The Grapevine Newsletter May 2024

WELCOME!

WHAT'S IN THIS ISSUE

Welcome - 1

Portrait - 2 - 4

CPC Update - 5

Hospitality - 6

Interest Groups - 7 - 9

Environmental -10

From our members - 11 - 12

Sponsorship Packages - 13

Sponsors - 14 & 15

How to get in touch - 16

by Maria Fischer

Dear members,

Please mark your calendars for our end-of-season Summer Lunch: 19 June 2024 @ the Republica Terrace.

On this occasion, we will be honouring all our Spring Fair volunteers and supporters. Further details inside.

At this lunch, we will complete our round of thanks to all those who contributed to our successful Fair. In a show of appreciation from the IWA Board, the Spring Fair Core Team was lauded for their magnanimous effort and generosity of time at a Potluck Lunch Now, we extend our gratitude to all the volunteers who played a crucial role on the day of the Fair.

Another innovative idea we'd like to introduce is the use of nametags at upcoming events to help us become better acquainted. These will be distributed to all attendees upon arrival Looking forward to seeing you at our next GBM

Coffee with Marianna Sofianou, Confessions from the CPC Chair

by Kelly Chaib

The Board, the Executive Committee, and all IWA members are still celebrating our fundraising successes. The Winter Fair has been the most successful ever, and more recently, IWA has revived the Spring Fair, raising a significant amount of money as well. The Grapevine delayed conversing with the person in charge of returning the resources

to the community. Finally, we had a coffee with Marianna Sofianou, the CPC Chair, to get to know her better and to find out how she is prioritizing the most needy causes in Georgia.

KC: Could you describe yourself in three words?

MS: I would say attentive, happy, and loud.

KC: Tell us a personal achievement that you are proud of MS: It may sound cliché, but my most significant achievement is my family Nobody teaches you to be a parent or partner, but I have raised two independent sons who are now happy with their lives That is a significant achievement for me Another achievement, which is not as big, is adapting to new environments following my husband as an expat A few years ago, I quit my job to follow my husband after working all my life while raising my kids. Finding my place in new countries has been challenging, especially transitioning from a professional to a supportive role and dealing with the so-called empty nest syndrome

KC: Please tell us more about your professional background

MS: I started as a management consultant in London. When my husband moved to Armenia for work, it was difficult for me to continue working in the UK due to the travel involved. I decided to raise my son in Greece, where I worked again as a management consultant and later transitioned into marketing and communications. I spent over 20 years in that field, working for the largest cement company and one of the four systemic banks in Greece.

KC: How did you find out about IWA Georgia?

MS: I searched online, which is also how I found the women’s association when we lived in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. When we moved here, I contacted Nino Gvasalia and attended my first General Meeting in October. I was very impressed with the structured and professional association I found here We are a registered NGO; all our activities are “minuted”, our members receive the minutes of the previous GBM and approve them; we have very well-defined charity processes and we closely monitor all the projects we fund. All these show how well-governed we are.

KC: Can you mention three of your most memorable moments in IWA so far?

MS: I remember myself stepping in hesitantly at the Sheraton eight months ago, in October 2023, not knowing anyone and not having great expectations I looked around, introduced myself to Johanna Muehlmann and Nana Dvali and that was it! I became part of a lovely and loving family in Georgia.

Another memorable moment was when we invited one of our beneficiaries to sing during the GBM. IWA paid for her air tickets so that she will attend a U S school this summer to further her singing career, and she performed for our GBM members. It was the first time since I have been with IWA that the members had the opportunity to experience first hand the nature of support we offer to Georgian people. Usually, our individual beneficiaries have health issues, but here we had a young girl, an aspiring opera singer, who came with one of her classmates to play the piano and perform for us

Confessions from the CPC Chair

My third memorable moment was the Winter Fair of 2023. It was the first one I attended here, and I was truly impressed by its size, the number of visitors, and the commitment of everybody who supported it - especially the Embassies. Everyone was so engaged, so happy, so willing to participate and contribute. It was such a major success. Although I was not part of its organizing team, I did volunteer for the Fair’s day.

KC: What are the opportunities for IWA to improve?

MS: Attracting more members is an area for improvement, especially given the large expat community in Tbilisi. We have around 130 to 140 members, but I have the feeling we could have many more.

KC: What advice would you give to IWA newcomers?

MS: Get involved with IWA activities beyond big meetings like coffee mornings or GBMs Contributing to IWA's life can be fulfilling and beneficial for both the members and the community For those who have some time to spare, please consider contributing to the Association IWA is what its members make it to be

KC: What are some characteristics of Georgia that you would take with you?

MS: One thing I wouldn’t take is their driving style Now, seriously, I admire the relaxed nature of Georgian people Even though they are hard workers, they do not overload themselves

Being from Greece, I'm very fond of my country, its sites, countryside, and islands. But I have to say, I have witnessed a different kind of beauty here. For example, I'm in love with Kazbegi, or Stepantsminda, as they call it these days. I never thought I could sit and admire a mountain and a 14thcentury church at the same time. It is one of the most beautiful places I've been in my life.

KC: As the Chair of the CPC, how has your experience been in this role so far?

MS: I admire IWA’s contribution to the community in need and I'm honoured to be the CPC chair. My previous experience, managing sponsorships for a major Greek bank, has equipped me with the skills to face this responsibility. Nevertheless, I couldn't do this job without the support of the Committee members. We are a team of 13 people, all of whom contribute enormously, and I want to especially recognize the support of the Georgian members. They are the ones who more often get in touch with the applicants - mostly individuals who only speak Georgian - explore their requests and follow up with the paperwork and the monitoring.

The comprehensive formalization of CPC's processes and procedures has been incredibly helpful It delineates what the Charity Project Committee can approve, what requires approval from the GBM, the financial limits for organizational and individual grants, as well as the criteria and questions we use to evaluate project proposals My predecessors have done an excellent job in this regard, greatly facilitating our work today

We have already committed to 19 projects since the beginning of 2024 and I consider this a great achievement!

I also want to commend Nana Dvali whose dedication to IWA and to the CPC work is phenomenal after all these years. Nana remembers almost every single project we have funded, she is always prepared to find time in her busy schedule to visit beneficiary organizations and to get actively involved in projects.

Confidences from the CPC Chair

KC: What is your vision for the future development of the Committee under your leadership?

MS: My vision is to develop further our CPC work beyond Tbilisi. Of course, we support organizations throughout Georgia but our support towards individual beneficiaries focuses on the Tbilisi community. Here, people generally have more access to resources and information. It’s easier for them to discover organizations like IWA and seek assistance. But, in rural areas this is probably not as straightforward.

I believe that we need to address this imbalance and I know that this is not easy but there must be ways to do it. I was particularly inspired by the speaker at our last GBM, Vano Kharashvili, who discussed a rally supporting families in villages This aligns perfectly with my vision to reach those in need beyond Tbilisi

Additionally, I want our CPC work to be well-documented and highly visible This includes not only showcasing our efforts in our newsletter, on our Facebook page, and on our website, but also to the Georgian society via various means When we support an organization, I would like our involvement to be recognized publicly through their websites, social media and other channels It’s crucial to spread the word that IWA is actively helping those in need I believe our impact is not as widely known as it could be and increasing our visibility is a key goal I also think that this visibility will also help to support people outside Tbilisi

KC: What challenges do you encounter as the CPC Chair?

MS: Of course, the biggest challenge is the language barrier. Google Translate helps with written communication, but it’s not feasible to use it for phone calls or live discussions, making effective communication difficult.

The second challenge is the process of approving or declining project requests. It’s always a difficult decision to determine which projects to approve and which to decline. When an individual requests support, it's challenging to ensure we are helping those who truly need it. For organizations, we can review their history and online presence, but for individuals, we have to rely on our intuition and the information provided by the beneficiaries’ families

The third major challenge is increasing members' involvement in CPC work. Since people come and go frequently, and CPC work involves significant effort and paperwork, it can be difficult to find members willing to join and actively participate in the Committee.

Funding the adaptation of Wheelchairs in support of the GPA

By Marianna Sofianou

The Georgian Portage Association (GPA) runs a boarding house in Dusheti where 30 people with special needs, aged 18 to 71, live permanently. They engage in various activities, including painting and figure making, and they receive various forms of training, depending on funding from various donors.

Early in 2024, GPA asked IWA for 2,638 GEL to adapt wheelchairs for people who live in their boarding house as part of their project "Movdivart" (Coming to You). The project focuses on making precise wheelchair adjustments to provide comfort and proper health standards to the people who use them. The wheelchairs provided are second hand and thus they need to be adjusted to the user's height, specific needs, etc These adjustments give the beneficiaries better chances to reduce isolation, participate in public life and integrate socially.

The 2,638 GEL that IWA offered covered the purchase of materials to make these adjustments.

As I write this article, GPA has already adapted 12 wheelchairs, while another four will be adapted once their designated users feel better and can use them to move around

GPA is a public non-profit, non-governmental organization that works with children with special needs aged 0-7, and their families. The Portage International Program was introduced in Georgia 2006. In Dusheti, GPA has its own boarding house for older people with disabilities.

Save the date for our Summer Lunch!

We are still mesmerized by the Spring Fair's successful results. Recently, IWA leaders thanked the core team, who worked hard for months preparing this fundraising event, with an exceptional lunch. Time passes quickly, and it's now time to celebrate the arrival of summer and prepare for a well-deserved rest.

Please mark June 19 on your calendars for the much-awaited Summer Lunch. This year will be particularly special as the Spring Fair Core Team will use the occasion to thank all the volunteers who contributed on the actual Fair's day.

To all those who will be receiving a certificate of recognition, please send us your details (name, last name and team that you supported) to iwageorgia@gmail.com to ensure we get them correctly and that everyone receives the acknowledgement she deserves. If you are not able to join us for the Summer lunch, please let us know so we can plan accordingly.

A heartfelt thank you to all our members for making IWA a vibrant and thriving organization. We eagerly look forward to celebrating another season together.

Lunch

June 19, 2024, 12:00 - 15:00

Behind the IWA Choir with Nana Kalandadze

by Kelly Chaib

Question: Can you share a bit about your background and how you became involved with the International Women's Association of Georgia?

Answer: It was 20 years ago, and I can't believe so much time has passed. I was Debbie Wissenberg's singing teacher from the Netherlands. She insisted that it would be beneficial for IWA to have local members from the arts to introduce foreigners to the culture of our country more closely. And that is how I became a member of this wonderful association.

Q: What inspired you to take on the role of lead for the choir?

A: As I had experience teaching Georgian songs to German and Dutch amateur choirs, In 2010, I shared my idea of starting the IWA choir with Maya Frank Hennig, the spouse of the German Ambassador at the time Coincidentally, she was also considering founding a choir and suggested we join a more experienced choir to support us initially She suggested to invite Tamar Buadze - the choir conductor "Tutarchela" Together we started the choir "Tutarchela International " Our repertoire included Georgian and German songs, and we rehearsed at the Goethe Institute, a German cultural and educational centre We participated in many concerts Afterwards, I became the conductor of the IWA Choir, and it has been 13 years since then

Q: How has the choir evolved since you first joined?

A: As the organization is rotating, the choir cannot have a stable character Despite this, we perform at least twice yearly at the Winter Fair and Summer Lunch. I'm grateful to our member Ika Bokuchava for letting us rehearse at her beautiful "IArt Gallery" and to all other members who have hosted our choir at their homes. We have always had kind hosts and performances, which inspires IWA members of IWA to join us.

A: The repertoire of our choir is quite colorful. We sing both Georgian and international songs. It's always interesting to sing in different languages. Sometimes our members offer popular and beautiful songs from their countries explaining us the meanings of lyrics and. This diversity keeps our performances engaging and educational for both the choir and our audiences.

Q: Can you share the memorable performances of the choir under your leadership?

A: The most significant achievement was participating in the Tbilisi International Choral Music Festival. In 2017, the choir of Georgian actresses I was conducting was invited to the festival held at the State Conservatoire. I decided to join the two amateur choirs and prepared a special program It was so successful that we got invited to the following year's festival at the Music Drama Theater Another memorable performance for the IWA Choir was at the Grand Hall of the Conservatoire, together with an orchestra of people with disabilities

Q: What are your goals for the choir in the coming years?

A: Any choir needs motivation and goals; otherwise, it can be just pleasant musical meetings It would be great to perform again with other choirs, as this inspires our members We will prepare a good Christmas program and hope for some opportunities For now, I would like to announce the IWA choir performance at the Summer Lunch

Interested in joining the IWA Choir? They rehearse every Friday at 11:00, either at "IArt Gallery" or Anna Jewell's apartment. To sign up, contact Nana Kalandadze by email: nana.kalandadze58@gmail.com.

by Nana Shavtvaladze

www.lsgeorgia.com

www.facebook.com/semita.education.space?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Georgian Conversation Interest Group: Meet with Nana Shavtvaladze every other Thursday at 13:00 to work on the basic phrases, main forms, and cultural specifics of each word's function. For more information, contact her on WhatsApp at +995 577454332.

Is it really possible to recycle your waste in Tbilisi?

by Kelly Chaib

This note is only for people committed to making an effort to reduce the waste they generate.

It is true that the infrastructure and public participation in recycling waste in Georgia remain limited. Nevertheless, the government and various non-governmental organizations have initiated efforts to introduce more recycling bins, enhance waste sorting processes, and develop recycling plants.

So, if you are willing to recycle, @parki ar minda, a Georgian organization dedicated to Education and Consulting on waste management and reduction practices, with its initiative eco-taxi.ge, explain to us how to start:

Learn about recycling possibilities around you.

Create a collection & sorting system convenient for you.

-Evaluate available space at your place.

-Choose where to store your waste.

-Agree with people living with you on the sorting system

Start collecting just one type of waste. The easiest:

your waste for recycling or order eco-taxi..

“WORLD

OF JOY”

Artworks for World Down Syndrome Day

By Theresa Weinheimer

I would like to introduce and celebrate my daughter-in-law, Caroline Armington, and share her imaginative and fanciful artwork She is the loving mother of Henry, aged 5, a beautiful, sensitive boy with an amazing vocabulary of sign language and an endearing smile. Loved and encouraged by his big sister, Juliette, he is recently joined by baby brother, Teddy.

In honor of World Down Sydrome Day, March 21st, a show of Caroline’s 21 artworks was exhibited in the generously donated showroom space of Grand Banks of Gloucester, MA, an Architectural Building Products supplier.

Henry. 2. Family at exhibit opening 1.

Artworks for World Down Syndrome Day

The following is a brief bio presented at the exhibit:

“Caroline’s career and family have shaped her current mission to spread joy through her mural work and painting. As a Certified Child Life Specialist who worked in Boston hospitals as well as internationally, Caroline witnessed the positive impact child-friendly images had on patients, families, and staff including mural work she did in a treatment room in South Africa. Later, when her son’s diagnosis of Down Syndrome and multiple medical conditions led to numerous hospitalizations and extensive therapy, the content on the walls around them never seemed to matter more.

Now, Caroline loves bringing both murals and smaller works into the home, where she seeks to inspire the imagination and instill a sense of relaxation. Her paintings have brought whimsy, playfulness, and calm to children’s bedrooms, playrooms, and work spaces. She incorporates joyful, fanciful, and illustrative themes, in addition to harmonious color schemes and pattern to impact the space This selection of work represents her whimsical vision and demonstrates her acute attention to how our surroundings set the tone for how we feel, cope with challenges, and engage with others

To learn more about her mission and to view additional works visit her website at https://www.littleezelstudio.com”

A per cent of the profits from the show were donated to the Mass General Down Syndrome Program. As a result of the exhibit, Caroline received several mural commissions. She is busy finishing these and taking wonderful care of her family I wish her well in spreading her wings and flying in this new direction

Sponsorship Packages

We have four categories of sponsorship considered as bronze, silver, gold and platinum

Packages

Company’ s name is mentioned at the website, Facebook page and IWA’ s newsletter

Company’ s name mentioned in all IWA’ s activities (with physical presence or on line)

a chosen IWAG

Video on website and Facebook page promoting the company

SILVER sponsors

BRONZE sponsors

ANKARA STYLE THE BODY SHOP IS BANK GEORGIA

BOOKS

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