August 19, 2008
Tbilisi, Georgia
Open Society – Georgia Foundation (OSGF) gave prompt response to the emergency situation befell over Georgia as a consequence of the aggravation of conflict in the so-called South Ossetia and Russian Federation intervention. Open Society – Georgia Foundation in parallel with the mobilization of civil sector, documentation of human rights’ violations and analysis of coverage of the current developments in Georgia by foreign mass media, provides humanitarian aid to the refugees from conflict zone starting from the first day of their arrival to Tbilisi.
In this regard, OSGF employees organized the following urgent activities:
Humanitarian aid to the refugees – Open Society – Georgia Foundation urgently endowed funds from its national budget to purchase food products, first aid medications, hygienic products, clothes, linen, nutrition and hygienic products for babies and etc. OSGF staff members and voluntary groups provide purchase and distribution of the products among the places of refugees’ compact stations.
Open Society – Georgia Foundation developed contacts with local non-governmental and business organizations that made their gratis contributions to the help for refugees (PSP, Aversi, BTA-Bank, M-Group, Georgian Voices, Rugby Supporters’ League, Foundation “Taso”, LTD “Polyethylene”, Kakheti region and others).
Mobilization of volunteer psychologists, psychotherapists and social workers – Open Society – Georgia Foundation maintains registration base of groups of psychologists that have been allotted shelters of internally displaced persons and ensure them with psychological help.
Open Society – Georgia Foundation operates a hot-line, where everyone can obtain information on refugees’ compact stations in need of urgent help. Through the hot-line OSGF collects data-base of refugees and distribute the data on who, where and what kind of support is required and etc.
Open Society – Georgia Foundation supports Georgian mass media and civil society sector to convey their message to the international community.
By August 19, Open Society – Georgia Foundation together with its friends provided occasional help approximately to 10 000 refugees; and food, clothes, linen, medications, hygienic and other products upon request are delivered to 5 000 refugees on a daily basis.
List of the compact stations of refugees Open Society – Georgia Foundation provides humanitarian aid (Download)