When Dreams Come into Focus: a new photo studio is opened in Marneuli
Text and photos: Carlotta Wichmann
In Marneuli municipality, under the EU-funded project “Empowering civil society to increase gender equality and counter gender-based violence in Georgia”, one recipient of grant funding, Nino Kasreleshvili, has recently opened up her own business. The photography-studio. ნინეას სტუდია - Ninea's Studio is where Nino has been able to turn her never-forgotten dream into reality. For many years, however, this dream seemed a long way off.
After graduating school at the age of 17, Nino studied film and television directing at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. For the first three semesters, she wrote short novels, sketches and studied photography. “Already back then, I loved everything that had to do with a camera, however, for personal reasons, I had to change my major and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in American studies.” Upon completion of her studies, she then worked as a medical representative for 8 years.
During this time, her love for photography never died. “For a long time, I grieved for my abandoned specialty. I started asking myself, how do I imagine my future and what work could I do, so that I wouldn’t have to sacrifice quality time with my children.” At first, Nino made the decision to go to school for makeup artistry, but she recalls a conversation she had with a friend – “She asked me; What do you love? What do you enjoy doing? Where do you see yourself? And what is stopping you?”
At around the same time, her sister-in-law told her about the ‘Shuttle’ programme that was to be run in Marneuli Municipality. She signed up and discovered that it was the perfect space to improve her existing skills and explore her dreams. The solidarity and support she received from both the Shuttle coach, Liaman Mamedova, and the other participants helped her in this process. “Every single one of them is so hard working and all of us have faced difficulties in our lives. With Liaman’s help, we grew into a team, and all received support one way or another,” she says.
At the end of the ‘Shuttle’ programme, participants could apply for a small business grant from the project. Nino applied to kick-start her photography business and was awarded a cash grant through the competitive selection process. She used the money she received to buy a new camera, a laptop, an equipment bag and a memory card for the camera. As part of the grant agreement there was the obligation to make a co-financing contribution and so, together with her husband, Nino turned their garage into Ninea’s Studio. She also bought lighting equipment through her own contribution. While showing us around her studio, she showed us a particularly valued item: her first camera. “My most precious item…At one point I came really close to selling it, but I simply couldn’t. It holds so many memories.”
Summing up her journey, Nino says that “with the support of my friend, the coach and my husband, I took the first step towards my dream”. Before we leave her studio, she adds: “I hope that the Shuttle programme continues on and can help other people fulfil their dreams!”
This project is led by the Center for Information and Counseling on Reproductive Health - Tanadgoma for Equality / თანადგომა თანასწორობისთვის - in partnership with Action Against Hunger South Caucasus, Women's Initiatives Supporting Group, The Union of Azerbaijani Women of Georgia / აზერბაიჯანელ ქალთა კავშირი and the National Network of Women With Disabilities შშმ ქალთა ეროვნული ქსელი. This initiative is supported by European Union in Georgia.
Since 2015 Action Against Hunger has been running the ‘Shuttle’ programme with the aim of increasing the professional and personal skills of participants. By strengthening individual competences, initiative and responsibility, participants become more competitive in the labour market. This process is supported by coaches, using a non-directive, facilitation-based approach.
