Discover the incredible resilience of children in Siberia as they face the harshest winters on Earth to attend school.
In temperatures as low as −64°C, these young warriors brave freezing conditions to receive an education. Learn how these kids manage to navigate the frozen wilderness in one of the coldest regions on the planet.
Watch this heartwarming yet shocking story of survival, determination, and courage
00:00It's 7 a.m. in Yakutsk, the coldest city on Earth.
00:12Leonel is 11 years old and is a student at a local primary school.
00:16It's Monday morning and he's getting ready for another day of school.
00:21Today is a bit warmer than usual, around minus 47 degrees Celsius.
00:27Going to school in ice-cold temperatures is normal for the children in Yakutsk.
00:40Leonel knows the importance of wearing proper clothes to reach school safely.
00:44He puts on padded trousers and boots to keep his legs warm and a warm jacket to make sure that the cold air does not reach his skin.
00:57Leonel lives quite far from his school.
01:03It takes about 40 minutes to get there.
01:05He uses the public transport system since there are no school buses in the city.
01:16Luckily, there are lots of bus stops located about 200 meters apart, ensuring that locals don't have to walk too far in the cold.
01:23Leonel waits for the bus out in the cold, hoping it arrives fast.
01:30He can only wait for a few minutes and sometimes when the bus is too late, he must quickly return home to avoid getting frostbite.
01:37Luckily, the bus arrives on time today and he gets on the bus on his way to school.
01:50In Yakutsk, the buses generally have heating system to keep passengers warm during the extreme cold weather.
02:09Now, Leonel can finally feel comfortable and warm on his journey to school.
02:24Leonel has classes from 8 am to 1 pm six days a week from Monday to Sunday.
02:30In Yakutsk, the school year runs from September to June like in many other parts of the world.
02:36However, when temperatures drop below minus 50 degrees Celsius, all the schools will close to help keep the students safe.
02:43But when the temperature drop to minus 49 degrees or minus 47 degrees like today, students still need to go to school.
02:52Leonel arrives on time.
03:13His first class of the day is a literature class, which is his favorite.
03:17At school, they learned three languages – Yakutsk, Russian and English.
03:25The Yakut language, also known as Saha, is a Turkic language and is a native language of Yakut people.
03:32Next year, Leonel will move on to middle school.
03:36In Yakutia, primary school lasts for 4 years and students study a total of 11 years before going to university.
03:42Gaining admissions to university can be very competitive, so students in Yakutia begin preparing for the crucial unified state exam as early as middle school.
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04:51It's break time, students have to stay indoors because it's too cold outside.
05:02Even though Lionel can't play outdoors, he takes every chance to improve his football skills.
05:08As you might have noticed, Lionel is not a local name, he was actually named after the legendary footballer.
05:13Lionel is passionate about playing football and aspires to become a professional football player one day just like his idol Lionel Messi.
05:28Teachers are also trying to keep children active by holding indoor activities like dance classes.
05:34This way students can have fun and stay healthy even when the weather outside is harsh.
05:38One, two, three, four, five, six.
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06:01We're asking for context for this event.
06:04How they are reason for estás living with the workplace w sess Randall.
06:07This cool day has come to end and Lionel is waiting for his father as they have planned
06:23to go to the local food market.
06:29Lionel is the middle child of three siblings and his father Procopy is a football coach
06:33at a nearby club.
06:35They share a deep passion for the sport, often training and watching matches together.
06:39Lionel's enthusiasm for football has only grown stronger, thanks to his father's unwavering
06:45support and guidance.
07:05They arrive at the local open air market to get some fresh meat and fish for their dinner.
07:16The meat and fish remain naturally frozen as the outdoor temperatures are even colder than
07:22those in the freezer.
07:28This market is very popular and it does not matter how cold it gets, it's always open.
07:36Local people rely heavily on meat, fish and dairy during the harsh winters.
07:40Fall meat is particularly popular and very nutritious.
07:43As a lean and low-fat option, it has been an essential part of Yakutian cuisine for centuries.
07:50It can be very hard to get and grow fresh vegetables here because the ground is too cold for its
07:55grow.
07:56The price of fresh fruits and vegetables now is very expensive, making them more of a luxury item.
08:03After a long day Lionel and Prokopi return home.
08:15The evenings are the favorite time for the family as they can finally spend time together
08:20and relax after a long day.
08:34Despite the cold, the family takes every chance to go outdoors, not wanting to be confined indoors
08:39for 9 months of the year.
08:50As you can see, we have learned to adapt and embrace the extreme climate, making the most
08:58of each day.
08:59For the Yakut people, winter time is not actually as difficult as you might imagine.
09:05Living in the coldest city, it can be enjoyable with the warmth, love and unity from a loving
09:10family.
09:12In the end, the most important thing is not necessarily where you live, but with who you
09:17live with and the people around you.
09:20In the end of the year, you can find a huge question where you are, because of the
09:23&the family is not always as good as you think.
09:24Even the first time you have been thinking about the city of the to-will, it's a very
09:25interesting place and to be ready for the three years.
09:27In the end, the time you see what you think is, that you can sort of be able to
09:28go like a new landscape that you're looking for.
09:30You can find a lot of our community here and I will see where the people around you.
09:35I will have a large image of, that you can find a lot of my life, and I will manage your
09:39life.
09:40I will see you in the future.
09:43It is a great place where you can spend a lot of the time, and you know a lot more
09:43and I can store them on my show that I can spend time with the
09:45context of the family of the kindness that I can deliver.
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