PH International

Access Students Find Summer Jobs

Georgia | English Access Microscholarship Program | 1 Sep 2015



Success
Second rotation of the Access program in Adjara region of Georgia started with its own set of challenges. After consultations with PH, “Changes without Borders” the implementing partner of the Access program decided to cast the participatory net wider to the outer and more remote locations of Adjara. The level of education and achievement among youth, in those remote locations, is lower than that in the Batumi public schools. Although over 200 applications were received, general starting level of language competencies among the selected 25 Access students was dramatically low. The majority of students could hardly read in English

Overview
To help the students develop faster, Access program teacher in Adjara region, Katie Papava-Lobzhanidze, together with Fulbright Volunteer Erick Jackson, decided to add six more volunteer hours a month to the usual meeting time. The result was impressive. Over a year students that could not read in English, let alone engage in any meaningful conversations, improved their language competences to the extent that positively affected their grades at school. This also helped them find summer jobs as waitresses and tour guide assistants in Batumi, a the city that is swarmed by tourists in summer. Some of the students managed to keep the part-time jobs even after the summer was over.

“My teachers (Keti and Erick) believed in me and made me believe in myself” admitted Anna Putkaradze, a student that commuted an hour or more, from her village, each way in order to get to the Access class in Batumi. “I am able to help my family now,” Anna added proudly. “International customers are willing to pay a good tip if you speak with them in English and explain a couple of items on the menu. I am really happy to do this as it gives me an extra chance to practice my English. We have just bought our first television set and are planning to save for a computer in the months to come,” she smiled. “Also, I have really high hopes for the University Entrance Exams. I’ll definitely choose English as one of the subjects” she finished.

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Dianne Zhambakhidze was once a shy and silent student, but that was before she enrolled in Access. It took her nearly a year to find her voice, but now she is one of the most helpful and friendly members of the group. Peers admire her diligence and hard work and always pay extra attention to what she has to say in class when she answers questions and gives advice on homework problems.
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Access Students Find Summer Jobs | 1 Sep 2015

Second rotation of the Access program in Adjara region of Georgia started with its own set of challenges. After consultations with PH, “Changes without Borders” the implementing partner of the Access program decided to cast the participatory net wider to the outer and more remote locations of Adjara. The level of education and achievement among youth, in those remote locations, is lower than that in the Batumi public schools. Although over 200 applications were received, general starting level of language competencies among the selected 25 Access students was dramatically low. The majority of students could hardly read in English
> More
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