On November 30, the Prime Minister of Georgia Lado Gurgenidze met with the businessmen in the Courtyard Marriott Hotel. The aim of the meeting was presentation of the program: Praiseworthy Beginning. The program is designed to extend help and assistance to the socially vulnerable part of our population and the families living beyond the poverty threshold. Starting from 2008, during the next 5 years, the funds mobilized by the private companies operating within the Georgian business area, as well as Georgia's government will be evenly distributed among the socially vulnerable and poor households per every child that will be born to that category of the families during each year mentioned above. On their behalf, the government is taking the responsibility to double the amounts raised by the businessmen.
In the beginning of the meeting, the prime minister of Georgia addressed the businessmen to state that he is very proud of Georgian business and feels honored because he also originated from the same milieu. To his words, in fact, a unique initiative had been stirred by the Georgian companies and therefore, he thanked them for their endeavor (especially those 15 companies which were the direct initiators of the project). Lado Gurgenidze emphasized that their gesture is a rare and exemplary model of solidarity, civil responsibility and delicate treatment of the interests of the society. "I can hardly recall of such a generous and large-scale case to have taken place among the CIS countries. I am also proud to say that thanks to the route that Georgia has embarked on during the recent 4 years, 15 companies (although I hope that their number will be doubled and will increase even thrice), have bestowed 2.750 million GEL and will continue these allocations during 5 years forth. This is a phenomenal result! It would even be impossible to dream about such a thing a few years ago.
I am proud by the Georgian business companies who are very decent tax payers, which enables Georgia's budget to stand by their side with doubled funding in this very good endeavor (this is an open initiative and anyone may join in), or in other words, the funds that will be collected by the Georgian businessmen (2.7 million GEL) will be consequently supplemented by the budget up to 5.4 million, in fact, arriving at 8.1 million GEL as an eventual product. I am more than sure that today's amount will grow forth and we will also continue to contribute to it with the agreed two to one ratio", the prime minister asserted.
According to the statistical data, at least 10 000 babies are born to the families living beyond the threshold of poverty. Within the framework of the initiative, each new born, presumably will receive a voucher of 1000 GEL value, due to be reimbursed in any Georgian bank.
Already at the end of this event, the amount collected by the businessmen equaled to 5 million GEL.
In case of more serious allocations to the foundation, financing of other projects will also be planned.
The press center of the Chancellery of the Government of Georgia