Villages have become depopulated with many young people moving to the cities. Young men who do not leave for the cities, often join the militia. In the winter there is no work so men drink vodka. In post-socialist society, there is no cash in the countryside. In fact, although the Kyrgyzstan currency the som was issued in May 1993, the rural areas never saw any of the cash currency.
People use barter and are forced to pay for goods at disadvantaged rates.
For cigarettes, villagers pay in dried cherries. Social networks have broken down. The health and education systems are disasters. Heath systems are very poorly stocked. To get an ambulance into town, villagers must pay for the fuel to bring them there.