Care for 20 homeless people in Tbilisi, Georgia

Christmas with children is very special.  This is just as true at our shelter in Tbilisi as anywhere.  You know that we provide a home for teenagers and young people who would otherwise be on the streets.  You might not realise that we also give shelter to a number of young families with small children.  We'd like to share the story of one of these families with you.  You will see that you're help not only gives these families warmth, safety and food, but it also keeps children with their loving parents.  

Arthur and Christine's story told by Nino Chubabria
 Arthur was seven when he became an orphan. From then on the streets became his home. He lived with his brother Fedia and other children nearby Dighomi Market in Tbilisi. In 2005, through the efforts of our organization, the “Children’s Social Adaptation Center” was formed. Arthur and his friends were the first beneficiaries of the center.  After his 18^thbirthday, Arthur had to go back to the streets again with several of his friends. The winter was severely cold that year, so our Mkurnali organization allowed them to spend the nights in our workshops. With the help of friends of our organization and the profit gained through selling what we made in our workshops we bought necessary equipment and rented a bigger space to accommodate both the workshops and the fully functioning shelter (this was the fore-runner of the shelter we have now). 

In 2009 we accepted Christine into our shelter. After turning 16 she had been sent out into the streets from Zestafoni Orphanage. After 6 months Christine’s relatives took her from our shelter. Soon Arthur also left. As it turned out, the two had fallen in love and since Christine’s relatives wanted to marry her to someone else, they ran away together to start a family in the streets. Christine became pregnant and we took them back to our shelter. Today they have 4 children and are responsible and caring parents. They live at our shelter since they have both been diagnosed with learning difficulties and, as the law stands, they could find their children removed from them. By staying with us that will not happen. Should the law change, Christine and Arthur are nevertheless in a queue to receive housing in a special program for socially vulnerable people. Their older children are in school and kindergarten and all have a stable and well regulated life.

Thank you for all you've done for Arthur, Christine and their children.  We all wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.