AFG: Projects: Adults: Homeless Single Mothers
Bediani Shelter for Single Mothers
Personal Observations from the Executive Director: A long overlooked need has become another venture for Mother Mariam with an extended housing and nurturing program for unwed pregnant women and single mothers. She is collaborating with World Vision, which is trying to prevent institutionalization of babies in Georgia by providing housing and training for unwed mothers for a three-month period. Mother Mariam believes that more time is needed for training and eventual self-employment. To this end, she is housing pregnant women and single mothers for an additional two-year period in the Bediani Village. During that time, nuns teach parenting and provide a home to these homeless single mothers. They are also teaching the women bee keeping and fine embroidery to introduce them to work skills, which helps support the community.
In some cases, the women became pregnant but the men refused to marry them. In other cases, they were impregnated by family members or staff members of state orphanages. Until Mother Mariam started this project, they had nowhere to go if they wanted to keep their children.
AFG Accomplishments: AFG has:
- Provided funds to purchase and renovate two small houses in Bediani Village. Three young women live in one house with their babies and are being taught embroidery. Two single mothers and several children live in another house and are learning bee keeping.
- Provided funds to purchase 31 beehives, each producing between 10 and 15 kilos of honey for sale.
- Provided funds to buy food, medicines and baby supplies.
- Provided funds to purchase a generator.
- Shipped baby clothes and toys in a container.
Current Needs: The Bediani Shelter for Single Mothers needs:
- Funds to purchase clothing, bedding and other supplies for babies and toddlers.
- Funds to purchase an additional small house to accommodate more single mothers.
- Funds to purchase more beehives because each year the Queen bee leaves her hive and looks for a new hive in which to lay 1,000 eggs. One of these offspring will be the new queen.