American Friends of Georgia, Inc.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
In the thirty years since the fall of the Soviet Union, the Republic of Georgia has seen more than their fair share of poverty, political violence, and displaced peoples. Between Russian invasions and poor infrastructure, life for many has been made difficult if not impossible, and without access to education, healthcare, and housing; people are being forced into homelessness or worse. AFG believes that by starting from the ground up and directly providing housing and education options for children with little hope, as well as healthcare and hospice options for the elderly population, we may begin to make a change towards improving the lives of society's most vulnerable. It is the mission of AFG to foster a society where everyone has a decent place to live, learn, and thrive.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Nikozi Education and Rehabilitation Center
An after-school program for over 100 war-affected children to provide psycho-social rehabilitation through the arts and education. AFG primarily funded the complete renovation of a ruined building with the assistance of the Japanese Embassy, and continues to support afterschool enrichment.
Mercy Center Hospice & Home Care Program & Nursing School
Georgia’s only hospice, nursing school and home care program for the seriously ill and elderly, located in Tbilisi. Just over 100 home care patients and seven live-in patients receive care currently from twenty nurses in this unique program. AFG funded the complete renovation of the hospice and school, and continues to fund the salaries of home visit nurses
Tbilisi Day Care Center
This is a kindergarten program for at-risk children, with histories including abandonment and abuse, to prepare them for the public school system. AFG supports the rent, salaries and educational supplies for the teachers in this invaluable program for 18 disadvantaged pre-school children
Institute of Decorative Gardening and Ecology
The first landscaping school in Georgia, this community college has matriculated over 900
students, who have a high rate of employment following graduation. AFG funds student
scholarships and equipment like books, projectors, computers, copy machines, and seminars in Germany, Poland and England for promising students.
Bediani Village Group Homes for Street Children
Five Homes bought and renovated with AFG and other Non-Profits to house former street children in the village of Bediani, Georgia
The Parents’ House
The Parents House, which houses parents with children suffering from Leukemia while their children are being treated. Much like the Ronald MacDonald Houses in America, the Parents House is necessary for families who must travel from all over Georgia to the capital Tbilisi for cancer treatment. The Café/Kitchen provides meals for the families, part-time jobs for parents and helps to fund the Parents House through sales to the public
Qedeli Community for abandoned disabled adults
This community for disabled adults, who were abandoned, was started in 1999 by Lali Khandolishvili, a conservatory trained pianist and singer, and 4 other founders who purchased land and a small house 4 kilometers from Sighnaghi in Kakheti, Eastern Georgia. Lali decided to build this community after teaching music at a day center for adults with disabilities in Tbilisi, Tbilisi’s Social Therapy House. She discovered the affinity for music that disabled people often have and music became a major part of community life at Qedeli. Later she and her husband built a second house. Now 22 disabled adults live in a dynamic life-sharing community. Qedeli Community works under the auspices of the Union of Therapy of Socially Disabled People and serves as a model organization aiming to promote inclusion of people with disabilities.
Dzegvi Community for mentally ill persons, disabled persons, former street children
Community Shelter in Dzevgi, Georgia.
Dzegvi began in 1995 and currently houses and feeds 75 people aged from 4 months to 90 years who call this abandoned psychiatric institution near the village of Dzegvi their home. The community consists of people with intellectual and/or physical disabilities, former street children and abandoned single mothers with their young children.
Where we work
External reviews
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
AFG hopes to continue its mission in Georgia which is funding our 14 active grass root projects led by Georgian project leaders:
• Tbilisi Day Care Center for vulnerable children
• Higher Education Scholarship Fund for former street children
• Nikozi Education and Cultural Center for war affected children
• Dzegvi Community for mentally ill persons, disabled persons, former street children and abandoned single mothers
• Bediani Village for former street children
• Leukemia Children/Hematology-Oncology Center/Parents House in Tbilisi
• Emergency Children’s Fund
• Mercy Center Hospice, Nursing School and Home Care Program in Tbilisi
• Community College for Decorative Gardening in Tbilisi
• NGO Biliki Small Group Homes for orphans in Gori and Day Center Skhivi
• Art Education and Rehabilitation Program for vulnerable children in AFG’s projects
• Together for Real Changes for disabled children in remote parts of Georgia
• Qedeli Community for abandoned disabled adults
• Preservation of Cultural and Architectural Heritage
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
AFG is a small non-profit with two employees (one in U.S. and one in Georgia). Our future strategies include:
• Working to improve real-time information about our projects.
• Ask for grants from larger foundations.
• Writing a Strategic Plan.
• Continuing our outreach through informational meetings, events and fundraisers.
• A more efficient use of social media plans to increases donations for our projects.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
AFG’s capabilities are based on a solid foundation of trust in Georgia. From our work there since 1994, we have a good reputation for working on projects that are successful because we listen to our Georgian project leaders about what exactly is needed and then work on the funding to meet the humanitarian needs directly. AFG is well known in Georgia and in the U.S. by our current and former U.S. Ambassadors to Georgia, many who have joined our board of directors after serving there. AFG’s Project Leaders are medical professionals, members of the Greek Orthodox clergy, parents and educators.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
AFG has accomplished its humanitarian mission in Georgia within the funding scope of our donations. What we haven’t accomplished is 100% ongoing funding of all our projects. We hope that increasing awareness of our organization and its success will help encourage more donors in the future.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
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American Friends of Georgia, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 02/22/2022
Mr. Simon Sidamon-Eristoff
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
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