Creating Opportunities for the Next Generation in Pankisi Valley
When Linda Parulidze looks at the children now filling the classrooms of the Roddy Scott Foundation in Duisi, Pankisi Valley, she sees a reflection of her younger self. Curious but unsure of what the future might hold, she never imagined that one day she would return as a teacher, helping hundreds of young people discover opportunities that once changed her own life.
Born and raised in Pankisi Valley, Linda is part of the local Kist community, descendants of Chechens who settled in Georgia in the 19th century. At 29 years old, she is now a mother of two daughters, teaches English at the local public school and has been working at the Roddy Scott Foundation since 2020. For her, the Foundation is much more than a workplace—it is the place that transformed her life.
"I wasn't a very good student," she admits with a laugh. "I was quite lazy and didn't enjoy studying."
Everything changed in 2008, when she joined the Roddy Scott Foundation as one of its first students. Established in memory of British journalist Roddy Scott, the Foundation has become a cornerstone of youth development in Pankisi Valley. For nearly two decades, it has offered children and young people a safe space to learn English, develop leadership and communication skills, participate in cultural exchanges and discover opportunities beyond the valley.
"Step by step, I fell in love with learning," Linda recalls. "The teachers believed in us, and that made me believe in myself."
That encouragement inspired her to pursue a degree in English Philology at Tbilisi State University. After graduating, she returned to the Foundation, this time as a teacher. Although she had little classroom experience, she received training and gradually grew into her new role. Today, she works to inspire the next generation, just as her own teachers inspired her years before.
In the Pankisi Valley, young people have few opportunities to learn and grow. Funding is limited, and opportunities are especially scarce for young girls. The Foundation therefore serves as a trusted community hub where young people can learn and build new skills, spend time with friends and simply feel safe.
Yet, like many local organisations, sustaining these activities has often depended on securing external support.
That opportunity came through the FORWARD – Forging Wider Alliances for Rural Development project, implemented by Action Against Hunger and funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) as part of International Partnerships Austria. Through the project, Local Action Groups (LAGs) identify local priorities and support community-led initiatives that respond to the needs of their own communities. Recognising the Foundation's long-standing contribution to education in Pankisi Valley, the Akhmeta LAG selected its proposal for financial support through a launched grants programme.
With funding provided by Action Against Hunger through the FORWARD project, the Foundation was able to cover the salaries of six teachers for six months, ensuring that educational activities could continue while expanding their reach to more young people from the remote Pankisi Valley.
The grant allowed the Foundation to organise eleven learning groups involving nearly 250 students between the ages of 12 and 18. While English remained at the heart of the programme, the classes also focused on public speaking, leadership, teamwork and critical thinking through interactive games, role-playing and outdoor activities.
"In the beginning, many of the children are very shy," Linda explains. "But little by little they start speaking, sharing their ideas and believing that their opinions matter. Watching that transformation is the most rewarding part of my job."
The impact of the Foundation reaches far beyond the classroom. English has in fact become an increasingly valuable skill, opening doors to employment in tourism, guiding services and family guesthouses, while also helping young people pursue higher education or opportunities abroad.
Perhaps even more importantly, the Foundation has become a trusted bridge between families and new experiences. Through educational camps, exchange programmes and study visits across Georgia and abroad, young people have been able to travel beyond the valley, sometimes for the very first time.
These experiences allow young people to imagine futures they may never have considered before, helping them become more independent, confident and open to the world.
Former students regularly return to share how the skills they gained at the Foundation continue to shape their lives.
"Knowing that something they learned here helped them build their future is incredibly meaningful," Linda admits.
"We need places like this," she says. "Education doesn't only teach children a language. It helps them become stronger, more confident and ready to build their own future."
Linda's story reflects what community-led development can achieve when communities work together. Through the support of the Austrian Development Agency and the implementation of Action Against Hunger together with Akhmeta Local Action Group, the Roddy Scott Foundation has been able to continue investing in the valley's greatest resource: its young people.
For Linda, this is the project's greatest success: helping a new generation believe that their future can be bigger than the boundaries of the valley they call home.
