475 IDP families receive grants to run small businesses

Internally displaced families from the Russian occupied regions of Georgia - Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) - have received up to 5,000 GEL in small grants to open their own business.

IDP Livelihood Agency of the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees distributed 53 grants to families in Georgia’s western region of Imereti and 158 in the eastern region of Shida Kartli.

• State supports people displaced from Abkhazia and Tskhinvali to start small businesses

Minister Subari said 2500-5000 GEL per family can be a very nice starting point for IDPs to kick off their own small business.

We had an idea but did not have enough money to run the rabbit farm. We wrote a grant application, took part in the competition and succeeded”, said an internally displaced woman from Sokhumi, Abkhazia.

IDP family from Abkhazia is running a rabbit farm. Photo by the Ministry of IDPs

Minister Subari who visited a rabbit farm and a bee field in Imereti today said these families are not only self-employed but they also give jobs to others.

If later we will see that a certain family is really thinking of expanding and is doing business well, we will assist them under state programs such as ‘Produce in Georgia’ to make sure their businesses further develop”, Subari said.

He further explained that the project is in line with the state strategy for Internally Displaced Persons for 2017-2018, which considers:

• Creation of long-term housing conditions for the IDPs
• Improvement of IDPs’ socio-economic conditions.

810,000 USD has been allocated to assist IDPs to develop micro and small entrepreneurial businesses, improve professional skills and receive grants for further enlargement with the support of the European Union (EU) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) .