eGA experts visited Georgia’s Guria region to understand local needs for raising digital literacy and skills

eGA experts visited Georgia’s Guria region to explore ways to increase digital awareness, improve digital literacy, and enhance digital inclusion for local communities and businesses. The visit was part of the mapping phase of the project “REDI (Rural Development Through Digital Inclusion).”

The experts visited eight villages: Meria, Konchkati, Vakijvari, Bakhvi, Askana, Chkhakakaura, Kvabgha, and Buksieti, and met with more than 120 community members, SMEs, and civil society organisations.
The meetings were very insightful and helped to understand the current needs and barriers in using the internet and digital services and to identify gaps in digital literacy and skills.

“The main problem is very limited connection or lack of it, but also low levels of media and digital literacy and poor digital skills,” said Kristina Reinsalu, the lead of the project. “We also found that we need to address online safety, especially in current circumstances.”

In addition to the village visits, the eGA team organised a workshop for local trainers to discuss further digital skills training and identify the best model for local communities.

“We hope that this project will bring for the people of Georgia in the region much more advanced digital skills, but also awareness of how to use actually digital tools,” said Hannes Astok, Chairman of the eGA. “We believe that this project will be implemented well together with Georgian civil society. It should be like a dialogue between adult people reflecting the needs and discussing how we can improve life in those Georgian regions with the digital tools.”

The week in Guria wrapped up with the project’s kick-off event at Tech Park Ozurgeti. The official part introduced the REDI project and other Team Europe Initiative (TEI) projects in Georgia.

The official part was followed by a Digital Fair featuring various engaging activities for local people, especially for kids, such as a robots workshop and a drone show.

About the Project

The EU-funded project “REDI” primarily targets vulnerable groups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and citizens living in sparsely populated rural areas across the Guria, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Imereti, and Kakheti regions. The project aims to establish public internet access points and digital rural hubs, as well as advance digital skills in 200 villages. It is implemented by the Solidarity Fund PL (SFPL) and the eGovernance Academy (eGA).