Goals

Problem statement:

The Kistis reside in 12 villages in Pankisi Gorge. The population has traditions and customs which have a great influence on the lifestyle there. Sport culture is a popular tradition, but currently it is difficult for girls to play due to negatively reactions.

In table tennis, I was the first racket among women in Kakheti region. Several years ago I purchased a tennis table and I teach this sport to the girls in Pankisi. The tennis table is located in my yard and the girls felt comfortable and they had no restrictions from family.

Unfortunately, the tennis table is currently out of order. I want to repair the table and involving groups from nearby communities in a table tennis competition.

Proposed Solution:

I will organize a table tennis competition among the Kist girls and ethnic Georgian girls from Akhmeta.
This will be a good motivation and stimulation for women to engage in sport activities in Pankisi.

By creating a comfortable and informal space for ethnic Kists and ethnic Georgian girls to play together, they will see how much they have in common. Sports can often bridge differences and the tournament will be good opportunity for the girls to establish contacts and view each other as part of the common society.

Sustainability:

This idea hopefully will be a beginning of friendship for Kist and Georgian girls and a lot will depend how those involved will carry it further. My initiative is just a seed to make good things happen. Moreover, the table tennis in the Duisi community will continue to be an opportunity for local girls to live with sport lifestyle, to make free time for additional activities in addition to the school, to participate in sport activities of Gorge and also support to overcome women discrimination on different grounds.

Equal gender opportunity:

Women are not usually engaged in sport activities. The table tennis - while being a light kind of sports not requiring a lot of physical exercise - can be a good entry point for the local girls, to become involved in sports and get new experience. While women are discriminated in general, my initiative is solely targeting on women to offset this discrimination in some manner.