Photostory: A day on the garbage dump
I’ve visited the garbage dump many times over the course of several months in 2008-2009 while filming for my documentary.
Fred and I had the idea to create a movie to get some awareness to raise some money for supplies for the inhabitants of the dump.
We often brought food and medicine over, and I always carried my film and photo camera to show donors where their money is going to.
On 24th of January, the police ran a crackdown on the dump to get rid of illegal immigrants and after we had to support the people and bring over the food and supplies that the Thai authorities had taken away.
In this photo gallery I took pictures from 3 am until 2 pm, showing you how the inhabitants are living.
The 100 families that are living on the garbage dump are trying to support themselves by collecting plastic, glass and other useful materials. When they have collected enough, they will bring it to a recycle center.
They earn around 50 bucks a month. That is only when the whole family is working together and every family is working in shifts.
Around 10 to 16 times a day ,24/7, a garbage truck arrives and dumps their load.
They do not earn enough to maintain themselves. There is a lot of disease, the people sleep literally on the dump and if they find food in the garbage they eat it.
In the community they’re seen as lower-class, but they live generally in peace on the dump.
Fred a friend of mine, is going over to the dump for almost 2 years, several times a week. He ‘s bringing over food and medicine and medical aid whenever that is possible. Sometimes he arranges with medical students of the Mae Tao clinic or doctors, to come over and visit and help the people.
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Really impressive photos.
It must have been quite a shock to see those children live like this. I can’t imagine what my life has been if I lived there.
Keep up the great work!