Charity Foundation AI IA was established on April 14, 2016, by the founder of Smart Capital GroupIvane Chkhartishvili along with his spouse Mrs Nana Gotua. Continued education and social inclusion of children with hearing problem is the objective of the Foundation and the complex service provided for 25 children on the basis of AI IA is fully funded by the Founder.
The title of the foundation “AI IA” itself holds a story: it is the very first phrase that children learn at school while learning to read and write in Georgian language.
The establishment date of the charity foundation, April 14, is also symbolic – as it is the Day of the Georgian language.
The need to set up the foundation arose when the state began funding cochlear implant operations in Georgia in 2003. To date, more than 500 operations have been completed. However, there was no place for patients to undergo post-operation rehabilitation. We believe that, every child has the right to quality education, which requires the existence of supportive pre-school education system and inclusive society. Early identification of the hearing problem and timely intervention are the primary and the most first steps in this process.
At this stage, 25 beneficiaries and families of the foundation are provided with free complex rehabilitation services for the children from 0 to 6 years and school age children.
The Foundation offers service of:
- Free Consultations – Anyone can benefit from the consultation of our experts free of charge;
- Awareness Raising Campaigns in schools, kindergartens and participation in public events both in Tbilisi and in the regions;
- Training Programs for Professionals – AI IA Developed training-module
Complex Rehabilitation Service Covers:
- Medical Engineer
- Auditory-Verbal Therapist
- Psychologist
- Speech Therapist
- Special Teacher
- Art Therapist
- Music Therapist
The idea, common vision and values behind every professionals in AI IA team is:
- a child and his/her problems are strongly integrated with the family.
- The strength of each child and family and the challenges they faces varies depending on their everyday life.
- Efficient communication with the peers from the early childhood builds an inclusive society.
- Hearing problem is a biopsychosocial issue and collaboration between different systems is crucial.
- We believe that, Relevant services and information should be equally accessible both in Tbilisi and in the Regions.
- Quality service requires evidence-based practice provided by professionals.
with the help of both Georgian and international donor organizations, grant assistance organizations, as well as our ongoing collaboration with the international colleagues and industry experts, we will be able to offer modern, high-quality services to deaf and hearing-impaired children with special needs and their parents and help them to develop skills to live an independent and full life.
Discussion about this post