City Life

What she didn’t realise is that it would lead to raising her first child up fifty-eight steps in a concrete tenement in the ex-Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan.

Saffia had barely heard of the country when she agreed to move there with her water-engineer husband, Matthew.

Saffia arrived 15 weeks pregnant, scared about life in a place where people eat sheep’s eyes, drink fermented mare’s milk and live in felt tents.

Now Saffia, who went to Marlwood School before becoming a lawyer in London,  has written a book all about her amazing experience. 

Revolution Baby is Saffia's story of leaving Bristol for Bishkek and raising Baby Tom in the shadow of the Tien Shan mountains, while Matthew struggles to bring clean water to isolated villages.

When Kyrgyzstan descended into anarchy after corrupt parliamentary elections, Saffia was trapped in Bishkek.

She witnessed the Tulip Revolution and the violence and insecurity which follow as politicians, mafia gangs, crime lords and Islamic militants exploit the political void.

Listen to Saffia tell Ben Prater all about her unique experience on Drive from Monday, 26 November at 6.10pm.