Georgia
In Georgia, Oxfam's focus is on health care, sustainable livelihoods, empowering people affected by conflict, and keeping government institutions accountable.
Living in limbo
In Georgia, thousands of people remain displaced following two internal conflicts in the early 90s, and 2008. Today, nearly 10% of the Georgian population is displaced. Thousands are in living in limbo, and are in desperate need of health care, basic government services, jobs and housing.
How Oxfam is helping
With funding from the European Union, Oxfam is working to empower people displaced by confict in Georgia. With our support, communities are working together with their local goverment to increase transparency and help improve access to decision making processes. We are helping to give communities a voice so that they can take an active role in protecting their rights and advocating for change.
On film: 'The Long Wait'
In late 2010, Oxfam produced a feature length film documenting the lives of people displaced by two conflicts in Georgia. It follows the stories of several individuals and their families, all of whom are holding on to the hope that they will return to their homelands some day. Watch the trailer:
Making a living
Unemployment is one of the biggest challenges facing Georgia. In the early 1990s, the population of Samegrelo region doubled with the arrival of large numbers of people fleeing conflict in neighbouring Abkhazia. For these internally displaced people, life is especially hard.
How Oxfam is helping
We offer poor and displaced people loans at low interest rates to help them set up or develop businesses. Clients are given help to prepare professional business plans and they receive continued support every step of the way. So far we've helped create 300 new jobs in Samegrelo.
Before this wood-processing workshop I had a hazelnut plantation. But that only gave me work for two months of the year. Having this business is more stable for me and gives me a regular wage.
Roman Gabisonia, Samegrelo
Other development work
- Supporting organisations that help keep the government accountable through monitoring and evaluation
- Tackling domestic violence
Crisis in Georgia
In August 2008 fighting between Russia and Georgia forced around 130,000 people to flee their homes. One year on, thousands of internally displaced Georgians are stuck in a state of limbo, unable to return to their villages.
Since the conflict, Oxfam has been helping thousands of people to rebuild their lives.
Learn more
On film
Oxfam's work Georgia's forgotten generation:
