“Thank you for this beautiful day”

Tbilisi celebrates International Children’s Day

 
“Thank you for this beautiful day”-were the most frequently heard words in Avlabari children’s house on June 1, 2003, where Tbilisi YMCA arranged the celebration of International Children’s Day. 

 “The House of Future” (Avlabari children’s house) is home to more than 55 kids aged from 6 to 18 suffering from different physical and mental ailments. Most of them are orphans, but even those with parents lack their attention and warmth.

“We took these children from the metro stations, church yards and other places, where they were begging and stealing money from people.” Tsira Lanchava of “The House of Future” says. Many of them had the first opportunity of receiving medical treatment in this big, multiethnic family. 

The house financially depends on the state, however there are different organizations supporting children in other ways. World Food Program and Chevron provide food and basic hygienic items to the house inhabitants.

“We are thankful to all these organizations for helping us in making the life of these children closer to the normal family environment”-Tsira Lanchava says. 
 
Despite the fact that children are well treated by teachers and psychologists they still miss the parents. “Help me to find my mom, – 9 year old Shorena cries frequently during the stressful situations, “My mom would understand me now” she says.

Children learn sewing, shoe repairing, design and other professions for finding their ways in life after graduating from the house.

YMCA Tbilisi representatives frequently come to “The House of Future”. Teaching English language and taking them on the day trips throughout Georgia makes the life of these children more colorful.

As head of YMCA Tbilisi, Tengo Gogotishvili told Advocacy.ge the reason of arranging International Children’s day in Avlabari house is quite simple. “We asked the kids how would they celebrate this day and they replied, do you think someone will visit us?  This served as an engine for organizing this event. We wanted to make them feel they are one of us, needed, loved and protected by others.”- Tengo Gogotishvili said.

There were a lot of happy faces, smile and cheerful voices of children, when they saw toys, sweets, lemonade and clothes donated by different organizations and delivered by YMCA Tbilisi. Children were happy to see their favorite singers performing only for them. 12-year-old Zura could not help expressing his emotions. “This is the happiest day in my life, thank you for this,” he said.