Community Organizers (part 2)

This is the second of a three-part series which gives a little background on our awesome Community Organizer team!
written by Jesse Tatum

Nata Samkharadze
(Born in Tbilisi, 24 February 1986)
Nata exudes a cosmopolitan coolness—but she also shows a great amount of clear dedication. Commuting from Tbilisi to work for CaucasusMap, Nata’s efforts have certainly paid off. Learning how to use the GPS devices and JOSM, Nata also likes to practice her English with the group. She has also worked for the CARE office in Gori, where she was responsible for database management.
Nata holds a degree in Psychology from Tbilisi State and has been a dancer for ten years. She also enjoys jogging, listening to Georgian folk music and reading, with Victor Hugo and “Chabua” Amirejibi as her favorite authors.

Tata Tvauri
(Born in Gori, 21 March 1986)
Fearless and opinionated, Tata is able to get immediately involved in contributing to all aspects of the Project. Tata followed her degree in English Language and Literature from Gori University by teaching English as a volunteer with the Society Biliki. She enjoys working with CaucasusMap for the opportunities to visit new places around Gori and for the camaraderie amongst her co-workers. In fact, she thinks of Project Coordinator Lee Allen more as a “friend” than a boss (but don’t tell him that). Allen, of course, knows he is lucky to count Tata among his staff and friends.
She enjoys reading, hanging out with friends and hopes to begin a Master’s in English at Tbilisi State next year.

Nino Khakhutashvili
(Born in Gori, 21 November 1985)
Being cool, collected and urbane does not stop Nino from getting her hands dirty. She has quickly adapted to working with the team, and her linguistic skills continually come in handy. Nino holds a degree in English Language and Literature from Gori University, and then studied for a year at International House in Tbilisi. She also likes to try on the odd phrase in Spanish or French to keep team members amused.
She enjoys the theater, singing, church and trips to Tbilisi. Currently teaching English to several students in Gori, Nino hopes to continue with this in the future. For now, though, CaucasusMap allows her to use those skills while learning new ones and visiting places she would otherwise not have had a chance to see.

Lika Asanidze
(Born in Tbilisi, 7 November 1986)
Watching Lika in action, the word ‘multi-talented’ comes to mind. Equally adept at leading the group in song (traditional hymns, for starters) and leading them into a new town, she is always headed in the right direction. With a major in Finance from Gori University, Lika returned to Gori after the war to volunteer with the Red Cross, conducting interviews with IDPs and aid workers on the financial situation of the displaced.
In addition to having a great singing voice, Lika loves to travel and discover hidden gems in the areas around Gori. Good with maps, she like the process of using the GPS and JOSM to fill in all the little details that contribute to enhancing the Project’s efforts. She too hopes to extend the work of CaucasusMap, especially to areas like Racha and Svaneti.
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Community Organizers (Part 3)

This is the third of a three-part series which gives a little background on our awesome Community Organizer team!
written by Jesse Tatum

Beso Ghoiniashvili
(Born in Gori, 16 July 1988)
Beso is meticulous. He once mapped a park in Kaspi, marking no fewer than 520 points within it, and added them in what appears as a perfect sort of trapezoid on the map. A whiz on the computer, there is nothing Beso cannot do for the Project. He taught himself to use Photoshop and is great at training volunteers to use JOSM. Quiet and modest by nature, his actions have earned him the greatest respect from team members, and he loves working in Gori, his home and favorite city in Georgia.
Beso has a Management degree from Tbilisi State, and he sincerely hopes to extend CaucasusMap’s work to other areas outside Shida Kartli.

Nino Maisuradze
(Born in Gori, 25 October 1986)
Spirited and enthusiastic, Nino knows how to work hard and keep things interesting. She holds a degree in English Language and Literature from Tbilisi State University, and enjoys working on the CaucasusMap Project in order to meet new people. She also excels at teaching volunteers how to use the GPS devices and JOSM. Nino is especially keen to continue with the Project in other areas of the country.
Nino’s interests include playing guitar, dancing and reading. A Farewell to Arms is her favorite book.


Sopo Lomidze
(Born in Gori, 17 February 1984)
Wise beyond her years, Sopo is another natural leader. Her previous experience includes an English Language and Literature degree from Gori University and work with an NGO, where she gave lectures on AIDS prevention in local communities in the region. Working with the CaucasusMap Project has allowed Sopo to continue to learn new skills, travel to different areas around Gori and meet new people.
She enjoys the theater and loves teaching. She currently gives private English lessons to students in Gori and would like to continue teaching in the future. Sopo likes working with an international crowd and hopes the Project will continue after November.Posted byJeffat2:22 AM0comments: Post a Comment

Newer PostOlder PostHomeSubscribe to:Post Comments (Atom)LinksJumpStart International HomeOur PhotosShida Kartli Map (Georgia)MapKiberaMikel Maron's BlogInformation about the Gaza ProjectJumpStart Jordan BlogBlog Archive▼ 2009(33) ►  December(1)TbilisiMap▼ November(5)Rustavi Mapping ClubCommunity Organizers (part 2)Community Organizers (part 1)Shavshvebi ►  October(6)The Kaspi TeamDedication and GratitudePlanning and OutreachGori Mapping PartyTraining Launched in GoriOSM Mapping Party ►  September(2)Tbilisi Mapping PartyCaucasusMap ►  August(1)Gaza Tourist Map ►  July(1)Putting the Data to Use ►  May(3)Finished!Mapping in An NuseiratMoving South ►  April(3)FreeMap Gaza Moves ForwardWest Bank UpdateFreeMap Gaza Launched ►  February(6)Hebron LivesRamallah RamallahMovementPartnership Agreement with AtlasMaps!Back to Nablus ►  January(5)The Nablus AdventureTeam Interviews in NablusTeam Interviews in RamallahRamallah or Bust!Ready to Move North ►  2008(2) ►  December(1)Progress ►  September(1)It All Starts in Bethlehem