Youth Volunteers Across Georgia Present Results from Public Health Campaign in Closing Event Hosted by USAID, UNICEF, and Helping Hand

Tbilisi, Georgia, June 10 2022 — In response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, 150 youth volunteers from 63 municipalities of Georgia participated in the project, "Involvement of Adolescent Volunteers in Responding to COVID-19 Challenges in Georgia," a 6-month public health campaign supported by the United States for International Development (USAID) and UNICEF, in partnership with Helping Hand.

Volunteers participated in health education sessions led by epidemiologists from the National Center for Disease Control, psychologists, and other experts in public health. Young people who completed the sessions were given the opportunity to obtain small grants to implement hyper-local projects targeted for their communities in all municipalities of Georgia.

At the closing event, young people organized a panel discussion where teens shared their experiences and impressions with each other, guests from local municipalities, and representatives from USAID and UNICEF. Volunteers and hygiene clubs from across the program also received awards in various categories.

“As part of our commitment to advancing youth across Georgia, we supported the efforts of young volunteers to stop the spread of COVID-19 through a prevention-focused public health campaign that promoted proper precautions and hygiene measures that adolescents should take, said Leah Kaplan, USAID Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance Office Director. “We are proud to see how many young people took part in this campaign, ultimately demonstrating how much they care about their local communities”.

"The project promoted young volunteers' knowledge of safe hygiene and infection prevention, improved their skills in coping with difficult tasks and situations, and increased youth participation and involvement in COVID-19 response activities," said Ghassan Khalil, UNICEF Representative in Georgia. "When dealing with any crisis, the priorities and needs of adolescents and young people must be considered. They must be well informed and have sufficient resources and education.

About USAID in Georgia: USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. Over 30 years of partnership with Georgia, USAID has supported the country’s transformation into a developing democracy that is increasingly integrated into Western political, security, and economic institutions. Today, more than 35 USAID programs strengthen Georgia’s resilience to malign influence, consolidate democratic gains through enhanced citizen responsive governance, and enable high-value employment through increased economic growth.  For more information, please visit: https://www.usaid.gov/georgia.