High in the Pamir mountains of Afghanistan, a remnant group of less than 1000 Kyrgyz dwell in one of the remotest and inhospitable environments occupied by any human population. Deprived of the simplest infrastructure, schools or health care institutions and faced with an ever growing problem of opium addiction,this community shows the highest level of maternal and child mortality in the world. With eight months of winter the beauty of
the Afghan Pamir belies its ability to support life.