A further 20 young mothers will be able to benefit from a shelter operating for the poor and vulnerable in the Georgian capital Tblisi. The shelter, which will now home more than 40 women, has just undergone six months of renovations by World Vision Georgia, at the request of the Patriarchy of Georgia which operates the shelter.

As part of the World Vision Georgia Project 'Partnership for Vulnerable Families', the renovation also includes World Vision trainings for women living in the shelter in sewing, embroidery and knitting and six sewing machines were also bought for the shelter.

'One of the priorities of the patriarchy is taking care of vulnerable women and children, that's why they respect our organization so much. Dr. Varazashvili, the representative of Patriarchy, asked us to help in renovation of the shelter where we also place vulnerable women with their children. We were very happy to support patriarchy in this kind initiative,' says Maia Tsereteli, IHT Project Manager.

World Vision is one of the leading organizations in Georgia working for the well-being of children, alongside the Georgian Orthodox Church. Since 2002 Mother Mariam, representative of the Patriarchy, has been involved in World Vision Prevention of Children Abandonment and Deinstitutionalization project and was sending vulnerable mothers to World Vision's Mother and Infant Shelter, which has existed since 2002. The shelter specifically targets vulnerable women to prevent the abandonment of infants into institutions. The creation of this shelter was a first effort in Georgia towards deinstitutionalization of infants and prevention of further infant admissions to residential care.

The Project 'Partnership for Vulnerable Families' aims to improve living conditions and increase employment opportunities for the vulnerable women and children living in the shelter.