruption, denying basic human rights was at the order of the day in government circles.
Factories had to stop work in process because of unavailable material. Its equipment, buildings and complete inventories were sold to foreign companies.
Agriculture was complete disrupted; only the import of products was partially possible, the local farming was completely destroyed and remains so up until today. Legislative changes is encouraging imports, however, it is today as it was before directed against local production. Georgia is currently importing 80% of its food needs. In their need people cut down large amounts of trees to warm their homes or make some money, the result is that large parts of the forests have been destroyed.
Conflicts of war and grave poverty
The population is split – some are extremely rich, a large number very poor. 1.5 Million people left Georgia to look for work in foreign countries. The education and health system completely collapsed, the same applied to cultural and scientific life. Everywhere are remnants of a ruined economy, destroyed roads and buildings and dilapidated villages.
Because of the wars around Abkhazia and South Ossetia and the losses of this parts of the country thousands of people have fled. Growing numbers of unemployment, street children and beggars dominates in the city. The elderly are sitting on the streets in winter trying to sell all sorts of things. One can observe how people are rummaging through garbage containers looking for something to eat or wear. One tries to deal with the changing life situation.
In 2003 high hopes were awakened in the big protests with the “Revolution of the Roses”. And yet, what has it achieved? Once again, no real change, no stable and essential improvement came about.
On the 7th of November 2007 the state activated military troops against the protesting masses. Although there were democratic elections the results were falsified.
The political conflict with Russia escalated. The last shock came in August of 2008 – again refugees were on the streets, loss of land, again destroyed nature!
Unverified statistics claim that there are 3.5 million people living in Georgia. 900 000 there of are officially registered as living under the poverty line. No one can truly say how many it is, how much more are not known of.
The day care centre in Tiflis
Our organisation was founded in 1990. We have worked continuously since, without any interruptions, this means that were constantly caring and escorting people with an extreme need for help. In 2005 a state programme was created to assist the work in day care centres for disabled people. This subsidy does in no way cover the running cost of our daily work in the social therapy section, especially not in the face of the growth we have had in the services since 2005.
Even worse: is that since January of 2009 our organisation has been receiving only one third of the state funding we have been receiving in 2008. There are no long term state programmes which we can count on. Officially they explain the cut in the subsidy due to a growth in day care institutions, but reality shows the contrary. We are receiving less money and can make no plans to secure our work for the future.
Disabled people need intensive care – especially in economic difficult times. They are the group of people in society who has the greatest need of protection.
Our organisation could survive and expand its services only due to committed co-workers, family members and our friends in Georgia and overseas. Were are eternally grateful for the help we received from private persons as well as local and foreign organisations.
The foundation of our work is first and foremost the strong will forces of those people who come to work and live with us with their special needs. Over and above all this, it is of course, the Anthroposophical orientated spiritual knowledge that gives us the forces we need and carry us.Marina Bulia
To top Stand / Update: 03/2009