Mestia Orphanage in the mountains!
Located in the heart of Svanetia, Mestia is the main town and
cultural heart of the Svan people.
Though their language is different to Georgian, the Svan epitomise
all that is Georgian and represent the heart of Georgian culture.
Mestia is a highland townlet in northwest Georgia , at an elevation of 1.500 meters [around 5000 feet] in the Caucasus Mountains.
Mestia and the adjoining 132 villages form Mestia District (raioni). Its area is 3,044 kmē; population – 14,248 (2,600 in the town itself; 2002 Georgia census). The population is mostly Svans, a cultural and linguistic subgroup of the Georgians.
It is difficult to get to this
Townlet hidden
away without good roads and limited access by small plane. Just one
reason they need outside help for the 40 kids in the orphanage here. Ani
and 3 friends took an overnight train to Zugdidi and then a minivan
up the mountain 4 hours each way to deliver the goods and meet the
kids.. She delivered the shoes/boots and other clothes in this September
2010 to these kids.{Google Satellite Map}
Having said all that, Mestia is the primary village in this mountain area where the life and culture is hard for us to imagine. A Little Help here made a Big Difference!
This orphanage was closed in December 2011 and the kids moved to different homes.
Orphanage entrance
Kids
Kitchen
Bedroom
Road always under construction. Famous for "moving sands"
Steep too!
Beautiful country but the kids need a new home.
They all got some new shoes or boots or other
goodies.
It is a truly beautiful area looking up to the highest occupied mountain area in Europe.
