Witness

Where the Light Shines: The Birth of Skiing in Afghanistan

Two Afghan skiers hope to qualify for the 2018 Winter Olympics as they dream of a brighter future for their country.

It takes Sajjad and Alishah four hours to climb the Bamiyan peaks behind their village in Afghanistan – but just four minutes to glide down on their skis.

At first, families and neighbours look on incredulously. Training is not easy here, where treks up the mountain can exhaust the athletes before they even begin.

Where the Light Shines follows the two men in the lead-up to the 2018 Winter Olympics as they face up to the challenges of a new sport and create opportunities in a country that for generations has seen only war.