“I am Ksusha. I am from Ukraine, and I live in Tbilisi, Georgia. My family is my only son. I love Georgia and the people in this country,” said Ksusha in Georgian, with a Ukrainian accent and a proud smile.

For nearly a year now, she has been studying the Georgian language with the help of ASB Georgia. She attends free online tutoring classes designed for displaced children and adults like her.

Three years ago, Ksusha and her son Kolya arrived in Georgia after fleeing the war in Ukraine’s Sumy region. They escaped the conflict through a humanitarian corridor. Since arriving in Tbilisi, they’ve been slowly rebuilding their lives.

Among the first support they received was from ASB Georgia, which provided multi-purpose cash assistance and a winterization program to help cover basic needs and utility costs during the winter months. For Ksusha, one of the most transformative forms of support was access to Georgian language classes.

“I knew that if I wanted to feel part of this country, I needed to understand its people,” she explains, flipping through a worn-out notebook filled with neatly written Georgian phrases. “These are my notes—I write everything down during lessons and study every day. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.”

Thanks to the dedication of the teachers and the supportive environment created by ASB, Ksusha has made steady progress. Learning simple words has grown into the ability to form basic sentences and hold everyday conversations. “I can go to the shop and ask ‘რა ღირს?’ (‘How much does it cost?’). I can talk to neighbors. Even if my Georgian isn’t perfect, people understand me—and that means so much.”

Kolya, 14, currently studies in the Ukrainian sector at school, but both mother and son agree that learning the Georgian language has opened new doors for them.

“These classes helped me catch up in math and other subjects. I was afraid to ask questions in school, but here I can ask anything. When we came from Ukraine, I didn’t know the Georgian language at all. Now I can understand to my classmates.”— says Kolya.

“Learning Georgian helped me feel less like a guest and more like a neighbor,” adds Ksusha. “It’s still difficult, but every word I learn brings me closer to this community.”

With the support of ASB, Ksusha and Kolya are now successfully integrating into Georgian society—just like many other Ukrainian refugees living in Georgia.

ASB Georgia is committed to supporting Ukrainians living in Georgia through a wide range of initiatives. We provide essential multi-purpose cash assistance, offer psychosocial support, and work to facilitate the integration of Ukrainians into Georgian society. Our projects have touched the lives of hundreds of Ukrainians, including many children and older adults.