21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Artistic
A man scoops up hemp chives to mix hemplime building material

Refugee Oleg mixes the hemp-lime building material. Mixing the hemp chives with lime and water, which creates the building materials for the walls. Our ancestors used to build in groups of 20-30 people, which took up to two weeks to finish a house. This method again is becoming relevant during war, as there is no money nor access to expensive building contractors. The refugee community of 170 people started the rebuilding of the farm, which also provides labor therapy for the treturning soldiers, suffering from PTSD.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 08.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Morshyn, Ukraine
Camera: LEICA Q2
Copyright: © Maren Krings