It is frightful to think of how many poor old people there are today in Georgia. And many of them are absolutely helpless and bedridden and live out their lives in horrible poverty and complete loneliness. In fact, it turns out that if a person has no children or relatives he or she is doomed to starvation…

With God's help, Avetisov sisters keep going. So far, they have managed to cope with numerous difficulties and are struggling with helplessness, but their tomorrow is questionable.

Olga is 80. She takes care of her native sister, 86-year-old Svetlana, who is bedridden, lost her memory and cannot orient in time and space after the stroke. Despite the numerous ailments, Olga takes care of her sister with all her heart; she prepares food, cleans her night stool, changing bedding and gives her medicines. 

This petite woman has great will and a great sense of nobility! Despite the fact that due to bone disease she cannot straighten up and walks all crouched, Olga tirelessly takes care of her sister. Recently, she slipped and hurt her hip. So now Olga can hardly move around the apartment, has problems with hearing and 200/110 pressure which simply tortures the poor woman. 

It happens that when Olga is cooking food in the kitchen, she does not hear Svetlana's screams, and as soon as she does, she runs like mad to help her sister. That's how these lovely old women spend their days: in love and care, but also in need and sadness.

     We talked to Olga Avetisov and asked her to tell us about herself and her family, about her hard everyday life and pressing problems.

     – Are you totally lonely? Don't you have any relatives?

     Olga: I had a brother and two sisters. They died. Now I only have two nephews. One of them lives in Germany and the other one in Russia. Of course, we have some distant relatives, but everyone has their own problems and difficulties. They visit us sometimes, but they are also in need and cannot help us materially.

– What's your profession? How did your life develop?     

   Olga: I was born in Tbilisi; Georgian is my native language and I also learned Russian and French. I graduated from the University and worked as a design engineer at the Labor Protection Research Institute for 50 years. I have never had my own family. My sister Svetlana also never married. So now she has to live her old days totally lonely. 

– And does this apartment belong to you?

     Olga: This house has a very long history. It was built by my grandmother in 1889. She was the sister of Armenian national writer Hovhannes Tumanyan. After the Sovietization of Georgia, the house was nationalized, well, our family kept 2 rooms, where we are still living. The house is absolutely dilapidated, the walls are cracked, the ceiling is leaking, the windows let wind in, the floor is shaking because the house has not been repaired for 40 years! 

    – It must be very difficult for a sick woman to take care of another sick person, especially a bedridden one? 

Olga: It's certainly hard. I myself can barely walk, I cannot straighten up for already 10 years, all the bones hurt, and after I fell down my health has gotten even worse.

– How do you manage to take care of your sister? Where do you take money for living? 

Olga: As long as I'm alive and able to walk, my sister will not be left without care. It's my duty... We receive a pension and social allowance. I manage it somehow, although the money is not enough for diapers and medicines…

– Does anyone help you?

    Olga: Your Fund helps. A nurse always comes and puts things in order; she brings us medicines. Thank you very much for your help! No one else helps, and I do not know how to ask for help, it does not work. The neighbor said: "You should write to the mayor, the Deputy, the Head of the Regional Administration to help you with repair works of the ceiling and the floor...", but I hesitate. However, it is no longer possible to live in such conditions…

  – Yes, of course, be sure to ask them for help. If they refuse, we will write about it, because we are read by more than half a million readers and let them be ashamed of their heartlessness and negligence towards their voters! 

   Olga: With your help, I want to appeal to people to show understanding and help us. Please, prolong our lives! Whatever you say, we don't want to die…

      – May I ask about your unfulfilled dream? Is it still valid? 

      Olga: Unfortunately, it is no longer valid... I wanted to create my own family, have children, grandchildren, breathe with their lives, but I failed... But I achieved success in my career and in this respect I was lucky. Now I dream only about one thing - how to stay in "shape", because if something happens, and my sister passes away…

      – Is it so bad? 

      Olga: You know, I am quite realistic, but I don't forget about God even for a while. I trust that the Lord will not leave us, but good people will respond and lend a helping hand. I do not lose hope, I do not fall into despair... And sometimes, in the evenings, I sit closer to my sister and sing songs, old songs, I remember my youth... And it makes me so warm that I do not want to die…

     Respect for the elderly is perhaps one of the most important principles of humanity and morality. Therefore, it is very important not to turn away from their problems, not to close your eyes, but to help — completely and selflessly. What is insignificant for us becomes a great value for the elderly. They need so little: we just need to become a little more attentive and kinder. It's simple, but very important!

     Dear friends, help these lovely old ladies. They will be happy even to have some attention! 

    In the first place the sisters need medicines, hygiene products and food. 

You can transfer money to our Fund account: 

GE15TB7194336080100003 or GE64BG0000000470458000 (purpose: Avetisov sisters). You can also transfer money from our website. 

You can as well transfer money from the terminals of Nova Technology, TBCpay and ExpressPay. Find our Fund in "Charity" section. (You can learn about the ways of payment by following the link https://goo.gl/GY2Gus).

God has commanded us to take care of the elderly, to be ready to lend a shoulder and support in difficult times, to pray, listen and help!