Single Mother: “They Seized 200 GEL from US; and Wasted Another 300 GEL”

Maka Malakmadze, Adjara

“President Mikheil Saakashvili said the time, when people listened to the government, has finished and now it is high time for the government to listen to its people. But, why do not they listen to us, the single mothers? Are our problems tabooed?!” single mother complained with the Human Rights Center.

Last year, Batumi City Hall ceased annual 200 GEL allowance for single mothers. The officials of the City Hall said they worked on the employment of the single mothers and intended to increase their qualifications in various fields in order to resolve their employment problems. However, it cost expensive for the Batumi City Hall: 300 GEL was allocated for the training of each single mother per year.

The mothers said the new approach of the government to their problem was useless and they preferred to get 200 GEL annual assistance.

Taliko Rukhadze is one of 350 single mothers in Batumi. She is socially disabled with two children but together with her children she is bringing up her nephew -Andrea Sleptsov who received a serious trauma in the childhood and does not have hands.

Taliko Rukhadze, the single mother: “I am a single mother. I have status of socially disabled person. Though I am a lonely person I am growing up children, future generation of the country! I have status but our rights are not protected. Adjara authority assisted us with 200 GEL per year but they canceled it last year and suggested us to attend training courses instead.”

 “I wanted to be trained in baby-sitting because I thought it would be easier to find this job but the vocational college refused to accept me for this course. The Batumi City Hall funded the program but nobody cared what we wanted and what we could do. They sent me to accountant’s training where teachers spoke only about cement and sand. So, I attended only one lecture in the three-month training course. Then, one fine morning they invited me to the ceremony of certificate granting. I learned the Batumi City Hall paid 300 GEL for each mother in this program. I sent letter to the City Mayor where I wrote he could give that money to me because I cannot use the certificate at all. At least, I could buy beds for my children and they would not have had to sleep on bricks.”

The government said they should take care of single mothers but how do they do it? – they seized our 200 GEL and wasted 300 GEL; as a result the single mothers are still unemployed.
Do they care for us?! Has the government ever inquired about our unbearable lives?

I would like to remind the government and society that I am a single mother and socially disabled person. However, my children are same plenipotentiary members of the society as MPs from the parliamentary majority,” said Taliko Rukhadze.

The Human Rights Center called the administration of the Batumi Vocational Center. Director Maia Toidze said Taliko Rukhadze attended lectures though she did not show the registration journal to us.

In 2010, Batumi Vocational Center received right to implement the project of the City Hall without tender. 45 000 GEL was allocated for the purpose from the budget and 150 persons were to be trained within the program. Maia Toidze said 32 more people attended the course of accountant together with Taliko Rukhadze and 320 hours were dedicated to them.

Maia Toidze, director of the Batumi Vocational Center: “That woman also attended the training and I cannot understand why she denies it now. We expelled those who missed 96 hours. Last year, 132 persons attended four training-courses (accountant, computer programs, cooking and hotel management) at our center. As a result, we sent the left money to the City Hall back. As for their employment, it was beyond our responsibilities.”