IDP stands for Internally Displaced Person. It is a term used to describe people who have fled their hometown or home region but are still in their country and under their government's supervision, as opposed to refugees who cross borders.
In the case of Georgia, more than quarter of a million citizens qualifiy as IDPs. They do not all have this status for the same reasons, however. Some fled the early 1990s conflicts in Abkhazia and South-Ossetia. They have been IDPs ever since. Others were displaced following the 2008 annexation of the Tskhinvali and Akhalgori regions.
The IDPs in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region are living in three different IDP settlements: Tserovani, Tsilkani and Prezeti. They were built by the Georgian government from September to December 2008, just after the August war. Altogether, they have around 2700 cottages. Tserovani, the largest one, has just over 2000. Tsilkani has 400, and Prezeti has 300.
About 300 more IDPs live in the town of Galavani in buildings that were empty before the war.
About 300 more IDPs live in the town of Galavani in buildings that were empty before the war.
The mission of Mtskheta-Mtianeti Regional Hub is to work from within these IDP settlements as we are located in Tserovani. From there, we organize and support projects aiming to strengthen community initiatives, and do so in cooperation with other local and national NGOs.
Learn more about our work by browsing through our website!
Learn more about our work by browsing through our website!
