Upper Svaneti Local Action Group (LAG) Upper Svaneti unites 17 territorial units of Mestia Municipality. Its establishment was preceded by a long and complicated, but fruitful process of setting priorities of the population. As a result of meetings, there were identified problems of the community, while through joint efforts, a Local Development Strategy (LDS) of Mestia Municipality was developed. 

It was also an earlier experience that helped Elene in communicating with the community. She headed a Youth Affairs Service in Mestia - “I had business communication with most of them for years. LAG unites people who are extremely in love with Svaneti”. The goal of the organization is to develop a rural economy, provide sustainable management of natural resources, increase participation of vulnerable groups, women, and youth in rural life... At this stage, LAG has announced a grant competition that is going to fund projects designed in accordance with priority issues outlined in the strategy. 

At the initiative of a Youth Wing of LAG, several charity events were also held for elderly, disabled, and socially vulnerable people during the pandemic. In the first case, there were distributed food baskets to 320 families. The second campaign - “Present a New Year, deliver gifts” was carried out for the New Year and about 35 beneficiaries had their wishes come true. 

Elene helps young people in the region to acquire knowledge, necessary skills, tries to mobilize them so as to let them become initiators of beneficial changes themselves in the future – “Because the municipal budget is scarce, I helped local youth to established an organization “Youth for the Mountain” to mobilize more financial resources and create new opportunities for others. I especially remember a rehabilitation project related to the operation of a youth club “Betkili”. 5 years have passed since then and “Betkili” is still a gathering place for young people (seasonally). Those visiting the club can spend their free time in an interesting way”. 

Within the framework of the EXCESS project, Elene teaches also the English language to 13-17-year-olds adolescents: “It is very interesting to have relationships with people of transition age, you watch them grow and develop, and when you are happy that “they” are your students and it fills your heart with pride. Prior to meeting them, I train and prepare myself separately, continuous study and development is must for all”. Elene is also a young startupper - she purchased a plot of land in Kashkhiani independently to develop her business, mortgaged the land, and arranged an eco-friendly space there called ”Mestia Wooden Huts”. 

Recently, Elene confronted a rather difficult challenge: a sudden high-voltage power burned one of the two cottages completely. The next day after the fire, her friends, students, and young people in Mestia launched a “Youth in Support of Elene” campaign immediately so as to encourage her. These people gave Elene an incentive to start renovating the hotel with new energy. “We all struggle. We may often fall, but we must not stop, a solution can always be found. We have to pass our way ourselves. We can all participate in the development of the country, we are even obliged to do so”.