“We want our people living abroad to rejoice in Chechen culture and traditions. Maybe it will tempt them to come back home,” he explains.

Ednan Dzhabirov is a Chechen living in Moscow. He says he logs on to VayTube every day, as it makes him feel a little closer to home. He is impressed with the progress his people in Grozny have made since the conflict. A few years ago, such a website would have been just a dream.

“In the past, our republic did not have a voice of its own, but now people can speak on their own behalf. And this website gives them a platform. I’m proud of the progress that they’re making,” Edhan says.

This website is not just for the benefit of those Chechens living abroad, but it also leaves a positive mark on the young generation still living in Chechnya. School children in the Chechen capital Grozny are contributing to the site layout, gaining valuable skills in web design and maintenance.

Currently, VayTube is only in Russian, but the creators are working on translations into Chechen, English and Arabic.