«I wanted to do something important for Ukraine»: a photo exhibition about female deminers took place in Mykolaiv
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- Kristina LeonovaCorrespondent
A photography exhibition featuring women working in demining took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVestiA photography exhibition about women working in humanitarian demining took place in Mykolaiv. The exhibition featured female deminers who, before starting work in this field, had held various professions — ranging from accountants and designers to veterinary nurses.
This was reported by a correspondent for NikVesti.
The exhibition was organised by DanChurchAid and Norwegian Church Aid (DCA-NCA) to showcase the work of women in demining and to draw attention to the role of women in the rehabilitation of areas contaminated by explosive ordnance.
DCA-NCA in Ukraine is a joint humanitarian programme run by DanChurchAid and Norwegian Church Aid, which implements projects in Ukraine focusing on emergency response, humanitarian demining and awareness-raising about the risks associated with explosive ordnance. The programme also supports affected communities and is involved in infrastructure rehabilitation.
A photo exhibition featuring women working in demining took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti
A photo exhibition about women working in demining took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVestiKateryna Poniaieva, a public relations specialist at DCA-NCA, explained that one of the aims of the exhibition was to dispel the notion that demining is exclusively a male profession.
«We wanted to show that women can work in this field on an equal footing with men, and that they do not need to fight for this right,» said Kateryna Poniaieva.
According to her, women working as deminers pay particular attention to adhering to safety procedures and regulations. Among the reasons they chose this profession is a desire to help the country and make areas safer for civilians, particularly children.
«Women do this first and foremost for their children, so that they can walk freely in parks and other places without fear of encountering an explosive device,» noted Kateryna Poniaieva.
A photo exhibition about women working in demining was held in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVestiOne of the women featured in the exhibition is 21-year-old Karina. Before working in demining, she was a vet. She learnt about the opportunity to work as a deminer from friends and decided to try her hand at it.
«I decided that, come what may, I would get into this work,» Karina said of her decision.
At the opening of the photo exhibition, she said she was proud of her work and the opportunity to contribute to the restoration of Ukrainian land.
«I’m very proud of myself for having made it here after all, for working and helping to restore our land and agricultural activities,» said the deminer.
Another heroine of the exhibition, Hanna, works as a supervisor at DCA NCA. She started out in humanitarian demining, later became a team leader, and now oversees the work of the teams.
When asked why she decided to become a deminer, Hanna replied: «There was no other way. I wanted to do something important for Ukraine.»
A photo exhibition about women working in demining was held in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVestiDuring the opening of the exhibition, Peter Bo Larsen, head of the Danish Refugee Council’s office in Ukraine, noted that the exhibition tells not only of the work carried out by female deminers, but also of the choices people make during wartime.
«As well as showing the work carried out by our colleagues, these posters also demonstrate the resilience and courage of the Ukrainian people,» emphasised Peter Bo Larsen.
Jonas Weissager Nydekker, Secretary-General of the DCA, explained that the exhibition is on display not only in Mykolaiv but also in Copenhagen – near the town hall.
According to him, it also helps Danes to learn more about the work of DCA and NCA in Ukraine and to keep the spotlight on Mykolaiv.
NCA Secretary-General Anne Cecilie Kaltenborn emphasised that the aim of the organisations’ joint efforts is to make the present safer, tomorrow a day worth living in, and the future one that brings hope.
PHOTO REPORT
A photo exhibition about women working in demining was held in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti
A photo exhibition about women working in demining took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti
A photo exhibition about women working in demining took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVestiA photo exhibition about women working in demining took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVestiA photo exhibition about women working in mine clearance took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti
A photo exhibition about women working in mine clearance was held in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti
A photo exhibition about women working in mine clearance took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti
A photo exhibition about women working in mine clearance took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVestiA photo exhibition about women working in mine clearance took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti
A photo exhibition about women working in demining took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti
A photo exhibition about women working in mine clearance took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti
A photo exhibition about women working in mine clearance took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti
A photo exhibition about women working in mine clearance took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVestiA photo exhibition about women working in mine clearance was held in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVestiA photo exhibition about women working in mine clearance took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti
A photo exhibition about women working in mine clearance took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti
A photo exhibition about women working in demining took place in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVestiAs a reminder, on Friday 4 September, an interactive cube entitled «Together for the Reconstruction of Mykolaiv Region» was unveiled on Soborna Square in Mykolaiv. The installation highlights the partnership between the Danish Government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the reconstruction of Mykolaiv and the region.
