Jejili - Youth Centre in Chiatura

The Youth Centre for risk group children was opened in the formerly industrial region in Western Georgia in 2001 with the financial support of UNICEF and the assistance of the local authorities. Chiatura is a town affected by poverty, unemployment and hopelessness, with many families living in extreme poverty and a large number of orphaned children. The assistance of these children through their involvement in healthy life and useful activities is vital for their survival, which is the goal pursued by the Youth Centre.
Throughout the five-year operation of the Centre, around 1200 children were provided with the rehabilitation assistance, thanks to which many of them escaped physical and spiritual complications.

At present, the Centre, within the Rebuilding Lives Projectsupported by Save the Children/USAID and in the building repaired under the same grant, is providing assistance to 150 children aged 6 to 17.

Basic Services

The Centre supplies children with clothes, shoes, hygiene items,  and provides them with medical care. Annual check-up of the children and their families is conducted by a multidisciplinary team of doctors from Tbilisi equipped with the required facilities. Daily medical care is ensured by the Centre doctor, while emergency assistance is provided by the Children’s Hospital #2 in Tbilisi.

Education

Every day the Centre children prepare homework together with their teachers. Particular emphasis is made on filling up knowledge gaps. English language lessons are provided. The children take part in various interactive activities, arrange competitions and quizzes. Thirty former residents of the Centre are now students of the higher educational institutions.

Sport and Entertainment

The children play football, volleyball and basketball with great enthusiasm. They have all the equipment and a nice courtyard to enjoy playing. The residents of the Centre are also taught chess and checkers. In summer they swim in the river, go on excursions and hikes.

Computer

UNICEF granted three computers to the Youth Centre. Six days a week two teachers offer practical training to the children who are eager to acquire computer skills.

Painting

The children of all ages are actively involved in painting classes. The Centre puts emphasis on the application and development of the children’s creative abilities. The paintings reveal the childish dreams of the residents of the Centre and sometimes their sorrowful lives… The pictures painted by the Jejili residents have been exhibited in Tbilisi and Kutaisi.

Drama

Drama classes are particularly enjoyable: the children stage sketches and puppet shows in which they themselves animate puppets. In one of the performances they acted together with the children from Centre Beghurebi. Such activity is useful in many ways as it allows children to become ‘small actors/actresses’, to enhance speech and acquire recitation skills.

Singing/Dancing

The children are taught to perform folk songs and dances, and play traditional instruments (chonguri and panduri) and the guitar. The most gifted sing in a choir. As asked by the children, professional teachers give them classes in Latino American and Gipsy dances. Two residents of the Centre are now members of the Youth company of Georgian traditional songs in Sachkhere.
Enjoy with some tips of our concert, Tbilisi, Vake park, June 1, 2005.

Acharuli-1
Acharuli-2
Acharuli-3
Acharuli-4

Mtiuluri-1
Mtiuluri-2
Ukrainuli
Sadac vshobilvar

Qarquchit chamaikvanes
Dzvel khanjals

Handicraft

The Centre children can sew, embroider and knit; they make fine beadworks, postcards, souvenirs, bags, slippers, etc. This quiet activity enhancing their self-realization ability is very helpful – the skills will be useful to them in their future housework and may also inspire them to start small businesses.

Journalism

The children are taught the fundamentals of journalism at special classes twice a week. Television and radio programmes concerning the children’s rights and their implementation prepared by themselves are often broadcast locally.

Future journalists also edit their own wall newspaper. They made commentary about Jejili exhibition in Chiatura and report about their dancers' and singers' concert in Vake park, Tbilisi, June 1, 2005.

Professional Skills Development (Vocational Training)

The Centre provides training in repair of electric appliances, minor carpentry and wood carving.Each year about seven-eight children go to the driving school, the cost of which is covered by the Centre. Two girls have already acquired hairdressing skills, the other two will soon finish the training. In near future, the elder children will be trained in sewing, tile lining and sanitary engineering.

Events

The Centre regularly arranges intellectual quizzes, competitions among creative classes, events including those dedicated to the New Year, Mother’s Day, etc. The Jejili residents take part in city-wide events, joint performances (i.e. a performance staged in the Beghurebi Centre) and in exhibitions. The choir of traditional songs and dances has gained fame across the region.

Above all we remembered our participation in the children's festival 'Let's Begin Together' - the event dedicated to the International Children's Day, June 01,2005, Vake Park, Tbilisi initiated by Save the Children and funded by USAID.

Leisure

The children are regularly taken to the theatre and cinema, as well as on excursions outside their town, to Kutaisi and Tbilisi.

Psychological assistance

Risk group children and children living in the poorest families suffer from various psychological problems, including obstructed cognitive abilities and impoverished perception and emotions, and are therefore in constant need of assistance. The psychologist of the Centre studies the problems, designs psychological portraits of each child, works with the children in groups and individually, carries out their psycho-diagnostics and psychological rehabilitation.