00:007 a.m. In a frozen remote village in Yakutia, the temperature dropped to minus 54 degrees Celsius.
00:13Despite the chilly weather, life here doesn't stop. Alena, a mother of three,
00:18begins her morning routine by waking her children.
00:23Eight-year-old Sayana, the eldest, is a primary school student.
00:28But due to today's extreme cold, the school has closed its doors.
00:32Meanwhile, the nursery that six-year-old Kunnei attends keeps its schedule unchanged,
00:37unaffected by the harsh conditions outside. This means Kunnei must still go to nursery.
00:44Alena, a middle school teacher, faces the daily challenge of getting her children ready
00:49and herself to work on time. Her workday starts at 8 a.m. and both the nursery and her school
00:56still operate despite the freezing temperatures, meaning Alena and her children do not have the
01:02option to stay at home today.
01:10The preparation for leaving the house is meticulous. Sayana, although her school is closed today,
01:16dresses warmly to accompany her mother and her siblings to the nursery.
01:20The family layers up with thermal wear, multiple sweaters, heavy coats and accessories that covers
01:27every inch of exposed skin. The youngest, two-year-old Ersan also attends a local nursery school.
01:39In Yakutia, it's typical for children to start daycare as early as two months old
01:44and continue until they begin primary school at age 7.
02:01The family sets out on their cold, dark walk to the nursery. The morning remains dark because the
02:08sun only appears for a few hours each day during the winter.
02:15The children hardly ever see daylight, spending most of their time inside,
02:20save from the severe cold outside.
02:22In Yakutia, even a 10-minute walk can be challenging, as the cold seeps through any layer of clothing.
02:52Finally, Alona and her children reach the nursery. The severity of the cold becomes evident,
03:03as she noticed that little Ersan is complaining of pain in his fingers from the cold air. A reminder
03:10of the tough conditions these children often face.
03:28In Yakutia, nurseries usually serve children from 2 months up to age 7.
03:32These centers help teach reading, writing and basic math before the children start school.
03:40Nurseries usually operate from 8am to 6.30pm. They are often public, funded by the government
03:46and free of charge, making them accessible to everyone. Meals are also provided on a crucial part
03:53of the day. Children eat four times a day at the nursery school, which includes first breakfast,
03:58second breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea, ensuring they receive enough calories to cope with the harsh
04:05winters. Many public buildings, including schools and nurseries in Yakutian villages use central heating
04:13systems, unlike the houses. These systems are usually powered by centralized boilers that distribute heat
04:20through a network of pipes, with coal often used as a fuel.
04:32Alona and her family live in the western part of Yakutia, the coldest region on earth,
04:37home to about 10,000 inhabitants. Here, the winter are long and harsh, yet residents continue their daily
04:45routines, braving the frigid temperatures to head to work. Primary schools suspend in-person classes
04:51when temperatures drop below minus 45 degrees. Susayana is attending her classes from home today.
05:01Despite the severe cold, Alona, Sayana's mother is at work today. The middle school, unlike the primary
05:20schools, remains open and its students are attending classes in person. Alona is a music teacher and teaches
05:29her classes in Sakhal language, native to the residents of Yakutia. The Sakhal language is part of Siberian
05:35Turkic branch of the Turkic languages and is spoken by around 450,000 native speakers. Locals are typically
05:42bilingual, fluent in both Russian and Sakhal.
05:59In the afternoon, Radomir, the father of the house, returns from work. He works as a cameraman for a local TV channel.
06:18While his wife Alona and their children are out, Radomir ensures that the home stays warm by tending to the
06:24stove. During the cold winter days, he fires up the stove four times daily to maintain a comfortable temperature.
06:36In addition to the heating stove, Radomir and his family use a heating boiler to warm the house.
06:42This setup costs them about $300 each month for heating and electricity.
06:56In the village, many families engage in cattle breeding and share the yield with their friends and relatives.
07:14Throughout the summer, Radomir helps his relatives with hay harvesting,
07:18which is crucial for sustaining their cattle through the winter.
07:22In return, Radomir receives meat from his relatives, which will sustain his own family throughout the year.
07:32Now Radomir plans to take the frozen meat to a meat cutting station,
07:35where it can be properly cut and stored for the upcoming winter.
07:51So, I prepared the native cuisine rather than aян and clean tank over cold winter.
08:00It is not easy to entertain.
08:03Ieleriand that 30 голос can water-met pur потреб 귀ently cut the 48 hour period of water.
08:05But to thepoison to pick its fingers that people do not dry while this isningen for fertility.
08:12The short style of banana brewery is요.
08:14Meanwhile, after returning home, Alena takes over caring for her children.
08:26She reads them tales in Saha language, ensuring they stay connected to their culture and mother tongue.
08:33Alena dedicates most of her time to teaching her kids.
08:36She nurtures their musical talents by teaching them to sing and play the piano.
08:41Alena and Radomir believe that providing love, warmth and kindness is essential to giving their children the best upbringing.
09:10In Yakutia, families are usually very close-knit, with parents offering unwavering support to their children throughout their lives.
09:19This support often continues as the children start their own families and when the parents grow older and need care,
09:26it's common for them to live with their children, who then take care of them.
09:30It's uncommon for elderly people to go to nursery homes and there are only a few such facilities available.
09:40In the harsh climate of Yakutia, where winter temperatures often plummet to extreme lows, managing the water supply is crucial for both survival and comfort.
09:49Nikander, a dedicated waterman, works every day to provide water for the residents.
09:55The cold environment presents unique challenges for water systems.
09:59Nikander sticks to the traditional water supply system, getting water from a nearby river.
10:04This method continues to be prevalent due to the small population and the challenges of installing modern plumbing as pipes often freeze.
10:14To ensure a reliable source of hot water, many homes and buildings in Yakutia, including Alena's family's home, are equipped with water boilers.
10:24These boilers are essential not only for domestic activities, such as cooking, cleaning and bathing, but also for heating the home.
10:32Alena pays $25 each time for 2 cubic meters of water, and monthly they use 6 cubic meters of water, which is $75 a month.
10:42With the water now being delivered, Alena is set to prepare dinner.
11:04Using the beef that Radomir had previously prepared, she begins cooking a hearty beef soup.
11:10Soup is a staple in this frigid climate, as it provides essential warmth to both body and soul during the cold days.
11:24To save water, Alena and her children wash the dishes in a bowl.
11:28From an early age, Sayana and Kunei have been actively helping around the house.
11:34They assist with washing dishes, cleaning and cooking.
11:38Even their younger brother Ersan is learning the importance of contributing to the household chores.
11:44This evening, Alena is preparing a nourishing meal consisting of a hearty soup and traditional Yakut pancakes for dinner.
12:00This is a glimpse into the life of a family living in one of the harshest environments on earth.
12:24Yet, they find joy and warmth in their familial bonds and the comfort of their home.
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