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Home > Svaneti portraits > Marina Gerliani

Marina Gerliani

Home   |   Places   |   People

Svaneti is my homeland

An initiative of Bankwatch.
Photos by Rosa Vroom.

Marina Gerliani

‘Even if you offer me millions or billions of money, my millions and billions are that I can wake my children up at fresh air and in my yard, this is my luxury.’

https://vimeo.com/236591498
Marina is on the sofa, she seems tired, her face sad.

Marina is an internally displaced person (IDP) from Abkhazia. An IDP is a refugee who remains within his or her country’s borders. She fears to be resettled for a second time in her life due to the construction of the Nenskra dam. Several negotiations were held but there is still no clear information about what will happen with her house, her family and her yard.

Svans honor their ancestors. They often bury their relatives close to their houses. Leaving behind the land with their ancestor’s remains is a form of disrespect to the family’s history and those that have passed away. The thought of losing the native house is unacceptable to Marina Garliani. “Even if they give me millions, I will not leave the place, I will die here,” she says.

Marina is a housewife and IDP from Chuberi.

Svaneti is threatened by massive hydropower developments

We are trying to prevent that and preserve the regions unique way of life.

Sign up to stay updated and to help the people of Svaneti.

Find out more about these hydropower projects





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