27 April, 2020. Tsalka Municipality – Three initiatives in Tsalka municipality received EU funding to effectively address health and education problems posed by the spread of Covid-19 pandemic. The initiatives were selected from a total of 17 applications received within the rapid response grant competition “New Challenges, New Opportunities” announced by Tsalka Local Action Group (LAG). 

One of the initiatives selected within the grant competition aims to promote effective management of the crisis caused by the spread of novel coronavirus in Tsalka municipality. The project will provide training and equipment for medical and health workers from the Tsalka Primary Health Care Centres. It will help to  raise public awareness and to develop essential skills to fight the spread of the virus. 

Another initiative will ensure equal and timely access to education and information for the residents of Tsalka municipality. The project will develop non-formal education online courses for the school students, equip students of socially vulnerable families with smartphones and create access to internet and TV channels to engage them in online learning activities.  

A grant was also awarded to the local development initiative that aims to reduce psychological and emotional problems in youth caused by the pandemic lockdown. The initiative will target the youth in the villages of Tsalka municipality and will support them by engaging  in online educational activities while in isolation. This support is provided by a qualified local social enterprise.

This LAG COVID-19 rapid response grant competition was announced in the framework of the EU-funded project “EMBRACE Tsalka”. The project is implemented under the European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD) by CENN, in partnership with the Georgian Farmers’ Association (GFA) and German partner organization – Institute for Rural Development Research (IfLS).
The EU is supporting agriculture and rural development in Georgia through its ENPARD Programme. Implemented since 2013 with a total budget of EUR 179.5 million, the main goal of ENPARD is to reduce rural poverty in Georgia. The first phase of ENPARD in Georgia focused on developing the potential of agriculture. The second and third phases of ENPARD focus on creating economic opportunities for rural populations that go beyond agricultural activities. More information on ENPARD is available at: www.enpard.ge.