'Leftovers from a fallen society'

By Harmeet Kaur, CNN

Updated 1820 GMT (0220 HKT) June 15, 2018

Mariam grew up in Ponichala, a settlement for the blind that was first set up by the Soviets in the 1930s. She lives with her parents, her sister and nephew in a two-room apartment, said photographer Marcel Maffei. She is pursuing her dream to become a classical singer.
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Mariam grew up in Ponichala, a settlement for the blind that was first set up by the Soviets in the 1930s. She lives with her parents, her sister and nephew in a two-room apartment, said photographer Marcel Maffei. She is pursuing her dream to become a classical singer.
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Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the infrastructure of Ponichala began to crumble. Many residents lost their jobs.
Photos:
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the infrastructure of Ponichala began to crumble. Many residents lost their jobs.
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Zurab lost his sight when he was 2 years. In his teenage years, he moved with his parents to Georgia and started to attend a school for the blind.