“Sometimes, I carry books to school in a plastic bag,” says 12-year-old Irakli, whose dreams went up in flames.

“I look at the spot where my house used to stand before the fire. My dreams also burned in the fire.”

“I am Irakli, I am 12 years old. I am a boy who no longer believes that dreams can come true. All my dreams, wishes, and hopes that I had over these 12 years were consumed by the fire in just one second.  That day the fire destroyed not only my home but also my childhood.  My biggest dream is to have a home again in the village of Kvabga. No fire can destroy the dream of my village. Do you know why? Because I was born here. I felt happiest in life when I was drawing. I painted many pictures. I don’t want to brag, but I used to participate in exhibitions. All my paintings burned on that fateful day. And now I have no more brushes or anything I need for painting. My dream is to start drawing again. Right now, what I want most is to have new clothes and shoes because everything I had burned in the fire. I go to school in donated clothes. Some clothes are too small for me, some are too big. I would like to wake up one day and have new clothes at home. I dream of going to school in beautiful clothes and new jeans. I dream of sneakers.  I don’t have a single pair of sneakers, and I don’t know if I’ll ever have them again. I want a hoodie and sports pants. The clasp on my school bag is broken, and sometimes I carry books to school in a plastic bag. I am a village boy, and now I am homeless too. When I grow up, I will build a big house for children who, like me, lost everything because of the fire. Do you know why I will build them a house? So that they are never called ‘homeless’ like me.”

(Purpose: Irakli Dumbadze)