Photo Voice: One day in an IDP’s life

Photo Voice is a project by Nana Sumbadze, co-director of the Institute for Policy Studies in Tblisi, Georgia. It is a participatory action research method developed by Wang and Burris (Wang, Burris & Ping, 1996) that allows people to narrate their own lives. Fifteen IDPs in Zugdidi (6 men and 9 women) were given a camera and asked to take photos of a day in their life.

Revaz Zarkua (7 photos), displaced from Gali district.
I am 31 years old. I live in rented apartment with my wife and three children. I am a mini-bus driver. My sons go to school, daughter stays at home with her mother and helps her. On my return from the work my wife meets me outside, in front of the hazel nuts collecting shop. Here we stay for a while, sitting on the hazel nuts sacks and talking with neighbors.

Eka Bartaia (6 photos), displaced from Ochamchire district.
I am 32 years old. I live in someone else’s house. I have a husband and two children. My 6 years old son has a bone sclerosis. My husband is a manual worker, he goes to the birja and does whatever work he can get. I do not work myself. The whole day I am busy with children.

Maka Parkaia (11 photos)
I am 29 years old. I live in the hospital kitchen, with my parents and a three year child. In the hospital, next to us live 10 more displaced families. Living conditions are very bad, roof is leaking, we tried but did not succeed in fixing it. I am a nurse, but I do not work now as a nurse. My family has a small shop and I work there.

Zviad Pirtskalava (9 photos), displaced from Gulripshi district.
I am 42 years old. I live in a rented apartment with my mother, brother and his family. I do not work due to the health problems. I learnt handicraft from my father and here in garage I organized a small workshop. When appears opportunity I do the work with my brother.

Jeiran Vakhania (13 photos), displaced from Gali region.
I am 46 years old. I live in a kitchen of a hospital with a wife and three children. I am an engineer, but I do not work by my profession. We have a kiosk, where my wife and I work every day from 7 o’clock in the morning.

Tsitso Gamakharia (17 photos), displaced from Gali district.
I am 49 years old. I live in a kitchen of a hospital with a husband and two daughters. Every morning I feed hens, then go to work, to Khinkali House (canteen). I work as a cleaning person every day from 9 in the morning till 10 at night.

Roland Chkhvirkvia (13 photos), displaced from Gali district.
I am 50 years old. I live in kindergarten with a wife, four children, 81 years old mother and a sister. By profession I am tractor driver. I used to work at the factory of essential oils, but now I am unemployed, war invalid. From morning I either drink tea, or go chatting with neighbors or sit in the yard, so goes the day.

Nargiza Danelia (9 photos), displaced from Ochamchire district.
I am 52 years old. I live in the kitchen of the hospital. I have two children and five grand¬children. I used to work in the police as a typist. Now I work in a kiosk. I am famous for fortunetelling on coffee, I cheat neighbors and they gladly come to listen to my lies.

Edisher Parkaia (12 photos), displaced from Gali.
I am 24 years old. I live in the kitchen of the hospital with my wife and mother. I work as a plumber in Zugdidi hospital.

Lela Kolbaia (12 photos), displaced from Gali district.
I am 32 years old. I live in my brother-in-law’s house with husband and two children. My husband works in IDP polyclinics as a doctor. He occasionally helps me with children. My husband’s parents live in Gali, my father also lives on the other side of the bridge, my mother lives in Zugdidi and goes to Gali. I am a teacher and work in IDP school.

Dali Khelaia (8 photos), displaced from Ochamchire district.
I am 38 years old. At the beginning I lived in a rented apartment with parents. Then I married and went to live in Internat. We were selected by Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) as a family capable of working and were provided with 500 dollars to buy a plot. Then NRC on this plot built a house for us, where we now live. We have two children. My husband works as a construction worker, whenever he gets a job. Last year we economized on food and my husband enlarged the house.

Maka Shonia (12 photos), displaced from Gali region.
I am 28 years old. I live with my parents in the village of Kakhati. At the beginning we lived in a house of a relative. Then he gave us some plot to use temporary on which eventually UN built a house for us. After some time the relative encountered financial problems and had to sell the plot. My father cleared a small spot in the forest and moved our house there. We have a cow and a pig. We breed piglets and sell them, we also make cheese and survive this way. When I have free time I read or go to chat with neighbors.

Ruslan Sajaia (13 photos), displaced from Ochamchire district.
I am 42 years old. I live in kindergarten in one room with my mother, wife and children. I studied in Lipetsk (Russia) in Industrial vocational school. In 1986 I got ill, I have a Bekhterev disease. Since 1991 I am bed-ridden. I created two rock-music groups, as well as the association of integration of disabled and development of arts. I have plenty of free time. Here come my friends and neighbors, we talk about many things, about politics, life, problems and our children. We talk much, but cannot find the solution. We only hope for return. If we return we will look after ourselves. I used to teach children play guitar, but now I do not have enough strength to do so. My son learned to play independently. He also sings well. He wants to take lessons in music, but I do not have money. I rarely go out. I cannot sit for long, as get tired quickly and then have back pain. I was told that surgery can help me and I might walk, but operation costs much money, which I do not have. I often sing. Despite anything I usually am in a good mood. What else can I do? If I am not in a good mood, what people who are looking after me could do? Do I want it or not, I have to be in a good mood.

Vardo Khelaia (8 photos), Displaced from Gali district.
I am 64 years old. I live in the kitchen of the hospital with my husband. I have three children. One lives in Zugdidi, she helps us with what she can. I used to work as a dressmaker before displacement. I am an invalid since 2005, I have restrictions in movement. I grow hens and this is how we survive. Now I have 20 hens. Our living conditions are very poor. Walls are wet and we have to put wallpaper once a year at least. Some time ago somebody stole the hens. Since then we keep them in the room and so live with hens.

Nana Khuntsaria (8 photos), displaced from Gali district.
I am 30 years old. I live in my aunt’s house with parents. I am a stomatologist, but have never worked as after graduation was not able to find a place to work. Now I am not even looking for job, as my mother is ill and needs care. I have a sister and a brother. My sister lives in Tbilisi, brother in Sanct-Petersburg. He helps us financially. I like to do things, so when I have time I knit or sew.