Emerald Miners: 10242007_Becherer_Emeralds006

With excitement Ahmad Jawead, 22, shovels and picks his way through rock after having blasted the rock in his 60-meter deep mine looking for emeralds in the mountains over the Panjshir Valley village of Khenj, Afghanistan on Wednesday, October 24, 2007. Jawead has been working his mine for seven months straight looking for an emerald large enough to buy his way out of Afghanistan. After declaring his desire to leave the country and asking for help his family forbid him to leave. Now he blasts the rock hoping to fund his own way out of the country.
October 24, 2007- Khenj, Afghanistan

With excitement Ahmad Jawead, 22, shovels and picks his way through rock after having blasted the rock in his 60-meter deep mine looking for emeralds in the mountains over the Panjshir Valley village of Khenj, Afghanistan on Wednesday, October 24, 2007. Jawead has been working his mine for seven months straight looking for an emerald large enough to buy his way out of Afghanistan. After declaring his desire to leave the country and asking for help his family forbid him to leave. Now he blasts the rock hoping to fund his own way out of the country.