News Update

Dato, age 6, lives at a "tent city" refugee camp set up in a municipal park near the Gori conflict zone. August, 2008. Photo credit: Chris Stowers/PANOS.

November 18, 2008 — WESTPORT, CT — More than three months after an ongoing conflict between Georgia and Russia escalated, displacing thousands of children and families from their homes and villages, Save the Children remains at the forefront of relief efforts in Georgia. Read the latest press release.

Our Response

Save the Children is one of the largest non-governmental organizations operating in Georgia, with 41 staff — almost all local nationals — able to respond quickly in the country. The agency has delivered relief supplies, including food, hygiene and household kits, to more than 48,795 beneficiaries in Tbilisi and the surrounding areas.

A family with some of the non-food Items provided by Save the Children at their refugee centre. August, 2008. Photo credit: Chris Sowers/PANOS

A priority for Save the Children continues to be responding to challenges for children displaced from conflict zones and ensuring children's early protection needs are addressed. The agency is providing quality programming that offers positive activities, structured routines, psycho-social support and greater protection from exploitation.

Save the Children has established ten stationary child friendly spaces and is running an additional eight mobile child friendly spaces teams that have reached over 1400 children.

Key Facts

Otinashvili and Salome, both age 3, at a refugee centre in a former school. August, 2008. Photo Credit: Chris Stowers/PANOS

• Armed conflict broke out on August 7th in South Ossetia between Georgian and Russia-backed South Ossetia military forces.
• A cease-fire agreement was reached on August 12th. The agreement included a critical provision to allow humanitarian workers unhindered access to the conflict areas.
• Although the situation in Georgia has been transitioning back to normalcy, there remain pockets of changing instability across the South Ossetia border.
• Over 118,000 people were estimated to be internally displaced (IDPs) throughout the country during the period from August-September.

Save the Children has worked in Georgia since 1993, focusing on the needs of the most vulnerable children, as well as assisting communities through health, education and livelihood programs.