Stories: KaravellA

2013 

In 1992 there was a civil war in Georgia. 

It lasted 13 months.Georgia has lost its historical part – Abkhazia... The war is over, but the conflict exists till now. Abkhazia continues to fight for independence. 

There are 250 000 refugees in Georgia after this conflict. 

The governmental bodies gave them shelter in different buildings like hotels, hospitals, schools… One of these settlements in Tbilisi is "Student’s City” - 14 stores building without elevator,they have problems with electricity and water supply. 

The most of refugees are still unemployed, and their monthly income is only 28 GEL. Some of families have additional income and get 33 GEL from government. 

But the main problem is that they never know when they have to leave their new "homes" again.  

Abkhazia is the most painful topic for Georgians, but everyone believes that they will go home back again... 

I was five when the war started,I didn’t even really know the meaning of the word war,but I remember not being allowed to look out of the window or play outside and everyone talking about it.We talk less about the war now,but Abkhazia still concerns us and a sense of the loss is very much part of us. People I spoke to in the Student City all believed that one day they would return “home” 

P.s "Karavella" it was the old ship in Abkhazia. I was asking people,what they remember and miss most of all except their homes and some of them were saying about it.