New EU-funded project improves lives of 700 IDPs in Georgia

Hundreds of the country’s most vulnerable people will benefit from a new European Union (EU)-funded project to improve their lives and living conditions.

Within the new project, financial aid will be distributed to at least 700 extremely vulnerable Internally Displaced People (IDPs) from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (UNFAO).

The UN organisation has already granted $810,000 USD to the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees of Georgia, that will then be allocated to beneficiaries.

The aim of the grant was to increase the income of extremely vulnerable IDPs, said the UNFAO.

Each beneficiary will receive about 2,500 GEL (about $1,070/€955*) to purchase agricultural equipment and/or invest in different agricultural activities. The grant also included agricultural production and food security improvement.

The following people will benefit from the aid:

• Single-parent families with children
• Families with a member who has a disability
• Families run by someone younger than 25 years old
• Families run by an elderly person

Beneficiaries are also allowed to apply for aid in a group situation, where 5,000 GEL (about $2,140/€1,910*) will be given to each group comprising of at least three IDPs.

The project will continue until May 2017.

*Currencies are equivalent with the latest National Bank of Georgia (NBG) exchange rate.