It’s rare to find a stream of water that’s clean enough t

It’s rare to find a stream of water that’s clean enough to drink safely in Afghanistan, but for those living in villages like Chelkhand - at the farthest reaches of the Wakhan Corridor in the country’s north-east - this has never been a problem. Streams from natural springs and snow-melt provide ample water to sustain crops and livestock as well as what’s needed for the district’s 15,000 residents’ personal consumption. Some of the streams power small hydro-electric plants and most are channelled to irrigate crops higher on the slopes before reaching either the Panj or Pamir Rivers on the valley floors. These two rivers ultimately join up to form the Amu Darya which marks Afghanistan’s northern border with Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Pictured here, men from Chelkhand corral small fish (and dinner) into a home-made net on a favoured stretch of stream for fishermen halfway between the provincial capital, Ishkashim and the border with China. Andrew Quilty / Oculi. 29.4.2015. #everydayeverywhere #wakhan #wakhantourism #fish #fishing #afghanistan