A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between company ‘Dio’ and Firefly World based on which ‘Dio’ covers hospice utility costs for 2021 as well as part of the meals for the beneficiaries.

Company ‘Dio’ has been practicing corporate social responsibility since its establishment via carrying out numerous social projects.

Friendship between ‘Dio’ and Firefly World began during the hospice construction process and continues to grow ever since.

• GEL 441 826 - donor funding

• GEL 107 000 - individual giving

• GEL 64 448 GEL - corporate donations

• Served 73 patients

• Organized 307 home visits

• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, day center operated for only 2 months - 92 visits;

• Provided up to 500 telephone consultations

• 3 patients died in 2020.

Today the Israeli Embassy to Georgia decided to hold the last Hanukkah candle ceremony at Children’s Hospice ‘Firefly World’ hospice’. . The Embassy has donated much-needed equipment to ‘Firefly World’, and hopefully provided some cheerful Hanukkah light for the children.

"We’re grateful to Mamuka Makhatadze (Director) and the wonderful Firefly team for this rewarding partnership” – mentioned Ran Gidor, Ambassador of Israeli in Georgia

From October 1, 2020, providing the educational services for children in need of palliative care began in cooperation with the Open Society Georgia Foundation and with funding of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Georgia.

The first lesson was held at the children’s hospice Firefly World, where special education teachers from Tbilisi Public School #198 provide educational services to children and adolescents.

The project promotes inclusion of children in need of palliative care in the educational process, both in groups and individually, through specially designed lessons.

In order to ensure no child is left out of education, comprehensive services and various developmental activities will take place. The teaching process is led by a multidisciplinary group that consists of: psychologist, a music therapist, a game therapist, an art therapist and a behavior therapist both in groups and individually depending on the needs of a child.

Educational services for children who need palliative care should have additional effect in addition to teaching, play therapy using various toys and dolls can play an important role in the educational process of children in palliative care, which is a process of natural self-expression and sharing of emotions. Also during art therapy - drawing, sculpting and appliqué techniques and dramatic improvisation, greatly contribute to development of imagination and calming the child.

Special attention will be devoted to music therapy, which significantly contributes to the promotion of positive attitude and management of emotions.

Today,Ambassador of Israel to Georgia HE Ran Gidor visited the children’s hospice Firefly World. Mr. Mamuka Makhatadze, the Director of the Children’s Hospice and Ms. Nino Kiknadze, the Board Member of Hospice showed the premises, introduced the mission and provided information on the hospice’s services. The Embassy of Israel (MASHAV - Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation) actively cooperates with the Georgian partners regarding treatment of children with special needs and will continue to support similar activities and projects in the future.

On Octomber 23, an Honorary Professor at Mekerere University, Chief Executive International Children's Palliative Care Network Julia Downing visited Children's hospice "Firefly World". Professor Downing has been working in palliative care for 25 years, with 15 of those working internationally in Urganda, Africa, Eastern Europe, developing palliative care services for childrens and adults.

With the support of the Open Society Georgia Foundation Mr. Akaki Zoidze, Chairman of Healthcare and Social Issues Committee, Ms. Marina Darakhvelidze and Ms. Elene Jhorjoladze, staff of the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, Ms. Nino Kiknadze, representative of Open Society Georgia Foundation and the founder of Children's Hospice, Mr. Mamuka Makhatadze, Director of Children's Hospice and Ms. Pati Dzotsenidze, expert of pain management policy undertook a working visit in Netherlands. Meeting with the representatives of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport of Netherlands were hold related to palliative care and drug accessibility. The delegation visited a number of hospices and got familiarized with local experience of pain managment. 

On April 23, on Book Giving Day Mr. Mikheil Batiashvili, the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia and Mr. Giorgi Kekelidze, director of National Library paid a visit to Childrens' Hospice "Firefly World" and presented books to each of hospice beneficiaries.

On April 12, guests from Kyrgyzstan visited the Children's Hospice. Aim of the visit was to get familiarized with hospice work, its specifics and achievements in pediatric palliative care in general. Within the frameworks of the visit Kyrgyz colleagues paid a visit to the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, Healthcare and Social Issues Committee,/Transfiguration Nunnery Mercy Center and Homecare Service and National Center of Oncology.

On September 13, the charity auction in support of Children’ s hospice "Firefly World” was held. Representatives from business sector and international community attended the event. The event succeeded to mobilize 59 000 USD. Monthly costs of Children’s hospice functioning is worth around 17 000 USD.

In 2018 the hospice served 60 beneficiaries.

The First Lady of Georgia, Ms. Maka Chichua hosted Ms. Laura Mattarella, the daughter of President of Italy at the Children’s Hospice - Firefly World.

Mr. Mamuka Makhatadze, the Director of Children’s Hospice showed hospice premises including library, multi-sensor room and other facilities to the guests and provided information about hospice care services. The daughter of President of Italy spoke with the parents of the beneficiaries as well as hospice personnel and remarked the importance of hospice care for children and their families.

The facility is very nice and support you provide is essential for children and their families. It is also very important that you enable every member of the society to contribute and be part of the good deed – noted Ms. Matarella. Same-day the First Lady hosted a friendly lunch for Claudia Matrela.

The company Myday helps us turn birthdays of our beneficiaries into real miracles. From today onwards, each patient will have a colorful birthdays with all the necessary party decorations arranged by the company Myday.

With the support of the Open Society Georgia Foundation hospice staff went through an intensive training course in the Netherlands from December 10th to December 16th. Study tour helped hospice staff to acquire professional and practical skills as well as theoretical knowledge. During the six-day program, nurses, a coordinator and a nanny went through a course in the Academic Medical Center (Amsterdam) and Emma Children’s Hospital. Practical knowledge acquired in the zones "ZonnaCare" and "Biezeward". The course covered issues like care, end-of-life care and support, pain management, ethics, communication with parents, telling the diagnosis and spiritual support.

Since 1992, Germany has provided financial support of more then 820 million Euros to Georgia and is the second largest donor after the Untied States in the field of development cooperation.

 Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Georgia has funded numerous projects in different fields. Funding received from the Embassy enables administration of Children’s Hospice - Firefly World to buy an adapted minivan and offer transportation service to beneficiaries of the day-care unit.

Day care is an important way to expand the range of services available to hospice patients. Day care beneficiaries spend all day at the day care unit and adapted minivan will be of a great help, especially for transportation of children using wheelchairs.

Yesterday shopping mall East Point visited us and they opened wonderful kid’s library. Library was created under the activity "back to school”. Thanks to everyone who came at East Point and purchase Back to School  package at Focus Mocus Mokus. Last year, theirbirthday event was dedicated to the construction of children’s hospice.

Universal health Coverage and Palliative Care – Don’t leave those suffering behind-this was a slogan for celebrating the World Hospice and Palliative Care Day throughout the world on October 14.

This year, our children’s hospice "Firefly World” got involved in this initiative first time, together with other countries. Inpatients,day care and home care patients and their parents were marked this day together at hospice.

Palliative care is the multi-profile care, which aims to relieve the pain of people ill with terminal diseases and to provide social and psychological aid and spiritual compassion to them. And the hospices are institutions where the people are provided with physical and moral support during the last days of their lives. Such diseases are: AIDS, cancer in the IV stage, Alzheimer, Parkinson, cardio-vascular and neurology diseases... These people are palliative patients, for whom the only thing the medicine has left is to alleviate their condition, and these are the ones who need palliative care.

There are thousands of people who need palliative care in Georgia today, but currently the little number of beds and human resources at hospices cannot meet the growing demand of patients. As the result, thousands of patients suffer from severe physical and spiritual hardship, which prevent them from continuing full-fledged and decent lives.

On 21^st of July, Corrective Plastic Surgeons – Kote Matitashvili  and Sasha Kalantarov delivered a lecture for SOLO users. Doctors have talked about Plastic Surgery and aesthetic medicine and answered auditoria’s questions. Amount of 500 GEL was transferred to "Firefly World” account

Ukraine's First Lady Maryna Poroshenko, who accompanied her husband, President Petro Poroshenko on his official visit to Georgia, visited the children's hospice Firefly World on July 18. Maryna Poroshenko was hosted by Georgia's First Lady, Maka Chichua, a friend of the children's hospice.   

Mamuka Makhatadze, the director of Firefly World, and Nino Kiknadze of Open Society Georgia Foundation showed the guests around the hospice and told them the history of its creation. 

Maryna Poroshenko expressed willingness to share Georgia's experience of providing end-of-life care to children in Ukraine. It was agreed that Georgian experts will assist the Ukrainians in establishing similar hospice. 

On July 10-15, with the support of Open Society Georgia Foundation, Joan Martson - Global Ambassador of Children's Palliative Care arrived in Georgia. During these 5 days Joan Martson guided the working process of the Hospice and conduct practical workshops for the staff of the Hospice. Guideline to children's palliative care has been developed with her assistance. Joan Martson has been working in palliative care for 28 years. She worked in children's hospice, as well as in various humanitarian missions, she was the President of the International Children's Network. Joan Martson made a great contribution to the elaboration and development of the policy of adults and children with chronic diseases. 

The Australian U20 Rugby Union Team visited the children's hospice "Firefly World" on June 1. Rugby players arrived in Georgia to participate in the World Rugby U20 Championship and they decided to visit the children's hospice on International Children's Day.

The Australian rugby players painted murals on one of the walls of the hospice and took memorable photos with the children. In addition, as a sign of solidarity, they uploaded the hospice logo as their profile pictures on Facebook.

600 GEL was donated for Children’s Hospice.

Among the tournaments organized by World Rugby, U20 Championship takes second place by importance (after World Cup). The tenth annual international rugby union competition for Under 20 national teams is being held in Georgia. This is the first time our country hosts the tournament of such scale and importance.

Today "Firefly World” has received a lot of gifts. With the help of LTD "Jacobs Georgia” children’s hospice got photo camera, 1 month coffee supplies and miscellaneous medical supplies. Hospice received 1 month diaper supplies from the representative of "Sharm Tarde”

On July 2^nd, good friend of the hospice, volunteer and a dedicated supporter – Kristina Smolskaya has dedicated her birthday to "Firefly World”. Her friends attended the birthday at "Fabrika” and at Kristina’s request, instead of giving her a birthday present; they donated birthday present money to the "Firefly World”. Just for the reminder, before the birthday, Kristina has conquered the peak - "Peak”and has finished the donation collection campaign.

On April 12^th, musical seminary of conservatory and pupils of "Our School” organized charity Christmas market, where the school pupils were selling products which were made by them. Children also arranged the event musically. Parents, teachers and pupils friends have attended an event. The gathered amount, 1860.67 GEL was transferred at "Firefly World” account