Photographers Abbas Atilay and Ahmed Mukhtar twice visited the Azerbaijani city of Samaxi -- in May and September 2011 -- to meet the residents of a state boarding house for people with mental disorders.
Meet The Residents Of The Samaxi Boarding House

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Photographers Abbas Atilay and Ahmed Mukhtar twice visited the Azerbaijani city of Samaxi -- in May and September 2011 -- to visit the residents of a state boarding house for people with mental disorders.

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More than 100 people live at the boarding house, some 100 kilometers west of Baku.

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Some of them are former teachers, poets, doctors, and members of the military.

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The boarding house is financed by the Azerbaijani government, but various charities and NGOs also contribute support for the patients there.

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The photographers say the patients appear well-cared for and seem to be satisfied with their situation.

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Nevertheless, the photographers say they hope their project will bring more public attention to the boarding house and the plight of the mentally ill throughout Azerbaijan.

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