Geogria Emergency Livelihoods and Shelter (GELS)

CHF has been working in Georgia over the past four years with a USAID financed Local Economic Development Program. Many of the communities that CHF has been working in were severely affected by the crisis in August both by infrastructure, loss of economic assets and crop loss.  Additionally many of the other communities in other regions are now hosting IDPs as the Government of Georgia has now finished the permanent settlements and IDPs have been relocated. In response to this crisis, CHF is implementing the Georgia Emergency Livelihoods and Shelter program (GELS). 

Shelter Program The activities in the shelter program are designed to provide beneficiaries with immediate assistance that provides financial relief and home comfort throughout the winter.  The program is directed at two different beneficiary groups, host families and families who have had their houses destroyed or looted. The program provides financial and material support to households that are hosting IDP families. These hosts have taken on the financial burden and used their assets and savings to ensure that IDPs have adequate shelter through the winter or until permanent solutions are provide. Host families were offered a choice from a menu of material packages, including bedding, firewood, household supplies, and other non-food items. The other group is those families who have sustained house damage or loss of property during the conflict. Cash disbursements were rovided to those families.  CHF has assisted over 3,000 families.

Livelihood Program

The GELS livelihood program was subdivided into a community and an IDP settlement livelihood program.

Community Livelihood These programs are designed to improve or rehabilitate the community’s infrastructure, to provide an economic stimulus, and to create individual livelihood opportunities.  CHF used its proven Participatory Action for Community Enhancement (PACE) methodology to design community assistance packages to help communities in Shida Kartli recover from the immediate economic impacts of the conflict and help them recuperate lost purchasing power that was affected due to lost harvest, and destroyed or looted economic assets.  The communities have identified alternative irrigation sources, replacement of lost agriculture equipment and farmer to market road rehabilitation as their most urgent needs.  Since incomes from the harvest have been lost, cash for work possibilities are being implemented where possible. CHF has assisted 10 communities.

IDP Settlement
The IDP livelihood activities are designed to provide transferable income generation methods and skills to support sisplaced populations living in planned communities in the Shida Kartli and Kvemo Kartli regions.  IDPs immediate income needs will be met through Cash for Work programs and business start-ups.

Cash For Work – The new settlements lack suitable living conditions, amenities, and necessary infrastructure for these families to live a safe and healthy life.  Initially, the cash for work program will focus on public works type projects (litter clean up and road maintenance) and transfer to infrastructure projects that will benefit the livelihoods of the community (irrigation rehabilitation, storage facilities, etc.)

Short-term Income Generation – CHF is utilizing its participative methodology to generate business ideas with the community.  The GELS staff works with individuals to complete a market analysis, to transfer the necessary business and technical skills, and to implement their business idea.  CHF will provide a small cash grant for initial start-up expenses and business training based on beneficiary interest and market demand.