Lessons of Financial Independence and Self-Sufficiency

“Amazing, but I have to put some of my villagers on the waiting Vocational Training in list,” smiles Shalva Grigalashvili, plumber and tile-setter from community in municipality. “More and more people in Kvishkheti feel a need to put appropriate tourism infrastructure in place and start to upgrade their houses to attract more visitors,’’ explains Shalva. As a popular tourist destination in Georgia, the income of the Kvishkheti population significantly depends on the tourism revenues accrued each summer. The twenty-two year old Shalva Grigalashvili was one of 20 students who graduated from the USAID-sponsored plumbing/tile-setting vocational training program at the Khidistavi Orienti Vocational College in Gori in September 2012. Along with other top students in his program, the USAID/New Economic Opportunities Initiative (NEO) awarded plumbing and tile-setting toolkits to encourage graduates like Shalva to start their own businesses and support income generation opportunities. Unlike many of his friends and neighbors who travel to work in Tbilisi, Shalva decided to stay in his own village and help other residents improve their living conditions. After completing his training, Shalva started to renovate his neighbors’ houses in Bulbulistsikhe village in Kvishkheti community. Shalva also Photo: USAID/NEO decided to help a less successful classmate who because of Shalva Grigalashvili , one of USAID/NEO poor performance did not receive a plumber’s toolkit. Through beneficiaries, tiling a guesthouse bathroom in their joint efforts, Shalva gave his friend the opportunity to build Kvishkheti village of upon his training and better master their profession, gain

employment and increase his income. “Hard work,” Shalva admits, “but well worth the effort. It is so rewarding to have such a highly demanded profession that brings you money and respect.” Working in 85 communities in 10 target municipalities across Shalva is just one of the 254 vulnerable individuals from NEO Georgia, the USAID/NEO initia- target communities in the , Mtskheta-Mtianeti, tive enables highly vulnerable Racha-Lechkhumi, and Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti regions of individuals to be self-sufficient Georgia that benefited from USAID-funded vocational training through vocational training programs. Within three month of graduation, 168 graduates (66 percent) had already obtained new jobs or improved their employment status. Additional sessions of vocational training for NEO vulnerable beneficiaries in trades such as apparel- making, hair dressing, cooking and construction works are scheduled for early 2013.