GEORGIA - For women headed households, street children, first time youth offenders, persons with disabilities and Internally Displaced Persons with children; discrimination, isolation and hopelessness are part and parcel of everyday life.

For the majority of individuals in these groups, relying on a hand-out from the government or another source is their only means of survival. The reality is, self-employment may represent the only means of secure income.

World Vision's Micro Enterprise Development (MED) Program aims to launch a 12 month pilot project to assist vulnerable groups with economically viable business ideas, recognising the right for every individual to reach his or her God-given potential.

Individuals and groups will be identified through World Vision's 'Children in Especially Difficult Circumstances' Program and will be referred to trained loan officers within MED. After completing a basic business training course, including drafting a business plan, groups will receive technical assistance and mentoring and will be offered small group loans up to $1000.

Micro-enterprise for vulnerable groups not only aims to stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty, but in a deeper context it aims to help society to change discriminative attitudes and stigma's attached to vulnerable individuals.