"Leadership for IDPs and rural women" - the second training on this topic was held in Zugdidi, at the “Dadiani Inn” hotel, with the participation of women - members of a mutual assistance group. This time the training was organized by the Women's Information Center, and members of mutual assistance groups from Senaki, Poti, Tsalenjikha, Mestia and Zugdidi took part in it.
The trainer and the participants discussed the essence and features of leadership, found out what positive changes the development of women's leadership will bring to the community, and emphasized the importance of self-presentation and public speaking.
The training was held within the framework of the project "Women Act for Peace and Strengthening the Local Community".
A training on “Leadership for IDPs and Rural Women” was held in Kutaisi at the “Argo” Hotel. The training was attended by members of mutual assistance groups from the municipalities of Kutaisi, Tskaltubo, Khoni, Khashuri and Sachkhere.
This training opened a series of trainings planned within the framework of the project “Women Act for Peace and Strengthening Local Communities”. The goal of the trainings is to prepare members of mutual assistance groups, equipping them with relevant knowledge and skills to strengthen social work in IDP communities and in conflict affected communities.
According to the participants, the training was interesting, active, dynamic and productive.
The first part of the training was devoted to the discussion of women's leadership, leadership characteristics and main components. The second part continued with simulation exercises and thematic videos. During active interaction, the participants showed the importance of presentation, self-presentation and public speaking. According to them, the development of women's leadership is important for identifying and solving women's needs. Other groups will also undergo training on the topic of leadership, and this group will work on a new topic.
The topic of social activity became the prior one at the ordinary meeting of Tskaltubo mutual assistance group. The meeting was attended by women from four IDP settlements of Tskaltubo municipality.
The participants filled out pre and post questionnaires on social activity. They understood what social activity is, how it works, what results it can give...
A charter of the mutual assistance group was developed at the meeting. During the conversation, the problems of all four settlements and ways to solve them were also discussed.
The topic of discussion at the mutual assistance group meeting in Senaki was social activity. The participants received information: what social activity is, what needs to be done, who are the main actors, why social activity is important for the community and what benefits it brings.
The participants' awareness of social activity issues was determined by filling out pre- and post-tests.
The group participants signed a charter that describes the group's goals, management, and the rights and responsibilities of the participants. They are ready to work in accordance with the charter to solve community problems.
The final part of the meeting was devoted to discussing problems. The mutual assistance group participants noted that based on the information received, social activity will be strengthened, this will help identify community problems and solve them by uniting the resources.
The ordinary meeting of Kutaisi mutual assistance group was devoted to the concept of social activity. The meeting was attended by women from the IDP settlements of Choma and Nikea.
The participants filled out pre- and post-questionnaires on social activity. They already fully understand the definition, essence, purpose and results of this term. During the meeting, the charter of the mutual assistance group was developed.
The most important thing was to identify the problems of the communities. The group must take care to solve these problems.
A meeting with members of the mutual assistance group was held on Abkhazeti Street in Khoni, in the IDP settlement.
The group members learned about the essence and goals of social activity, how important it is for people to be active in solving their problems.
At the beginning of the meeting, the participants filled out a preliminary test, and after familiarizing themselves with the information provided, a post-test assessing their knowledge and views on social activity.
At the end, the participants familiarized themselves with and accepted the pre-developed charter of the mutual assistance group: general provisions, goals of the group, rules for electing/selecting participants, rights and responsibilities, management structure, frequency of meetings.
They decided to listen to the opinions of community residents - what worries them and what problems they consider a priority within the framework of civil initiatives.
In Poti, in the IDP settlement, a meeting of mutual assistance group participants was held, where the essence of social activity was discussed, its strengths and weaknesses, community problems and strategies for empowering women were analyzed.
At the beginning of the meeting, the participants were introduced to the concept of social activity - as a tool from individual mutual assistance to collective changes; how active participation in public life contributes to the empowerment of women at the personal and community levels. It was noted that group work, sharing resources and creating support networks are especially important for IDP women, who often face social and economic risks.
Together with the participants, a charter of the mutual assistance group was developed and signed, defining internal rules and principles of work. Pre- and post-questionnaires on social mobilization were also filled out.
The meeting also identified problems: the group participants identified challenges in the IDP settlement and ranked them by priority.
The meeting is important both in terms of individual empowerment and for developing a culture of women's solidarity and care for the community - a process oriented towards social change.
The first meeting of the mutual assistance group was held in Tskaltubo. The group was created within the framework of the project "Women Act for Peace and Strengthening the Local Community".
The meeting participants got acquainted with the activities and goals of the project, talked about the responsibilities and importance of the involvement of each member of the group.
The project activities will empower the women members of the group, their communities and will contribute to the implementation of the "Women, Peace and Security" agenda at the local level.
On June 18-19, Ekaterine Gamakharia, head of the Tbilisi office of Women Fund "Sukhumi", participated in Feminist Fest 2025 in Stockholm, Sweden. The event, hosted by the Swedish Defence University, brought together feminist activists, peacebuilders, researchers, and academics from around the world.
One of the highlights of the festival was the launch of the book “Brave Women: Fighting for Justice in the 21st Century”, featuring a co-authored chapter by Ekaterine Gamakharia and feminist researcher Magda Cardenas. Their chapter -"Transitional Activism: Women Peace Efforts within Conflict-Affected Populations in Georgia" explores the transformation of displaced women in Georgia from victims to leaders and advocates, drawing on personal narratives and the long-standing work of Women Fund "Sukhumi".
“This experience was unique. I was not just a research subject I was an author with the freedom to share my perspective and truth,” said Gamakharia.
She emphasized that in today’s shrinking civic space in Georgia, where the term “gender” is increasingly politicized, displaced and conflict-affected women continue their fight - “Nothing about us, without us!”
