Government-initiated Solidarity Fund sums up 2014

The people of Georgia have donated almost two million GEL to a fund that will pay for expensive medical treatment for children with cancer.

Almost two million GEL has been collected by the Government-initiated Solidarity Fund since it was established seven months ago. 

The Solidarity Fund presented an overview report of the 2014 year and invited supporting organisations to the ceremony yesterday.

Government Administration deputy head Nino Kobakhidze emphasized that more than 40,000 employees from 240 public institutions had contributed to the Solidarity Fund in the past seven months.

Georgia’s Government launched the nation’s first charity fund in August 2014, which was financed through voluntary donations from public sector employees to help fund the treatment for children and adults with health problems.

As well as involving the public sector, the Fund signed a cooperative Memorandum Of Understanding with 14 local private companies. In total, through those activities the Fund raised 1,701,000 GEL ($876,804 USD), out of which 1,198 000 GEL was approved for the treatment of 58 children suffering from cancer. 

Kobakhidze believed this kind of Fund had proven to be an effective example of how the country could contribute to improving the lives of ill children and their families.

"2014 was the beginning year of the most important initiative for us and the year of our first success," she said.

Fund director Mariam Jashi said: "This became possible with the significant support of tens of thousands of people. Together we have already solved the financial problems of cancer patients younger than 22 and this is just the beginning. Thousands of other seriously ill children and their families are waiting for our support.”

The Fund was created following the proposal of the Prime Minister, which encouraged the public and private sector to donate funds that would be distributed to cover the cost of treatment for ill children and other priority social needs.