A young girl dons traditional clothing at a welcome
celebration. Her primary school in the small mountain
town of Udit was rebuilt by Central Asia Institute in 2018.
The community greeted us with song, dance, and
a homemade meal.
A teacher at Kindergarten #2 in Barushan covers her mouth as she
smiles. Poor dental care and a lack of modern dentistry techniques
have led to the frequent use of gold crowns when teeth become
riddled with decay. Many women we met were embarrassed by
their smiles, shrouding their mouths with their hands and brightly
colored head scarves.
A young mother dresses her daughter for school as
one of her classmates looks out onto the courtyard.
The kids at Kindergarten #5 in Khorog often arrive
at school in one outfit and immediately change into
less formal clothing for playtime.
Kindergarteners in Khorog sneak an intrigued glance outside the
window of their classroom. Their days start early, with exercise and
breakfast served by their teacher, and conclude around 5:00 p.m.,
when their parents are done with work.
FALL 2019
JOURNEY OF HOPE | 11