Hanna Ivannikova (38)
From Fashion Designer to Deminer
One day, as Hanna Ivannikova was walking her five-year-old son home from kindergarten, he looked up at her and asked:
“Mum, isn’t your job dangerous?”
“Yes, it is,” she replied. “Why do you ask?”
It turned out that the children at kindergarten had been talking about dangerous jobs. Proudly, her son had told them that his mother clears mines from fields.
“It touched me that even a child understands how important this work is, despite the risks involved,” Hanna says.
For many years, Hanna worked as a fashion and textile designer. But four years ago, while on maternity leave, she came across a recruitment advert encouraging people to train as deminers. The idea stayed with her.
“For a long time, I weighed the pros and cons of leaving a secure career for a dangerous job in the field.”
“It helps to know that what I do truly matters. It gives me a sense of purpose and hope.”
“They needed people like me. For a long time, I weighed the pros and cons of leaving a secure career for a dangerous job in the field. In the end, I realised it was exactly what I wanted to do,” she says.
Today, Hanna spends her days working in areas contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance. She never loses sight of the risks.
“I can’t say that I’m not afraid. Fear is a natural part of our instinct to survive. It reminds me to follow every safety rule and procedure, and that’s what keeps the work safe,” she explains.Hanna Ivannikova – deminer
Because of that, Hanna feels she has a measure of control over her own safety while working. It gives her a sense of confidence and purpose, something she often lacks during air raids, when danger strikes without warning and cannot be controlled.
“Every single day, I worry about whether there will even be a tomorrow for me and my family. I try to stay strong and present and give my son the happy experiences he deserves. But it’s difficult when drones are constantly flying overhead and we can hear explosions around the city. Sometimes I have to put on a brave face and smile for his sake, so that he doesn’t carry my fears as well.”
For Hanna, demining is about more than clearing land. It also helps quiet the anxiety that has become part of daily life during the war.
“It helps to know that what I do truly matters. It gives me a sense of purpose and hope.”
