Kvemo Kartli

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 Kvemo Kartli include civic education activities in schools in Rustavi, Bolnisi, Gardabani, Dmanisi, Tetritskaro, Marneuli, and Tsalka.

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 promotes more responsive, professional, and engaged local governance in Marneuli and Rustavi. In addition, Centers for Civic Engagement (CCE) in Rustavi and Marneuli provide a public gathering spaces dedicated to civic discourse.

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 supports a number of projects in the region including civil society development, efforts to increase public oversight and participation in the planning and execution of the Gardabani municipality’s budget; monitoring the water supply system rehabilitation in Tetritskaro; and protecting the rights and interests of local residents directly affected by construction activities.

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 Rustavi and Tsalka. The project also supports the Georgian Association of Regional Broadcasters and Georgian Regional Media Association in the area, as well as projects that support investigative journalism relating to government transparency.

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, court monitoring, capacity building and state legal aid services in Rustavi.

Advancing National Integration (ANI)
Timeline: Oct 2011 – Jan 2015
ANI aims to strengthen national integration in Georgia, particularly involving ethnic minorities. It will work with young people across Georgia through practice and participation; increased public awareness of diversity; and support for interaction between the government and ethnic minorities. ANI works with a number of municipalities, schools and youth groups throughout the Kvemo Kartli region.

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

Economic Growth

Agricultural Mechanization Project
Timeline: Sept 2009 – Dec 2012
This project is establishing institutions and systems for a private sector-driven, sustainable small holder approach to the provision of mechanized agricultural services that are supportive of increased agricultural sector productivity, competitiveness, and profitability. Grants and limited technical assistance are being provided to private sector organizations to procure tractors and related equipment and deliver market-based mechanized services to smallholder farmers. In Kvemo Kartli, the service centers in Marneuli, Gardabani, Tetritskaro, and Bolnisi are expected create 40 jobs and benefit 2,300 farmers.

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. EPI is conducting trainings for 500 local open field vegetable (onions, garlic and carrots) growers in Bolnisi and Marneuli, using three EPI Knowledge Plots in partnership with Bolnisi Farm Service Center.

Municipal and Internally Displaced Persons (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 homes constructed by the GOG for IDPs from the August 2008 conflict; and 3) rehabilitate buildings for use as durable housing for IDPs from previous conflicts and ensure overall sustainability of housing solutions. In Kvemo Kartli, the project will rehabilitate a building expected to house approximately 24 IDP families in Marneuli.

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

Health and Social Development

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 Tsalka, Dmanisi, Tetri Tskaro, Marneuli, and Gardebani. It also renovated two small group homes in Gardebani.

HIV Prevention Project
Timeline: Jan 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 Rustavi.

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. The activity conducts maternal and child health services in Bolnisi, Rustavi, and Marneuli and a project-supported rural health and family planning center of best practice is located in Bolnisi. In addition, contraception education and distribution occurs throughout the region.

Strengthening Childcare Services and Systems
Timeline: Aug 2010 – Aug 2013
This project 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. In Kvemo Kartli, the project supports two small group homes in Gardebani.

Loan Portfolio Guarantee for Hospitals
Timeline: Sept 2010 – Sept 2020
USAID signed a loan portfolio guarantee agreement with TBC Bank for $20 million. The loans to be issued by TBC Bank and covered by the guarantee are intended for private health sector borrowers for construction, renovation, and equipping of hospitals and clinics. The program will primarily address the financing needs of private insurance companies, which are obliged to build hospitals in 27 health care districts across Georgia. This mechanism supported a hospital in Rustavi.

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

In addition to the projects listed above, national USAID Energy and Environment programs including, New Applied Technology Efficiency and Lighting Initiative, GNEWRC Partnership Program, and Black Sea Regional Transmission Planning Project serve the region.

ძიება

Kvemo Kartli