Pro bono support to community activists

Pro Bono Company - APM Terminals Poti

Beneficiary - "Youth for Zestafon"

26-10-2023/15-11-2023

In October and November, a large-scale pro bono mediation project was implemented, which united six business companies and six civil activists. The mediation process involved the preparation of nominees for the "Best Community Initiative" contest. The competition is part of the annual event, "Community Leaders Forum", which has been managed by the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia since 2015 (see more here)

Civil activists presented their initiatives to the audience. A member of the pro bono network and representatives of a friendly company helped to distinguish interesting accents and present presentations in an original way.

Six companies were involved pro bono in the mediation process: Bank of Georgia, TBC Bank, Credo Bank, APM Terminal, Micro Finance Organization Embis and Tegeta Holding.

Brief information and about the project:

The "Sunday School of Equality" was established by young people in the city of Zestafoni. They observed that many of their peers were indifferent to community issues, did not participate in decision-making processes, and held stereotypical views about different social, religious, and ethnic groups. The initiative group believed that even a short project or activity could bring about small but significant changes.

The "Sunday School of Equality" project, led by the youth of Zestafon, lasted for just one month. Approximately 100 students from public schools in the Zestafon municipality, along with several parents and teachers, participated in the project. During the meetings, important and topical topics such as gender equality, gender and profession, early marriage, children's rights violations, harmful "traditional" practices, advocacy, and civil activism were discussed.

For the members of the initiative group, the "Sunday School of Equality" provided valuable experience, boosting their confidence and motivation to use their education and experience to address local challenges