In a small hamlet in the Ukraine with its stunning green views where most of its population are elderly, the only source to get in contact with their families is a mobile phone. Pasha Zagorodnyke, who is the old lady on this picture relies heavily on this mobile to get in contact with her son who leaves in the city, about 300 km away. She is not the only user of this technology, left by her son, but all the villagers say it is a godsend and they all worship it. Without this mobile it wouldn’t be possible to get in contact with their families who left this hamlet years ago in search of opportunities heading to the major city of Ukraine, Kiev. Most houses are empty with their owners passed away and they have left them with everything ready to move in and live. Once a blooming hamlet, populated by all generations, turning into an isolated place for older more vulnerable occupants, who have no where else to go and whose roots of hard labour are significantly evident throughout the fields and falling structures of local farm buildings. The hamlet became less attractive to live and work after fall of Soviet Union and as a result government farming which discouraged younger generation to stay. For an older generation, growing vegetables and keeping animals is the way to survival.
There is no hospital, school or post office, gas or mains water in this almost lost place and the nearest amenities are about 16 km away, which for the elderly is quite impossible to walk. Every villager comes to Pasha Zagorodnyke to make a call from time to time and as a thank you brings whatever he or she can. It is often something from their garden such as a bowl of fruits, vegetables or milk. It is important to note that a significant breakthrough achieved by scientists resulted in the emergence of a mobile phone underlines the importance of this elaborated article where for the described older generation it serves as a lifeline and a dream come true. To my astonishment, the elderly of this hamlet are using the most advanced technology to communicate but the social behaviour among them is like as it was about 60 years ago in Western world. In this respect this mobile phone is a tool for bridging gaps between vast distances that serves older population of this hamlet. The occupants of this hamlet doubted whether the infrastructure would ever be laid and telephones installed in their homes but the mobile phone answered their prayers. It is no longer a necessity for them to have infrastructure laid as more of them are given mobile phones. A single call gives them a hope that someone would come and see them, whether it is a daughter, son, grandchildren, niece or nephew. They always happy to see someone turning up at their doorstep and when I was there they treated me like a goddess. I was given the best food, bed and most of all a warm welcome.