In Georgian valley, war-scarred women battle tradition

In Georgian valley, war-scarred women battle tradition

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Fending for herself after leaving a husband who kidnapped her and then losing two sons in Syria's war, Leila Achishvili (pictured below) has fought hard to secure her independence in fiercely patriarchal north-east Georgia.

. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya
Achishvili and her daughter Mariam Kebadze, 16, prepare traditional Georgian dish, khinkali, for their guests.

She has settled in Jokolo, a village in the Pankisi Gorge, a conservative, mainly-Muslim enclave in the majority-Christian country.

"I'm happy I'm not married now, I feel free and can do everything by myself. I got a driving license and opened a guesthouse," the 53-year-old said.

. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya
Achishvili hosts tourists from Poland and Belgium for a dinner. Barbara Konkolewska (right), who is an old friend of Achishvili, owns a travel company Caucasus X-trek in Poland and brings tourists to Pankisi.

She relies on the business, which she set up in 2016, to make ends meet without interference from the male family members who are the community's traditional breadwinners - and to provide a future for her surviving child.

. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya
"It's really boring sometimes here... Girls don't go outside at night because they are embarrassed and sometimes I really miss going for a walk in the evening," Mariam said. "One of my dreams is to live somewhere in the mountains, maybe in Switzerland. I read about a music festival in a forest there with beautiful lights at night, and people just dancing and laughing."

"I want to support my daughter in everything and try to send her to study abroad because there is no development for her in Pankisi," she said.

The gorge is linked by mountain passes to the southern Russian region of Chechnya, and many of its inhabitants are ethnic Chechens.

. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya
A boy takes his horse to Duisi village to take part in a horse race to commemorate death of one of the residents of Pankisi Gorge.

When she was growing up, Achishvili dreamt of becoming an actress, but a visiting Chechen businessman fell in love with her and, she says, abducted her and took her back to his country to be his wife.

"I had different plans, I wanted to study and work, not marry," says Achishvili.

. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya
A woman cleans a gravestone.

Before she left him, the couple had two sons, who moved to Austria. Achishvili lost touch with them and only learnt though a friend that they had been radicalised by Islamic State and killed while fighting in Syria.

"When I found out my children were dead, I fell down, I could no longer walk," she said.

. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya
Boys from local martial arts team train on a football field.

The Syrian war has directly affected at least one other woman in the valley, who has also faced prejudice in trying to raise a family alone.

Sumaya's husband was killed there. Fearing her four children's prospects could be damaged if their name was associated with the conflict, she declined to be identified by her family name.

. Ekaterina Anchevskaya
Achishvilii visits a gym.

She has opened a gym, which is one the few public places where women can meet.

She says many are too fearful to attend.

But Achishvili and her daughter Mariam, 16, plan to go, hoping to show others that practicing sport is nothing to be ashamed of.

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Slideshow

Alazani river early morning.
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Alazani river early morning.

Girls play in Alazani river in Dzibakhevi village.
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Girls play in Alazani river in Dzibakhevi village.

Mariam and her cousins walk along Alazani river. The three girls live in Grozny, Chechnya and came to Pankisi for the first time and are spending summer there. "I love my cousins and we have a lot of fun but I think they are still very immature and we can't talk about many things," Mariam said.
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Mariam and her cousins walk along Alazani river. The three girls live in Grozny, Chechnya and came to Pankisi for the first time and are spending summer there. "I love my cousins and we have a lot of fun but I think they are still very immature and we can't talk about many things," Mariam said.

Mariam fixes her hair during an evening walk. Mariam used to live with her father in Telavi and moved to Pankisi where she now lives and studies to support her mother.
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Mariam fixes her hair during an evening walk. Mariam used to live with her father in Telavi and moved to Pankisi where she now lives and studies to support her mother.

Students attend an English class at a school in Jokolo village.
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Students attend an English class at a school in Jokolo village.

Bela Mutoshvili, 55, a music teacher, and guesthouse owner, sits outside her Folk Guesthouse. "Developing tourism is the only way for the village to survive now, there are no other jobs here," Mutoshvili said. "I have a group of very talented students but I'm afraid if they get married young they give up music and their dreams. They are very ambitious and want to continue studying in conservatory, I support them as much as I can."
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Bela Mutoshvili, 55, a music teacher, and guesthouse owner, sits outside her Folk Guesthouse. "Developing tourism is the only way for the village to survive now, there are no other jobs here," Mutoshvili said. "I have a group of very talented students but I'm afraid if they get married young they give up music and their dreams. They are very ambitious and want to continue studying in conservatory, I support them as much as I can."

Boys play cards after school in Jokolo village.
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Boys play cards after school in Jokolo village.

Abu Achishvili, 41, first Pankisi Gorge mountain guide who works with foreign company Caucasus X-trek, kisses his horse.
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Abu Achishvili, 41, first Pankisi Gorge mountain guide who works with foreign company Caucasus X-trek, kisses his horse.

Abu Achishvili said: "I've lived in the mountains for three years, I know the value of human life."
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Abu Achishvili said: "I've lived in the mountains for three years, I know the value of human life."

Residents of the Pankisi Gorge head to a protest against the planned construction of a hydropower plant, near the village of Birkiani.
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Residents of the Pankisi Gorge head to a protest against the planned construction of a hydropower plant, near the village of Birkiani.

An old bus stands outside a garage in Duisi village.
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

An old bus stands outside a garage in Duisi village.

Local villager works in his garden.
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Local villager works in his garden.

A woman covers her face during a rally held by residents of the Pankisi Gorge, who protest against the planned construction of a hydropower plant, near the village of Birkiani.
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

A woman covers her face during a rally held by residents of the Pankisi Gorge, who protest against the planned construction of a hydropower plant, near the village of Birkiani.

Residents of Pankisi Gorge clash with police during a rally held to stop the planned construction of hydropower plant near Birkiani village.
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Residents of Pankisi Gorge clash with police during a rally held to stop the planned construction of hydropower plant near Birkiani village.

Residents of Pankisi Gorge pray during the rally held to stop the planned construction of hydropower plant near Birkiani village.
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Residents of Pankisi Gorge pray during the rally held to stop the planned construction of hydropower plant near Birkiani village.

Men pray in a mosque after Eid-al-Fitr during Ramadan month in Jokolo village.
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Men pray in a mosque after Eid-al-Fitr during Ramadan month in Jokolo village.

Women gather for a traditional Sufi ceremony, zikr, performed every Friday in Duisi village.
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Women gather for a traditional Sufi ceremony, zikr, performed every Friday in Duisi village.

Mosque stands on the main street in Duisi village.
. Pankisi, Georgia. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

Mosque stands on the main street in Duisi village.