Look, a lizard is looking at us from the ceiling! I'm so afraid of it, once it jumped into my bed! Little Martha shows us, pointing with her little finger at the ceiling.
Yes, you heard right! In their room, which is difficult to call a room, these reptiles crawl. And the very thought of it makes one feel uneasy!
 
There are 6 people in the family, mother Tiko and father Irakli. They have 4 wonderful children:15-year-old Mariam, 13-year-old Ani and little Marta. She is 2.
It is difficult to express in words how poor the family is. They are devoid of everything! They starve, wear torn clothes, sleep on the floor, and the house is full of crawling reptiles that come in through huge cracks in the ceiling.
Despite all these horrors, Tiko's mother gathered all her will and answered our questions.

 – What is the main problem of your family?
Tiko: Our dad lost his job, he worked as a railway worker, he was made redundant, and now the only income for the family is social allowance. We do not have enough food and hygiene products for the smallest girl. We don't actually have any home appliances. There is not even a normal sink, not to mention other kitchen accessories.
– Have you always lived so poorly?
Tiko: You know, I have a difficult fate. My parents were divorced. I was raised in an orphanage. I always dreamed of a large and friendly family. Unfortunately, the first marriage failed.
– Tell us how you met Irakli?
Tiko: He was my neighbor. He was the one who supported me in the time of need. He helped everyone, not just me. All the neighbors just love him. He didn't refuse to help anyone. To fix the faucet, or to chop firewood… And one day he said that he wanted to take care of me and my daughters, not as a neighbor, and then we decided to live together. He's a hard worker, and he is never idle. But recently he was made redundant. – And we were left on the brink of death.
– Does anyone help you? Parents or relatives?
Tiko: Unfortunately, we are orphans. Irakli's parents died early. Mine are dead, too. But, you know, to be honest, I don't think they could help us. We come from poor families. They always relied on ourselves. No one from our family has ever helped us. My mother even sent me to an orphanage, because she thought it would be easier for me there. She thought that there I will at least have some food... But is it important for a person? I could barely bear it... I don't even want to think about that time!

– How did you imagine your future?
Tiko: when I fell asleep in an orphanage, I always wanted to have my own small and cozy house. I imagined it so clearly! I could even smell it. I've seen the colors of how I'm going to set it up. That I would have a kitchen, and I would bake for my husband and children... That there would be many of us. I wanted to have six children! I knew for sure that no matter how bad it was for me to live, I would never, under any conditions, hand over my children to an orphanage. I myself have no education and always dreamed that my children would be "taught". But now, dreams remain dreams, and the only thing that came true is a lot of children (smiles).

– How did you end up in this building?
Tiko: This is the shelter of the Patriarchy. There are 30 families living here. Everybody is with his own problems! We can't even help each other. We have two rooms, one of them is so narrow that it is even difficult to turn around. Water drips from the ceiling, and even a lizard crawls along the wall, and the children are no longer afraid of it. The sink is in the yard, and so is the toilet. I am even askamed to tell you how we bathe.
– And have you asked for the help someone? The local authorities, for example?
Tiko: They help as they can. – We receive social allowance and state allowance to mothers of large families. Several times I wrote an application to fix the roof – and they helped us. They brought firewood. The buildings we live in are the property of the Patriarchy, but unfortunately, we still do not have natural gas.
 – What do you believe in, what do you see as salvation?
Tiko: We are religious people. Children go to Church. I taught my children to pray to God before going to bed. I want them to believe that our lives will get better.
– Do you believe that strangers can be good to you?
Tiko: You know, when it's really bad, when all the funds are exhausted, and the next allowance is still more than a week away, that's when there's a knock on our door! People who visit our place at least once can't forget our living conditions. Sometimes it was so bad that even a kilo of apples for us is like a "feast"!
– Tell me about your children, and I'll talk to them later.
Tiko: Mariam, Ani and Elena go to school, not far from here. I can't say that they are geniuses or best pupils, but they try very hard. Admit it, it is difficult to think about studying when you think about food... Sometimes a whole week I cannot offer anything except for buckwheat soup to the children.
– What do they dream of?
Tiko: For example, Mariam just wants to play the guitar. We can't afford it. We can't buy a guitar, and we can't pay for a teacher. Ani wants to go in for swimming and gymnastics, like her friends, but we can't do that either. I can't even afford Elena's drawing classes... And little Marta is a miracle! She's so kind, so funny. She can make anyone laugh!

– Tell us about yourself, girls. We want to meet you.
Mariam (15 years old): I'm in the 9th grade. I don't like school very much. I want to learn to play the guitar. But I don't have a guitar. I even sometimes dream of playing beautiful Georgian songs. Everyone of my age has a computer, and we can't even dream of it.
Ani (13 years old): and I want to go in for dancing or gymnastics or swimming. My classmates go. I can't even dance properly at home. Our TV is also bad, it is very old, and I want to have a big-screen TV.
Elena (11 years old): I want to draw. But pencils are very expensive. And there is no white paper. Sometimes I think that if I had paints, I would draw beautiful flowers on the wall. And the birds... and the sun... and the sea! You know, this is my, or rather our dream to go to the sea. We were there once for 3 days! I would give anything to go to the sea with my sisters again! But I know it's very, very expensive. And the sea is not close.
– What do you dream about before going to bed?
Mariam (15 years old): I dream that we have the opportunity to study as other children do. If I had a computer, oh, how many books I could read. Books are very expensive, you can't buy them. And the Internet has everything! My main dream is a computer!
Ani (13 years old): I dream of a phone without buttons! Mariam likes to read, and me too, but with a phone I could listen to music, and take beautiful photos... And show cartoons to my sister! In YouTube there is a channel, my friend showed it to me, it teaches you to make different hairstyles!
Elena (11 years old): I want badminton. We have always lacked toys. Ani and Marie are already grown up and don't want to play with me. The only thing they like is badminton! Oh, how nice it would be to have your own rackets and shuttlecocks!
– Who are your best friends?
Mariam (15 years old): my best friend is my mother. You know, I'm not very sociable. I feel good when I'm not bothered. I like to be alone.
Ani (13 years old): and I have a friend Marie at school. She's adorable. She can keep secrets. She was the most beautiful and kind in our class! The boys in our class are stupid and play around a lot, I'm not friends with them! Marie excells all boys: in mathematics she has no equal! She wants to apply to a school specialized in physics and mathematics, and she always inspires me so that I study well! He says that this is my chance to find a good job later and help my family!
Elena (11 years old): and my best friend is my sister Ani. Mariam doesn't like messing with me. She is very serious! She only helps me with my lessons.
– Martha, what is your favorite toy?
Martha (2.5 years old): I like to play with my Teddy Bear. He was fluffy long ago.
– What fairy tales and who tells you before going to bed?
Martha (2.5 years old): My Mom and Mariam tell stories. Ani sings songs. She has a beautiful voice. Most of all, I love the fairy tale about an ant and a flea. Oh, how funny it is to listen how mother tells it to me! The flea jumps up to the pig, then asks something from the tree, then from the mouse, then from the cow... Then it goes back and forth. And then saves a friend!
– Who your favorite hero?
 Martha (2.5 years): Ah not the ant of course (giggles). My favorite is the Princess; her name is Elsa; do you know her? She's adorable. And kind. And I want to have a coloring book with Elsa!
– What do you want to become?
Mariam (15 years old): I'd like to become a layer. I really like this profession. I know that for this you need to be smart, read a lot and learn well.
Ani (13 years old): My dream is to be a coach of the Georgian national gymnastics team! I want to have a lot of gold medals!
Elena (11 years old): I want to learn how to draw
– What do you need to be happy?
Mariam (15 years old): It would be great to learn to play the guitar, and if I could also buy my mother a washing machine, I would probably be the happiest!
Ani (13 years old): I really want to do in for gymnastics!
Elena (11 years old): And I want to go to the sea! I even hear the sound of the waves sometimes!
Martha (2.5 years old): And I want a big doll!

– What do you want to wish the children of Georgia?
 Mariam (15 years old): I wish them never to get sick and never to see the poverty that we see. I wish them to be able to appreciate what they have and never ask their parents for more!
Ani (13 years old): and I wish that they could attend the courses that they like! And I wish that they always have parents!
Elena (11 years old): And I wish that all their dreams come true!
– Tiko, let's continue the conversation, what is your family's income? What can you afford?
Tiko: Our income is social allowance in the amount of 320 lari and multi-child allowance of 200 lari.
– What is your biggest dream?
Tiko: The first thing I really need is this washing machine. We also have an old TV and children do not have a computer. And today, when everyone has to stay at home without these items, it is very difficult to keep the children locked up. And yes, it would be great if I could take the children to the sea. It was so long ago – 10 years ago!
– Why did you decide to contact us?
Tiko: The fact that you really help is already known to everyone. You helped our neighbors, the Peikrishvili Family, a few months ago, and even earlier, a single woman, Margot Beridze. And I decided to come to you, too. The girls feel so uncomfortable in front of their peers because of our poverty, but it is not a shame!
– Almost all Georgia will learn about your family when we write about it. Would you like to meet some friends of the Fund?
Tiko: I know that whoever visits our family will love my children! They are so nice!
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Friends, as you can see, the large family is in extreme need. The family is in need of food, diapers, household appliances and beds!
  Let's support them, show mercy, give the children a chance to develop normally and have a happy childhood. You can personally visit this family and provide assistance. The children and their parents will be merely happy! Call Tiko, find out about her needs, cheer her up, support her, tell her that she is not alone and that nobody will leave them alone in their trouble! It is very important.
Here is their address: Tbilisi, 53, Poltkovskaya St. Tel.: 557 47 11 33
Dear friends, Chernovetskyi charitable Foundation starts an action: to help Tiko Gvasalia and her children. As you know, the Fund does not stop at one-time assistance. Without children, the country and people have no future. Take care of the younger generation! Help them survive! "Write them down" as your relatives. And we are sure that the Lord himself will bless you.
And be sure to repost our publication. Let all your friends know about the grief of this family! It is very important.
God gives us the opportunity to take care of people who are not able to do it themselves. Not all people are the same. And not everyone is as kind as we are. Please, do not pass aside the sorrow of others! Unhappy people are given to us from above so that we can prove our faith to the Almighty not in words but in deeds!
Friends, there is one more request, if you know about the misfortune of a neighbor or friend, do a Charitable deed, write to us by e-mail: office-fsp@fsp.ge
Our Fund account GE15TB7194336080100003, GE42LB0115113036665000 or GE64BG0000000470458000 (purpose: Tiko Gvasalia). You can also transfer money from our website.
You can as well transfer money from the terminals of OPPA, TBCpay and ExpressPay. Find our Fund in "Charity" section. (You can learn about the additional rights and obligations of the Fund by following the link https://goo.gl/GY2Gus).