The Central Asian country of Tajikistan is less rich in natural resources than its neighbours. When Tajikistan was part of the USSR it was dependent on imports from the Soviet Union. The economy of the country has been affected badly by independence, and there are not many job possibilities for its citizens.

As a result many Tajik men travel to Russia or Kazakhstan to find work. Some estimates say that one in four Tajik families has a family member working abroad. Their families depend on the money they send home.

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This photo diary from BBC News shows a glimpse of the life of those left behind in Tajikistan (photo above is from the article).

Now Russia is cutting back on guest workers because of economic problems. That probably means more hardship for Tajik families in the future.

About the author

Lucy is English and first ventured out of the UK she was 19. Since then she has lived in 4 different countries and tried to see as much of the world as possible. She loves learning languages, learning about different cultures and hearing different points of view.