チェルノブイリでは史上最悪の原子力事故が起き、原子力発電所周辺は過去27年間立ち入り禁止区域になっています。それでも、そこには200人ほどの住民が暮らしています。しかも住民のほとんどがおばあさんです。誇り高い彼女達は、移住命令を拒否してきました。故郷やコミュニティーとのつながりが、「放射線でさえ かなわない力」になっているからです。

チェルノブイリに住む理由、それは故郷だから

After Chernobyl’s disaster, nearly all were forced to flee the poisonous Exclusion Zone, yet about 200 elderly women returned and stayed, drawn by their ancestral roots. Many endured Stalin’s famines and Nazi occupation, so invisible radiation seemed a lesser threat than losing community and home. Despite dire warnings, these women have outlived many who relocated, showing the resilience that deep connection to land and belonging can offer. Their story reframes risk, revealing that for some, a sense of place is a vital force that can outweigh even deadly contamination.

Defying Radiation, Home Means More Than Safety In Chernobyl

*The Babushkas of Chernobyl*

Gallery: Proud babushkas, happy at home