Solemn Event of Charity Organization ‘Learning Support Fund’

A solemn event of the charity organization Learning Support Fund was held at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) on February 6. Rector of TSU, Giorgi Sharvashidze; Tbilisi Mayor Davit Narmania; Chairman of the Tbilisi City Council (Sakrebulo) Giorgi Alibegashvili; business people, TSU professors and students attended the event. 

Rector Sharvashidze said that the fund has been functioning for several years and it aims at discovering and supporting gifted students. “We want to transform this organization into a university fund. We suppose to move forward in two directions: one envisages granting of scholarships to gifted students and the other – accumulation of funds for the university space. It will involve the improvement of learning environment and infrastructure, new scientific projects and so on,” the Rector said. 

“The Learning Support Fund, where I am one of the founders, along with my colleagues, is doing a very important job. It helps low-income students with high academic achievements fund their studies. Just therefore, at the beginning of each semester, 15-20 students receive funding from those donations, which are raised by the fund,” Davit Narmania said. 

“Continuation of my studies was put under doubt, because due to my grave social conditions, it was impossible to pay the tuition fee. The fund gave me a helping hand and today I am a fourth-year student. I managed to receive relevant education and achieve success. Besides me, there are a lot of other students, who also pin hopes on the assistance from the fund,” Teona Gabisonia, student of the TSU Faculty of Economics and Business, noted. 

The mission of the fund is to provide financial and material support to low-income successful students of the Faculty of Economics and Business to improve their access to higher education. The organization has already financed the studies of over 80 students with the help of volunteers from the fund, as well as donations from individuals, business organizations and other institutions. 

The charity organization Learning Support Fund was established at the Faculty of Economics and Business of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University on September 19, 2014, upon the initiative of the faculty professors and students. On November 26, 2015 the fund was granted the status of a charity organization. 

Director of the Learning Support Fund, TSU Assistant Professor Manana Kharkheli thanked the fund’s active donors. During the event, the most active supporters of Learning Support Fund were awarded Certificates of Appreciation.