... but sees how helping, without understanding, can lead to more disaster.  We are reminded of this theme throughout the film as we unravel the history of brutal nuclear tests and blind eyed oppression; all of these the results of new ways to “help” protect the Motherland and revolutionize communist life. The test sites themselves were once heralded as an economic saviour, as they promised 10,000 jobs to the area.  As one Kazakh relates, “I have had two happy days in my life: The day they opened the test site and the day they closed it, 40 years later.”

Kazakhstan is fast emerging as the 9th largest nation, and with oil reserves rivalling those of Saudi Arabia, and foreign investment growing at nearly 10% per year, it will soon be a force to be reckoned with.  Yet the government turns its back on the villages affected by nuclear testing.  Will the Kazakhs be drawn into the greed and protectionist mentality that created nuclear weapons in the first place?  Are we helping them down that road? Or can they grow while connecting to their traditional nomadic roots. 

Kim’s fifth visit to Kazakhstan seeks to know how she can really be of service without imposing another idea or way of life that will crumble, leaving them to again pick up the pieces….When The Dust Settles.