Project – Start Living Healthier

“Start Living Healthier” is the name of ERASMUS+ project which was created by non-governmental organization “Mokimosi idejos” in partnership with Caucasus International University (Georgia) and non-governmental organizations from four different countries: Spain, Turkey, Macedonia, and Estonia. The project was held from 18 to 24 November, 2015 in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Five students from different courses and faculties have been selected as the result of an interview and they participated in the project on behalf of Caucasus International University. They are: Lela Varshanidze, Aleksandra Shakaia, Mariam Gigineishvili, Giorgi Mekvabidze and Dima Nebieridze.

It is worth mentioning that one of the authors of the above mentioned project is the graduate of Caucasus International University Mariam Lapeniene.

The name of the project “Start Living Healthier” expresses the main idea of the project and the organizers’ wish – to give motivation to the youth to start healthy life.

To achieve the goal and demonstrate in practice the theoretical knowledge presentations, various activities and innovative teaching methodology have been used. Creative approach, which demanded from participants to create shorts stories, songs, or short performances made informal education more attractive and highlighted the advantage of healthy lifestyle. Project participants filmed a motivating video by surveying Lithuanian youth whether they followed healthy lifestyle or not. Furthermore, invited speakers shared their experience with the youth and gave useful advice.

In order to find out whether they have reached their aim or not, the organizers made the participants face the following challenge – according to the given task the youth have to conduct a seminar for Kaunas “sporto ir sveikatimino gimnazija” students. Sharing knowledge did not represent difficulty for them. However, the main challenge was to give a seminar in an interesting and funny way.  Therefore, participants who were divided into five groups have used energizers to talk around different significant issues. They carried out an experiment and performed a short play. These helped them to improve presentation skills, deepen English language knowledge and see the significance of healthy lifestyle.

The project not only deepened volunteers’ knowledge in relation to the significance of healthy lifestyle but gave them opportunity to become familiar with cultures of different countries, customs and cuisine. Caucasus International University students also created Georgian corner, thus they introduced our culture, supra traditions, and let the guests taste Georgian wine, churchkhela, nuts, cheese and Khachapuri. The participants acquired many new friends, knowledge and, the most important, unforgettable impressions.

Consequently, a week tour in Kaunas, a small city of Lithuania turned out to be profitable and full of impressions.