Georgia is located in the Caucasus, a region straddling Europe and Asia, and has most recently garnered international attention for its tense relations with neighboring Russia. Tensions became acute in 2008 when Russia angered Georgia by recognizing the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The resulting conflict displaced an initial 130,000 people from South Ossetia, Abkhazia, and Sidha Kartli, forcing tens of thousands to shelter with host families or in transit sites throughout Georgia.

While some the internally displaced have been able to return home, the number of internally displaced people has actually increased over time, and remains at a quarter million people. The conflict between Georgia and Russia remains unresolved today and, coupled with Georgia’s unstable economy, has contributed to widespread food insecurity among the country’s most at-risk communities.

Action Against Hunger has worked in Georgia since 1994 with a heavy focus on our longer-term food security programs. We work directly with the most vulnerable of communities to improve living conditions by identifying income-generating activities, providing training in conflict resolution, and strengthening community participation in determining livelihood activities, directions for community development, and ownership of our water, sanitation and hygiene programs.