On a regular basis “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” report about deserted villages whose residents are trying to leave the country. Our correspondent has paid a visit to the village of Marçak in Tagtabazar etrap, located near Turkmenistan-Afghanistan border.
Only teachers and employees of the gengeshlik’s offices (local councils) of working age, children of pre-school and school age and senior citizens (about 70 and over) have been left in the village.
The elderly look after children whose parents make a living working overseas, primarily in Turkey, and send home $100-200 a month.
Those families, where grandparents have already passed away, are urged to leave the children with relatives or neighbours under the condition that they will pay for the babysitting services and cover all children-related expenses.
Female senior graders and school graduates find jobs as house maids in families where elderly people and children are left. They cook, do the laundry and cleaning and look after children.
When an elderly person dies, other senior citizens and teenagers are engaged in organizing burial and commemoration ceremonies.
The correspondent of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” witnessed a khudai-yoly (charity lunch) held in one of the houses in the village.Less than a dozen of elderly people attended the ceremony whereas the rest were children.
Many neighbours could not come because of the state of their health.Moreover, a lot of houses on the street are deserted as the whole households left for good.