Remote village in Balkh Province lacks basic living essentials

Set amongst vast crags of the Hindu Kush Mountains in the northern Balkh province of Afghanistan is Taralai, a remote village that is home to about 70 families.

For these families, living in sub-zero temperatures through winter and scorching heat through summer, life has pretty much stayed the same for generations as basic modern services have not yet reached them.

Without basic services, these residents collect water from the mountain streams during the day, using donkeys to transport their containers, while children roam the dusty tracks summer and winter as school is a distant dream.

Without any schools, healthcare facilities or any other basic service, life for these villagers is extremely challenging.

Their village of mud houses blends in with its surroundings and has withstood the test of time but residents are becoming increasingly frustrated over the lack of services.

They say access to clean drinking water is one of their main priorities, along with education facilities for their children and healthcare services for the sick.

Villagers say they have repeatedly appealed to the authorities to bring services to their village so that development can take place.

However, so far nothing has been done for them, they say.

According to them, their calls for help have gone unheard and instead they are struggling to eke out a living in order to cover their basic costs.