Nagila Evacuates Tbilisi

One of our board members, Nagila Guimareas, evacuated Tbilisi two days ago. In her words:

"Leaving Georgia and living in Georgia were the most intense experiences in my life. I was already scheduled to move out of Georgia on August 10th. Unfortunately, the war started 3 days before my departure. Unable to leave by plane I hired a taxi to take me to Yerevan. I followed the convoy of Americans led by the American Embassy. It was a wonderful help by the embassy, I couldn’t imagine doing it by myself.

It is very difficult to describe in words all the emotions one goes through being in a war. The constant panic of being attacked, injured or killed is always present. But, I knew that I would have help to get out and had a whole different life outside Georgia waiting for me. On the other hand, the Georgians were facing a much darker reality. The socio-economic situation was already very hard with 50% of the population living below the level of poverty. Georgia was just starting to take baby steps to get ahead. Then…war again. The past 3 days of war that I spent with my Georgian friends and the street kids were of pure sorrow and fear. They can’t take it anymore. Everybody is traumatized and terrorized by having to go though a war again. There is a general sense of hopeless and despair. "

One of our board members and dear friends, Thea Johkhadze, remains in Tbilisi with her family. For her, Nino Chubabria, the kids, and all of our friends in Georgia, we anxiously await the end to the conflict.