Violence knows no borders, and its repercussions extend far beyond the battlefield, erasing years of history and culture in its wake. Wars do not end with firing the last bullet; they leave profound scars on children's minds worldwide. This underscores the critical role of education in nurturing a future that can break the cycle of conflict.
In Ukraine, thousands of schools have borne the brunt of the violence, with many damaged or destroyed. Less than 60 percent of these institutions have been deemed safe and fit to reopen by the government. Children have been robbed of stability, security, classrooms, friendships, families, homes, and their dreams for the future. A staggering 3.3 million children are in need of child protection interventions.
"Hijacked Education" is an ongoing documentary photography project with the purpose of creating a visual testament to illustrate how violence, extremism, intolerance, and fear are stealing away the future of an entire generation.
My journey began in 2018 when I visited Ukraine to explore the intersection between the legacy of war on education and the radicalization of a new generation that might break the cycle of conflict. I spent two months tracing how warfare impacts childhood during two separate trips. When the war reignited at the end of February 2022, I made the decision to return to Ukraine with the support of THE NEW YORK TIMES, FRANCE 24, and UNICEF. Since then, between 2022 and 2023, I have been documenting attacks on education in cities like Kramatorsk, Kharkiv, Neskuchne, Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr, Irpin, Chernihiv, Lviv, among others.
This project goes beyond the frontlines, revealing what remains after the bombings, killings, and battles—a humanity left with nothing but life, and thousands of children who have lost their future. In the absence of pictures, there is no memory.
