“As a result of the project, the youth of Oni municipality will be more able to use the newly created opportunities in the region, which will contribute to the diverse development of the municipality and the greater distribution of resources to the local population.” –   Gvantsa Akiashvili, Project manager

It’s been four years since I moved from Tbilisi to Racha. Like all other members of the local community, I greatly desire Racha’s development. We do our best.  I formed a small initiative group to share my 15 years of experience in non-formal education with the youth and community of Racha. We implemented the first volunteer initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic with the support of EDEC. The initiative helped to create interesting activities for local youth in the off-season period (autumn-winter) and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, to work on creative presentation of problematic issues and to involve vulnerable groups (people aged 80+) in public life.

Now, as a newly founded organization “For Mountain – Mountain Development”, we are implementing a project with the support of EDEC, the aim of which is to strengthen the youth of Oni municipality by imparting knowledge on topical and important topics for the region, sharing experience and developing skills.

Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti are the fastest-depleting regions. However, considering the multifaceted tourism potential and resources available here, Racha can be considered one of the most attractive regions of the country. It is necessary to strengthen the population and generate knowledge so that we can self-mobilize, sustainably utilize the resources presented in the region, and use the tourism potential.

The mentioned competition allowed us to take the first steps toward the implementation of the idea that we had been thinking about for a long time. First of all, the workshops envisaged by the project will be for young people interested in the development of the region to exchange ideas and work together. Using non-formal education methods, expert facilitators will share knowledge with the participants on such relevant topics for the development of the region as sustainable development principles and approaches; community development, research of community needs and opportunities and the concept of community tourism; Development of ideas and planning of projects; sustainable event planning; fundraising; Participants will transfer the acquired knowledge to practical activities.

We believe that a strong community, with the ability to self-mobilize and the motivation for self-development, can expand opportunities and create a better life through the sustainable use of existing resources.