Imereti

Democracy and Governance

Applied Civic Education and Teacher Training (ACETT)
Timeline: July 2010 – July 2013
ACETT improves the quality and scope of school-based civic education to influence positively the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of youth, empowering them to be active participants in building a democratic society. ACETT is implemented nationwide in Georgia. It enhances civic education materials and approaches, establishes accredited courses for civic teachers, introduces practical application of classroom lessons, provides small grants in support of applied learning, maintains an interactive website, and promotes social-networking for teachers and students. ACETT activities in Imereti include civic education activities in schools in Khoni, Samtredia, Vani, Baghdati, Zestaponi, Tkibuli, Terjola, Chiatura, Sachkhere, and Kharagauli.

Good Governance in Georgia Project (G3)
Timeline: Feb 2011 – March 2014
G3 addresses the diverse challenges and shortcomings in governance at the national and local levels. The program improves transparency and institutional efficiency at all levels of government in providing better services to citizens, as well as improving communication channels between government institutions, stakeholders, civil society and citizens. At the national level the program promotes improved public administration, advancing public sector reform in target institutions using human and institutional capacity development approaches. At the municipal level the program will promote more responsive, professional, and engaged local governance in Kutaisi. In addition, a Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) in Kutaisi will provide a public gathering space dedicated to civic discourse.

Georgian Media Enhance Democracy, Informed citizenry and Accountability (G-MEDIA)
Timeline: Oct 2010 – Oct 2014
This project improves the public’s access to a range of news sources and information by developing a more politically balanced, editorially independent, and professional media able to deliver news, information, and analysis to audiences throughout the country. G-MEDIA is providing grants to improve the public’s access to a wider range of higher quality media content, and is reaching the public through emerging channels, including social media, internet-based, and wireless delivery systems, It provides practical, hands-on education of journalists at the university level, and targeted skills training in investigative and specific issue reporting; strengthens journalists’ capacity to monitor and respond to infringements on their rights; and works with individual media outlets to build their financial sustainability and to address barriers to attracting advertisers. G-MEDIA conducts trainings in media law for media representatives in Kutaisi. The project also supports the Georgian Association of Regional Broadcasters and Georgian Regional Media Association in the area, as well as projects that support local broadcast and print media.

Policy, Advocacy, and Civil Society Development in Georgia (G-PAC)
Timeline: Oct 2010 – Oct 2014
G-PAC helps institutionalize more balanced and effective public oversight of and engagement with the government by strengthening Georgia’s civil society sector. It does this by implementing two interlinked and mutually supportive objectives to accelerate the development of civic leaders and organizations that will: (a) become effective advocates for an empowered citizenry, and (b) provide viable policy options to government reflecting citizens’ needs. G-PAC is active in Imereti through a number of sub-grantees addressing issues such as advocacy related to landfill placement, protecting rights of communities living across the Zestaponi-Samtredia highway, improving communication between the local government and communities in the region, environmental issues and awareness, economic growth issues, and protecting rights of people with autism.

Judicial Independence and Legal Empowerment Project (JILEP)
Timeline: Oct 2010 – Oct 2014
JILEP supports and strengthens the judiciary as an independent yet equal branch of government, and improves Georgia’s commercial law system. Activities aim to improve the process by which judges are appointed, trained and disciplined to increase their independence and professionalism. The project also further strengthens the state free legal aid system and the legal NGO community, and increases public understanding of the role of the judiciary. It contributes to improvement of legal education both for legal students and for practicing attorneys in Georgia. Finally, the project streamlines procedures for handling commercial cases and enforcing commercial judgments. JILEP supports legal aid and court monitoring and free legal aid and consultation for locals in Kutaisi.

In addition to the projects above, national Democracy and Governance projects including Political Party Strengthening, Increased Trust in Electoral Processes, Advancing National Integration, serve the region.

Economic Growth

Economic Prosperity Initiative (EPI)
Timeline: Sept 2010 – Sept 2014
This program will improve Georgia’s overall economic competitiveness through assistance designed to: 1) expand and deepen the country’s economic governance capacity; 2) improve agriculture sector productivity; and 3) strengthen targeted non-agricultural value chains that have the highest growth potential. In Imereti, EPI focuses on the apparel industry. Activities include upgrading technical and human capacity of Iberia Vocational College and introducing three industry-oriented vocational programs to meet the workforce needs of the apparel industry with specialized skills. Business outreach training was also conducted in Kutaisi in June and hazelnut farming training will be conducted in spring 2012.

Agricultural Mechanization Project
Timeline: Sept 2009 - Dec 2012
This project establishes institutions and systems for a private sector-driven, sustainable small holder approach to providing mechanized agricultural services that are supportive of increased agricultural sector productivity, competitiveness, and profitability. Grants and limited technical assistance is being provided to private sector organizations to procure tractors and related equipment and deliver market-based mechanized services to smallholder farmers. Farm services are made available to IDPs that received land from the Government of Georgia. Mechanization centers in Zestaponi and Sachkhere are expected to open in spring 2012 and will create 19 jobs and benefit approximately 1,100 farmers.

Women's Economic Independence in the Post-Conflict Zone and Remote Regions of Georgia
Timeline: Sept. 2009 - Dec. 2012
The project aims to stimulate women entrepreneurs in Georgia by helping rural women develop business skills and start their own businesses. Innovative training courses and small grants are provided for female IDPs in the Shida Kartli region, as well as for women residing in the remote regions of Georgia, including northern Kakheti and mountainous Imereti and Racha. In Imereti, training was conducted in 2011.

Municipal and Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project
Timeline: Feb 2011 – Feb 2014
This project will 1) develop and rehabilitate municipal infrastructure, in five municipalities affected by the 2008 conflict; 2) upgrade the existing cottages constructed by the GOG for IDPs from the August 2008 conflict, redevelop buildings for use as durable housing for IDPs from previous conflicts, and ensure overall sustainability of housing solutions. In Imereti, the project is expected to rehabilitate buildings in Samtredia, Vani, Kvitiri, Kutaisi, Khoni, Terjola, and Zestaponi expected to house a combined 1,084 IDP families.

In addition to the projects above, national Economic Growth projects, including loan guarantees through the Development Credit Authority, serve the region.

Energy and Environment

Replacement and Rehabilitation of the Kutaisi - Abasha Pipeline
Timeline: To be completed by early 2013
The project funds the construction of a new 80-km and 700-mm diameter pipeline from Kutaisi to Senaki to replace the existing undersized and leaking pipeline sections, thereby improving natural gas deliveries to the Western Georgia.

New Applied Technology Efficiency and Lighting Initiative II (NATELI II)
Timeline: Sept 2009 – June 2013
The project supports energy efficiency improvements in hospitals by auditing performance, outlining financial costs and benefits of energy efficiency improvements, and linking hospitals with financial institutions to facilitate their access to credit. A pilot component promotes residential energy efficiency through condominium associations and Tbilisi Municipality by conducting energy audits of common spaces. The project also works with the Georgian Technical University to build local energy auditing capacity. Finally, it supports USAID/British Petroleum Global Development Alliance-funded Energy Bus which travels throughout Georgia to demonstrate and promote energy efficiency technologies and the use of renewable energy. In Imereti, the project is providing energy efficiency improvements for hospitals in Chiatura.

Georgian Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (GNEWRC) Partnership Program
Timeline: Sept 2010 – June 2012
This project fosters the exchange of experience and information between U.S. and Georgian regulatory bodies. It improves regulatory practices and develops institutional capacity in market-based regulation. The activity fosters long-term sustainable relationships between regulatory bodies in both countries and creates a framework through which a specific U.S. commission works with the Georgian Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (GNERC). The headquarters is in Kutaisi.

Hydropower Investment Promotion Program (HIPP)
Timeline: Mar 2010 – Mar 2013
HIPP collaborates with the Government of Georgia and hydropower investors to attract investments into Georgian hydropower development. HIPP is expected to help attract local and foreign investment to Georgia’s energy sector to add 400 megawatts of clean, green renewable power to the Georgian grid. This new energy will help move Georgia closer to energy independence and serve as a profitable export to rapidly increasing yet underserved energy markets in Turkey and Eastern Europe with a view toward regional economic growth. A hydropower study is being conducted in Tskaltashua.

In addition to the projects above, national Energy and Environment projects, including the Black Sea Regional Transmission Planning Project, serve the region.

Health and Social Development

HIV Prevention Project
Timeline: Feb. 2010 - Dec. 2014
The HIV Prevention Project supports HIV prevention among high-risk groups in Georgia in order to avert the spread of HIV to the general population. It focuses on: prevention in primary risk groups; interventions with secondary risk groups most likely to be infected next (youth); and stigma reduction. The HIV project conducts capacity building training, counseling and testing in Kutaisi and Tskaltubo.

Social Infrastructure Project
Timeline: July 2010 – Mar 2012
The Social Infrastructure Program provided enhanced learning and living conditions for orphans and vulnerable children. The project also improved the short-term economic status of ethnic minorities, IDPs, and graduates of the Vocational Education Programs by employing them in the rehabilitation of schools in Shorapani and Kutaisi, as well as rehabilitating small group homes in Kveda Kvaliti, Bajiti, Kutaisi, Perevisa, Khoni and Kutaisi.

Job Counseling and Referral Project
Timeline: Mar 2010 – May 2012
This activity provided job counseling, referral, and placement of the unemployed in Georgia, with particular outreach to internally displaced persons (IDPs). The activity created job counseling and referral centers, facilitated outreach to employers, and placed beneficiaries in vocational education programs. There is a job counseling and referral center in Kutaisi. Since 2010, the center in Kutaisi has provided job counseling to more than 1,917 individuals and market-oriented vocational education to more than 303. The center has helped more than 1,227 beneficiaries gain employment.

Supporting Equal Opportunities for People with Disabilities
Timeline: Sept 2006 - Sept 2012
The project aims to foster the conditions for equal opportunities and full participation of people with disabilities in the political, economic, and social life of Georgia through strengthening the institutional and advocacy capacities of disabled persons’ organizations and improving coordination between the government and local and international organizations to develop policies to address disability issues. Activities support people with disabilities in Terjola.

Loan Guarantee for Hospitals
Development Credit Authority (DCA)
Timeline: July 2010 - July 2020
USAID signed a DCA loan guarantee agreement with TBC Bank for the $8 million loan to Block Georgia. The funding is used by Block Georgia to construct and/or rehabilitate eight hospitals in West Georgia, including Kutaisi and Tskaltubo.

Georgia Sustaining Family Planning and Maternal and Child Health Services Project (Sustain)
Timeline: Oct 2009 – Oct 2014
Sustain meets critical maternal and child health and family planning needs while laying the foundation for long-term, sustainable family planning and maternal and neonatal health programs in the private sector. Through private insurance industry plans, existing health clinics and planned health training units, it also promotes a broader range of contraceptives available in pharmacies throughout Georgia. In Imereti, the activity supports maternal and child health services in Zestaponi, Sachkhere, Kutaisi, and Chiatura, and a rural health family planning center for best practices in Kutaisi. In addition, contraceptive education and distribution occurs throughout the region.

Strengthening Childcare Services and Systems
Timeline: Aug 2010 – Aug 2013
This activity focuses on the following areas: improving access to social benefits for vulnerable groups; improving alternative care and expansion of family support services; strengthening policy, oversight and accountability in the childcare system; and addressing the issue of domestic violence. This activity supports small group homes in Kveda Kvaliti, Bajiti, Kutaisi, Perevisa, Khoni and Kutaisi.

In addition to the activities listed above, national Health and Social Development programs, including the Health System Strengthening Project, Tuberculosis Prevention Project, and Hepatitis B Catch-up Vaccination project, serve the region.

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Imereti