20 - year - history of First Step - Many thanks to Tamuna Qarumidze for creating this video1998 y. - Nino Zhvania-Kadagidze and Jane Anne Korboy founded the organization "First Step" in order to save the "Kaspi" children with disabilities.
1999 y. - The Founders of the organization and specialists set themselves a goal- never have “Kaspi Institution” in our country any longer.
The working process became selfless, devoted and excessive for one purpose only – to save children. “First Step Georgia” placed twenty-four moribund children from Kaspi Institution to the Pediatric Clinic in Temka. Georgian government conveyed two hectares of land located in Dighomi district to the Fund “First Step” in order to build residential houses for children.
Founders and specialists are doing their best to give children back the right not for existence only, but for valuable living.
2000 y. - Medical and social rehabilitation of twenty-four children moved from Kaspi orphanage: first steps, difficulties, mistakes, success, astonishments, joy and emerged hope.
Simultaneously we carry on working with children remained in Kaspi orphanage. Our specialists visit children on a regular basis trying their best to save children. Each member of “First Step” gain huge knowledge and experience. Ms. Nino Zhvania, co-founder of the organization, sets up Georgian Board and Ms. Jane Corboy establishes organization “Next Step” in Ireland under patronage of Ms. Mary Robinson, a former president of Ireland. Ms. Nino and Ms. Jane, together with Board members, make every effort to raise funds, provide assistance to organization specialists, management and what’s more, to children.
2001 y. - “First Step Georgia” got engaged in the State Program –“Deinstitutionalization, children back to their biological families”.
2002 y. - Construction of the first residential cottage was completed. Twelve children moved to their new “home” from the clinic at Temka district and began absolutely a new life.... The goal of saving children had been achieved! That was a constant incentive for all staff of the First Step. Family life with its joy and challenges, problems and success was taking first steps ahead. On the one hand, children were getting used to an uncommon-for them-feeling that now they have a real home and on the other, adults realized that all of a sudden they became parents of “many”.
Nino Kupatadze – the former director of “First Step”. - “It’s impossible to stop yourself after getting into contact with children; First Step is a permanent obligation”.
2002–2003 y. Children keep living, developing themselves, sometimes arguing with each other and learning in Children’s Village of First Step and of course enjoying life there. Construction Works of the second cottage came to an end. First Step already has got 24 “children”.
Tbilisi Public School N10 started to operate integrated class. First Step Georgia made its first step towards inclusive education.
With the help and assistance of First Step a day care center named after St. Lazarus was opened in Zugdidi for 20 children and since then it has been efficiently operating so far.
Tamar Golubiani – Head of Child Care Department of the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia in 2004. “I started to work in 2004 and remember First Step from the very first days... director, staff and founders, I remember every meeting quite well even now. First Step Georgia turned out to be a stable partner of the State in the phase of historical crucial period of Child Care System not for its private ambitions but in order to develop and promote a sound vision. Our state can be proud of having such an organization within the country”
2005 y. - The first day care center of First Step Georgia was opened for 30 children. As a result of social worker's selfless work and endeavor 15 children from Kaspi Institution returned to their own families, 5 children were saved from being placed at Kaspi Institution!
2006 y. - “Next Step” paid a visit to “First Step”.
Des MacMahon – “I was deeply impressed by the arduous and purposeful work First Step’s staff has carried out and which is directed to better the quality of children’s life”.
Jonathan Mills – “For me it is a great honor to have a chance and provide any kind of help and assistance to Georgian children. I love to visit Georgia very much and see selfless working process of First Step, when they achieve more and more success”.
In October, 2006 y. First Step was visited by Ms. Mary Robinson, the former President of Ireland.
The year was also distinguished by the fact that twenty beneficiaries from Kaspi Institution were moved to Gremi and Kedeli communities while First Step continued to take care of the rest of the children at Kaspi Institition providing them with food and better living conditions in winter.
2 psychologist, social worker and special teacher of First Step visited the "St. Michael House" in Dublin for 8 weeks. Returned from Ireland certified trainers prepared training course and began retraining process of caregivers and specialists.
2007 y. – Government of Georgia decided to close Kaspi institution. First Step began renovation process of building in Kodjori, in parallel with recruitment and training.
In the same year with the support of the Irish State, began the home based care program for children who are unable to leave home because of health conditions. "My life is divided into two parts until you appear in our life and after that," says 12-year-old Irakli's mother involved in a home care program
November, 2008 - Mr. Michael Martin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ireland visited the Children’s Village of First Step Georgia. He commented: “My whole delegation was deeply impressed by the commitment of the staff of the village and by what you are trying to achieve in the field of disability in Georgia. I feel very proud that Ireland is associated with your work”.
2009 y. First step after 10 years has reached the goal! Closed the Kaspi children's home. 25 children has been moved to Kojori childcare institution. With the effort of first step, the "Kaspi" epoch ended in the country forever.
FSG received an official letter from UNICEF Georgia, praising the innovative work of the organization: “For almost 10 years UNICEF and First Step Georgia have been successfully collaborating and partnering to help these children with special needs. … Building a Child Welfare System where all children in Georgia will receive quality care and are fully integrated into society is a vision that both our organizations… are determined to achieve”.
2010 y. - Frst Step closed housing cottages and began to develop family support services. The children moved to live in Gremi and Kedeli.
Johana Barberys - representative of UNICEF Georgia - "We have been working with the First Step for 10 years. By the commitment of administration, staff and founders of the organization lives of children are becoming better".
Nino Zhvania – Founder of the First Step - "Everything, what’s going to save the world is always deviated from the logic; I think our project is the same, Idealistic and very pragmatic."
The organization "Save the Children" invited the First Step as an expert to assist them in implementing the "Home based Service" Program in Kakheti and Imereti regions of Georgia.
since 2011 year First Step has become an important partner for child care reform.
Roland Monash, UNICEF representative in Georgia - "The first step was and is the main participant of child care reform, it's impressive the unique knowledge and competence that this organization owns. UNICEF is happy to work with the first step in developing a service for children with disabilities. We thank First Step for its long and committed work."
15th Anniversary - "First of all I would like to congratulate the 15th anniversary to First Step. This organization is our important partner" said Sasha Grauman, a representative of Unicef in Georgia.
The First Step Day Center in 2014 was granted the status of specialized center and the voucher amount increased from 11 to 18 GEL.
The Open Society Foundation began funding First Step Georgia to develop professional supervision, service monitoring and a quality management system for Early Childhood Intervention programs.
2015 y. - In agreement with MoLHSA and UNICEF, FSG develops Model of Early Intervention that will be institutionalized by the state.
With the first step advocacy, the Ministry of Health has taken obligation to fund a home care program.
2016 y. - First Step was visited by the First Lady of Georgia. Her visit was friendly and not an official one which enabled us to talk about our programs, activities, future plans and problems and provide detailed information to her. First Lady visited all three cottages, met with our children and was in details introduced to the programs and working specificity.
July 2016 – finish rebranding process with help PR Company “Live Branding”. Main goal is to enhance recognition of our organization, convey appropriate messages to donors and mass media, strengthen of Scholarship Program and maintain financial sustainability.
September 2016 - Georgian National Ballet Sukhishvilebi is organizing a charitable concert for us in Tbilisi Concert Hall. The lease was covered by the City Hall.
2017 y. – First Step opened new center of autism. The center was renovated and equipped by the help of several organizations: German Embassy, "Open Society Georgia Foundation", Wissol Group, Gulf, Georgian Industrial Group, Liberty Bank, Dio.
2017 y. – Children with autistic spectrum diagnoses except ABA therapy can receive service by new method - DIR / Floortime.
With the assistance of the Children and Youth Coalition the data of 25 organization was sent to GWP regarding to exemption from water tax. From May 2017 First Step and several organizations were exempted from water tax.
The President of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili, awarded Mrs. Jane Corboy, the Founder of First Step, with the Award of Honor. Mrs. Jane Corboy was awarded in gratitude for her selfless efforts in enhancing quality of life of children and youth with disabilities and for her charity.
