Photo Journal: Chechen civil servant

I recently became a grandmother. My granddaughter is four months old. She's a good girl. Her name is Rumis.

When my husband disappeared things were very hard for me. But children are like a safety valve - when things are very tough they can help. People often pointed out how strong I was, how I never cried.

But to be honest I was afraid to cry in front of the children, so as not to traumatize them even further.