'Kaya' shyly peeked around the corner of the door way, she had heard strange voices in the room and was here to check us out. Slowly, encouraged by Meya the Director of the facility, she made her way around the door and then ran for Meya's outstretched arms.
It was St George's Day in Georgia, and I was visiting a Street Children's Shelter on the edge of Tbilisi. Here, in a dilapidated two storey complex that in so many ways reminds me of all the horror images of Children's institutions in ex-Soviet countries, there are 35 children from 6 to 18 years old. The kids are all rugged up against the bitter cold wind (and it isn't full winter yet) that bites deep as there is no glass in most of the bottom floor windows. The paint, where there is pain is peeling off the walls. The concrete floor is full of divots from many years of neglect. But this is a State building, and the managing agency can do little, because another building, apparently as dilapidated as this, is being repaired for a move.
Before coming to this place the kids here were all 'street children': some were sex workers, many were professional beggars, others were thieves and pick-pockets - they all did what ever they had to either to satisfy masters or to survive. Some have been remanded to the centre by the courts, others have been found wandering by the Police and bought here for care.
'Kaya', is a ten year old girl who "is a little slow", but don't mistake her for being stupid. She speaks two languages. She and her older brother and Mother were beggars. They spent most of Kaya's ten years begging near the market in town. One day about a year ago her brother disappeared, they didn't know what happened to him and Mum had no way of finding out.
Then a few months ago, whilst wandering amongst the people begging, Kaya lost her Mum. She became distressed and hysterical and so the Police picked her up and bought her to Meya, to the Street Children's Shelter. Here, Meya has worked with her, and she has made friends - but most amazingly, here she also found her brother and then a few days later her Mum found them.
But there was no way Mum could care for them, and here they were safe, they were fed, they were loved. If only there were a place were people like Mum could go and get help, but there is no social care for people like her in Georgia. But Meya wasn't finished yet!
Meya, has a Masters in Social Welfare, and for may years has worked at a very influential level in Georgia. But a few months ago she gave it all up because she said, "it was time to put my walk where my talk is". Today she is Director of the Shelter (as well as a number of other roles she plays in the organisation): so she made contact with a friend that owns a farm just a little way off, and they got Mum a job caring for cows on the farm. She now earns a little bit of money, she has a place to live and stay safe - but most importantly she has a job - she has worth.
Kaya and her brother will stay at the Shelter for now, here they get some help, (psychological, life skills, behavioural and educational) but Mum visits often. They are some of the lucky ones!
Before coming to this place the kids here were all 'street children': some were sex workers, many were professional beggars, others were thieves and pick-pockets - they all did what ever they had to either to satisfy masters or to survive. Some have been remanded to the centre by the courts, others have been found wandering by the Police and bought here for care.
'Kaya', is a ten year old girl who "is a little slow", but don't mistake her for being stupid. She speaks two languages. She and her older brother and Mother were beggars. They spent most of Kaya's ten years begging near the market in town. One day about a year ago her brother disappeared, they didn't know what happened to him and Mum had no way of finding out.
Then a few months ago, whilst wandering amongst the people begging, Kaya lost her Mum. She became distressed and hysterical and so the Police picked her up and bought her to Meya, to the Street Children's Shelter. Here, Meya has worked with her, and she has made friends - but most amazingly, here she also found her brother and then a few days later her Mum found them.
But there was no way Mum could care for them, and here they were safe, they were fed, they were loved. If only there were a place were people like Mum could go and get help, but there is no social care for people like her in Georgia. But Meya wasn't finished yet!
Meya, has a Masters in Social Welfare, and for may years has worked at a very influential level in Georgia. But a few months ago she gave it all up because she said, "it was time to put my walk where my talk is". Today she is Director of the Shelter (as well as a number of other roles she plays in the organisation): so she made contact with a friend that owns a farm just a little way off, and they got Mum a job caring for cows on the farm. She now earns a little bit of money, she has a place to live and stay safe - but most importantly she has a job - she has worth.
Kaya and her brother will stay at the Shelter for now, here they get some help, (psychological, life skills, behavioural and educational) but Mum visits often. They are some of the lucky ones!
