Iranian sisters work together to weave a carpet. Many village schools in Iran end at fifth grade, after which, girls often take up weaving while their brothers continue their education elsewhere. A completed carpet can bring $300 to $1000, a handsome amount in a place where the average monthly income is $150 and a wedding dowry can be up to $2000.

(Text adapted from and photograph shot on assignment for, but not published in, "Iran: Testing the Waters of Reform," July 1999, National Geographic magazine)