The street children's house "Momavlis sakhli" ("House of Future") is a large family of former street stray children, the new social layer, which was formed during the transition period. This large family consists of children of many nationalities. It was formed in 1998 and it represents a model showing how the problem of stray children can be managed.

50-60 former stray children from 6 to 18 live, are grown up and subjected to rehabilitation process systematically in the "House of Future". The children were brought to the House from metro stations, from the streets, church yards. Part of those children have parents, who forced them to go to the street, part of the children doesn't know the whereabouts of their children, part of the children are absolutely homeless and abandoned. They lived for years in the street and somehow supported their selves by trifle stealing and begging. Some of them were toxicomen, some with psychological and sexual deformities, which was to a certain extent overcome at the house.

For the 5 years of its existence 180 children passed rehabilitation course at the "House of Future". Part of the children returned home, part reached the full age, returned to the society and live by healthy mode of life, part of girls married and formed families. Some of them were taken by their mothers and we were unable to hinder to it since those parents make damage first of all to their children and then to the society, but the law doesn't give us the right to go deeper.

"House of Future" is the state organization and is financed by the Mayor's Hall: by food (2 GEL per person) , payment (30-65 GEL), office costs (1000 per quarter). Mayor's Hall pays our costs for gas, electric power and water. Investment fund, by the transfers from the Mayor's hall repaired the house. The roof was completely changed and the new capital premise was added to the building.

Day and night teachers-tutors, psychologists, sociologists, physicians, nurse and teacher of music serve the bringing up of the children. The House is functioning all day round, for 24 hrs. Children consider the House their own home, where they live and are brought up. They study at the schools providing general education as well as at the professional schools. 10 children have mastered the specialty. 41 children go to school.

One of our former pupils is a student of the University. He passed entrance exams obtaining excellent grades and closed the first term successfully, It is the great deserves of our teachers.

Children, who reached the age, as homeless and patronless, that is two girls were employed in the House and live at the House, two have no patrons but have the homes. We plan to send them home under our supervision and find jobs for them. Four children have neither home not patron. The state must help them. We have 6 children who are with us daytime and go to school from our House, but at night they go home. It is because their families are in desperate situation. Other children study and go to various circles and assimilate the mastership.

Rehabilitation conditions at the "House of Future" were changed and improved. The American corporation "Shevron", with the president Dato Khurodze, repaired the bathroom and toilet, organized the sport ground where the competitions in football, basketball and volleyball are held.

The embassy of Great Britain organized the sewing room, where the children alongside with sewing, study knitting, embroidery and batik. The exhibition-sale of pieces made by children was organized at the Metekhi. It was at the support of Embassy of Great Britain that children studied to work with silver, master radio technology, computer skills. Silver objects-decorations made by children were sent to England to the exhibition and were liked and highly estimated. Embassy of Italy organized the first international charity fair on the Tortoise Lake and by the resources obtained there the wife of the Ambassador Mrs. Laila Pipan repaired dining room for children together with its aggregates: refrigerator, tables, chairs, gas-stove etc. Mayor's Hall rendered great support to the Embassy in organizing the fair.

In summer, for a fortnight the guests, a group of 7 young private persons visited us. At the support of children they repaired the bedroom and the dancing hall with mirrors. They bought the TV-Set, video and musical center for children. They keep friendship with children till now via phone and correspondence. It is the greatest factor for bringing up and rehabilitation of children. Likewise, John Carletto of England made friends with the pupils of our House. Every year he is our guest for one month. General manager of Metekhi, American citizen Mr. Richard has been rendering great support to us and he replaced the whole heating system in our House and regulated the electric conduit. He repaired the boiler. Together with the Embassy of Italy the Englishman John Corlentto repaired 5 rooms. Everything conditioned the coming of a designer Mrs. Nino Prangishvili to our home and she teaches children to modeling, painting, dancing. The show concert was prepared, which was held twice in summer. Alongside with this show the fashion show was organized by the dresses made by children. The principal goal of the above stated is the preparation of children for future life. We try to create for children the conditions, close as possible to family conditions, terms for education and development and we try to improve these conditions daily.

Irrespective the intense activity, support from the society and improvement of the conditions, we were unable to regulate many comparatively more interesting, elementary terms due to scarcity of resources. We were unable to buy books for children, no one helped us in it.

Irrespective our great efforts, children have no tables, chairs, wardrobes. In the rooms you will see just the beds and mattresses purchased by the Embassy of Italy. We have no bed-linen, towels, hygienic means for girls. We have no more mattresses, since children suffer from enuresis and many mattresses soon become worthless. Within 5 years we didn't receive the resources needed for purchase of soft and hard inventory, irrespective of the fact that it is planned in the budget. We have no room to study, have no tables, chairs. We use the dining room inventory here. Foreigners consider that the state ought to care of such things. It will be the great problem for us and for our home if the import of the second-hand dresses is banned, since we dress then only in the second-hand dresses. This issue should be emphasized. The "House of Future" has friends, private persons both Georgians and foreigners and organizations, who and which support us in the formation of children into healthy persons.

Tsira Lanchava,
Director of the shelter "Momavlis sakhli"