Georgia only gained independence some 30 years ago following the collapse of the Soviet Union, which for the entire previous century had subjugated it and made it a highly statist country dependent on Moscow. Since 1991, Georgia has been trying, with difficulty, to get out of the precariousness that the communist system and then its collapse caused, with a large part of the population still living in situations of severe socio-economic hardship.

Following the nation’s independence, the Camillians decided to set up a delegation in the country to help all those in need of socio-medical support: initially with home visits and later with the construction of a real specialist outpatient clinic in Tbilisi, to which – in 2001 – they also added the Day Care and Rehabilitation Centre, already dear to us having joined our AMOC Fund (Camillian Works Sickness Insurance).

In just over 20 years since its inception, the Day Care Centre has managed to become a health centre of excellence, not only for the population of Tbilisi, but for the entire nation. Specialised care and rehabilitation cycles help those with severe disabilities – not only physical – to embark on courses of treatment, followed by medical and health personnel specialised in physiotherapy, speech therapy and psychology.

If it is already one of the most advanced facilities in the entire country from a sanitary point of view, it now also wants to become a pioneer in the field of eco-sustainability: the ‘Solar energy for a GREEN mission!’ project involves the construction of a carport within the car park area and the installation of no less than 90 solar panels of about 300 watts each, with the associated energy production and storage system.

We at Salute e Sviluppo have accepted the project’s application for funding and have just inaugurated the activities that, within seven months, will lead to the installation of the required solar panels and the full operation of the green plant. The Centre will be able to produce much of the electricity it needs in an autonomous and eco-sustainable manner: a clear advantage not only from an economic point of view, but also with a view to safeguarding our planet, as Pope Francis invites us to do in his encyclical Laudato Si’.

We are very happy to be able to participate in this project, which sees us at the forefront, not only in supporting an excellent health centre, but also in promoting the green culture of sustainability.