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Glazok: a Rural Russian Village With Its Own Website

The residents of Glazok are predominately farmers who tend to animals including goats and pigs. Polina Kochetkova
The only school in the village caters to around 100 children. Polina Kochetkova
The local branch of Sberbank. There are just three shops for the entire village. Polina Kochetkova
Employment opportunities are limited. Residents work at the local school, nearby shops or at the bank. Younger residents look for work in larger cities like Voronezh, Lipetsk or Moscow. Polina Kochetkova
Some young people in Glazok say they do not want to leave the village. They have everything they want: nature, a river, friends and freedom. Polina Kochetkova
A poster in the only school in Glazok reads: “Connect the past with your heart.” The first school in Glazok opened in 1875. Then, it consisted of just two rooms — a classroom and a room for teachers. Polina Kochetkova
Two students from Glazok in front of the school. Residents say they could not collect enough money to complete construction of a gym. Polina Kochetkova
In 2017, only one girl graduated from the school. Polina Kochetkova
Important events in Glazok, including village council meetings and Christmas celebrations, take place in the local House of Culture. Every Saturday, it transforms into a night-club. Polina Kochetkova

Glazok is a quaint Russian village with its very own slick website. The village in the Tambov region 356 kilometers southeast of Moscow was founded in 1637.

Sergei Nugaev and Alexander Bratchikov, the founders of an educational project called "Circle," initially helped the 1,500 residents of the village develop the website as part of a distance learning project.

All photographs are by Polina Kochetkova. You can follow her on Instagram here.

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