UPDATE: amount increased to cover additional transfer fees. Thank you for all the support! 

In the country of Georgia*, in a small village named Zeda Bakhvi, there is a school fighting against time. Faced with the national problem of family migration out of small villages like Bakhvi into bigger cities that offer more resources, Zeda Bakhvi Public School is attempting to create new resources within their small community. Year in and year out, the school’s principal and teachers try innovative teaching methods to engage students (from grades 1st to 12th) in their studies and extracurriculars, but without innovative resources, student motivation is difficult to maintain. However, something the students have consistently shown interest in is sports. With an overgrown soccer field, netless goals, and a cracked, concrete volleyball court, the students have still organized teams and matches for years; without a well-maintained sports’ field in the area, the students have no other choice.

So, the school is applying* for a large grant (Green Guria Grant) to build an entirely new sports field in the schoolyard which will include components for soccer, basketball, and volleyball. It would encompass a concrete foundation, drainage, fencing, lighting, artificial turf, goals, nets, and basketball backboards. This would be a massive addition to, not only the school, but the wider community. Students from Zeda Bakhvi and surrounding villages would finally have a long term space for sports, competition, and generally gathering. Without even a well-kept village park, the change would be an extraordinary improvement. Students and community members alike could enjoy the physical benefits - healthy lifestyle, fresh air, gathering with reduced risk of viruses - and social benefits - teamwork, discipline, leadership skills, arranged social interaction - of organized sports. As well, the teachers and community are dedicated to beginning sports instruction for soccer, basketball, and volleyball once the project is completed, to be maintained for years to come.

The total grant would be about $39,000 (104,527 GEL), but the school is responsible for providing only 10% of this; this crowdfunding effort is directed at that. With only $3,930 (10,400 GEL; including international transfer fees), the school could implement this project and establish a new wealth of opportunity for its students and the members of its community. The deadline for the school’s part of the funding is September 1st, 2024, so this is incredibly urgent! Whatever you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Also, please share this!

*Since Georgia is not one of GoFundMe’s™ supported countries, the money will be transferred to the school using the international money transfer platform Wise.

**In the case that the school does not win the Green Guria Grant, any donations will be used for purchasing new sports equipment for the school and renovating the school’s existing sports’ facilities.