Reference : V-P-UA-E-01101
Date : 26/12/2022
Country/Region : UKRAINE
Caption : Donetsk Oblast, Sviatohirsk. Portrait of a resident.
Photographer : SYNENKO, Alyona
Keyword : WOMAN; PORTRAIT
Confidentiality level : public
Publication restrictions : publication without restrictions
Copyright : ICRC
Description : Nadezhda lives with her husband Pavel and her mother-in-law Nelya, 85. They stayed in their house in Sviatohirsk throughout the occupation and fighting. Their house was severely damaged. They received from the ICRC quick-repair materials, hygiene and food parcels and bricks of dry fuel.

Nelya says: "We built this house with my husband. He died in 2003, I live with my son and daughter-in-law. We spent months hiding in the cellar, we could hardly get out. I couldn't feed my rabbits. Fortunately, we had our stock of pickles and dry bread. When our stock ran out, we made our own bread by mixing flour, water and salt and fried it. Whatever we had to eat, we shared with the neighbours. If we hadn't been in solidarity, we wouldn't have survived.
All the shops were closed for several months, and our stocks were running out. Of course, we were happy to receive anything. We received food and hygiene parcels two months ago, no one else was coming here at that time. We only saw the Red Cross and the military. "

Nadezhda says: "At first I was afraid to go into the house and see the damage. But then, with my husband, we started to clean the debris and make repairs little by little. I remember one time it rained heavily at night and the water came through the tarpaulins and down into the cellar. At night, in total darkness, with no electricity, the three of us were on the floor bailing out the water. At first we used the ICRC plastic sheeting to cover the broken windows. But as winter approached, we borrowed glass and roofing materials from neighbours. The dry fuel bricks help us keep the house warm."
Original material : slide
Resolution : 7671x5116
Orientation : landscape
Colour/B&W : colour

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