Preschool education in Marneuli was in poor condition. Aging plumbing, heating, and kitchen infrastructure, along with a lack of child-friendly furnishings, made for an environment that was not conducive to learning. Moreover, particularly low salaries for preschool teachers decreased morale and negatively affected educational quality. The Society of Democrat Women of Marneuli (SDWM), under the slogan “A Local Budget for Children,” successfully advocated for changes that will improve preschool education in the town.
“We conducted a lot of face-to-face meetings with local authorities to ensure that they improved budget spending on kindergartens,” said SDWM Project Manager Olga Endeladze.
The organization also engaged the community in the process, collecting 381 signatures to advocate for infrastructure improvements and an increase in preschool teacher salaries.
The project faced a serious setback after the 2012 election, when the local government unexpectedly changed in Marneuli. SDWM’s persistence, as well as its strong relationships with the community and other local CSOs, guaranteed that preschools remained a priority for the government.
“This was the most challenging part of the project as we had to start our advocacy efforts from the beginning with newly elected officials. Nevertheless, with active involvement of parents and preschool staff and collaboration with other local CSOs, we achieved our goal,” Ms. Endeladze explained.
Thanks to SDWM’s advocacy efforts, local officials allocated 200,000 GEL for the renovation of three Marneuli preschools and a 50% increase in preschool teacher salaries. The local government also established a commission that includes SDWM and community leaders to develop a management strategy for municipal preschools and an action plan to ensure that government funds are used effectively.
EWMI G-PAC funded SDWM’s project through the Open Door Grant Program.