Buys For Today

Did 4 pairs of boots, sizes 10, 10, 10.5 and 10.5.

- Boots 4x200 baht = 800 baht
- Cookies 5x10 baht = 50 baht
- CASH 70 baht

Total 920 baht

Note*Going to buy an additional 5 or 6 good quality headlamps tomorrow. People are asking for them, I need to give this last effort. That buy will come from my security money savings. I will also hand out money tomorrow 14 pink envelops x 500 baht (7000 baht total) from the FAMILY FUND (donated by a coworkers family).

Food, Desert And An Apple

I got offered food today in the dump by one of the families, then afterward desert. I shared the desert but did not eat the main course (wanted to make sure the husband and wife had enough to eat). I was also offered a slightly old apple by one of the dump boys. The apple was no doubt found int he garbage. Sweet of him to give it to me. Giving-sharing can be a two way street.

Apple for the teacher

Last Full Night Of Shooting

Did my last full night of shooting at the dump, it was easy and fun. I have come to the point with my friends in the family, probably a regular group of 100 - 200 people where trust allows ease of shooting.

It will take a few days then I will really start to miss this place, and the people. I will post photos in the coming days, feel to tired to do so now. I am in heavy packing mode. What I do not take with me I donate to the dump. Will be giving away stuff like my pots and pans, excess foods, forks, knives etc.

Time To Say Goodbye

Gerry Yaum

12 mins · 

Tonight is my last full night of shooting and donation work at the dump. It is my 15th of 16th night in a row I think. Worn down now, am laying in bed with a bad headache. plugged nose and a cough. I will close my apartment here in Mae Sot and return to Bangkok on the 2nd. Will miss my many friends in the families, miss the children, miss the joking but the dump really wears on you, affects your health, gets you down. Even after 5 years of this I still see stuff, still see ulgy shit that depresses me, gets me down. It is time to go, my life is in Canada, I must return to it. How can people live in the dump, with the garbage day in day out, week after week, month after month for years on end?

I plan to return to the families (2019?) if we can raise more funds to help. I also want to hand out some of the photos made, as well as videos. Last night recorded a bunch of teens dancing on video. I will get that to them next time.

Buys

Not much happening tonight buying wise, tomorrow I will buy 4 sets of boots, the last bunch.

- Two bags of rice 160 baht (discounted for some reason).

- 40 lollipops 200 baht.

Did Video Of Dancing

Shot a fair amount of dancing tonight. Might be able to use it in the artist talks as a bit of comic relief from the more gloomy aspects of life here. The footage may be important as it shows a different part of life in the dump with the families. People just do not sit around and cry here, they enjoy life as well.

One more night tomorrow (7th? 8th in a row? 14th or 15th out of 16 nights?), then my photography will be done here. I will do some donation work on the 1st. Handing out some school supplies to SKY BLUE SCHOOL on the 1st along with a donated fan and will be giving away all my apartment things to the families as well, I do not need them any longer. The big one of course is the money hand out which will also be on the first. I expect to leave Mae Sot on the 2nd of March.

Absolutely Swarmed

I got absolutely swarmed tonight as I entered the dump and drove to my parking spot. I could not even get off my bike, people all round me 360 degrees with hands extended, calling my name. I think word has gotten out and people know I am leaving. It was almost panic like, I had to get people to calm down, one of the men there also tried to calm things down and help me.

I worry about the handing out of the money from the FAMILY  FUND. I have 7000 baht left from that donation (already gave out 400 baht) and was planning on handing out 14-500 baht pink envelopes. I need to do it in a quiet way thou, so as not to start a rush. I think its a good idea but it needs to be handled carefully. I will enter the dump, deal with the initial rush then quietly hand out the money later before leaving, will try to do it quickly. I will happen during my last dump visit.

I am not sure if I am coming back. If more money can be raised to help I will return, if not then I might not come back, thou that would be very hard, I have become so attached to everyone here. Heck might be coming back as long as the people are here, for the rest of my life possibly.

Tomorrow is my last regular night shift. I will enter the dump in a quieter fashion, less HERE I AM, come and get me. When I have entered quieter in the past, things went smoother.

Child Wants To Be Lifted!

Young girl in the dump tonight followed me everywhere asking to be lifted. I had lifted her and swung her about by her arms which she LOVED! She then over and over, and over and over, and OVER AGAIN, kept following me and kept lifting up her arms for me to do it again. Luckily she was young and light but gosh that was hard work time 26. Cutest smile thou, especially when she looked up at me and said "Gerry Chocolate?"

Children and dog, this is the young girl

Buys

Small buys today, got up to late to get boots.

- Medicines. antibiotic cream etc. 160 baht
- Lollipops 120 baht

Total 280 baht

Tonight's Dump Finds Include Meat, Vegetables And Fruits.

Tonight as I worked the garbage with my camera, trying to get some photos I witnessed many foods being taken out. Green vegetables were found as were oranges and bananas. When meat was dug up the people competed with the dogs for it. The dogs were smelling about trying to get some meat and one of the older ladies (who likes to tease me, she usually says GERRY then yells something in Burmese before laughing) was also scavenging and separating the meat. Her technique for what was good and not good was to hold the raw meat up to her nose and smell it deeply, she then had a friend do the same before deciding it was worth saving.

I got video of a bunch of this type of food scavenging. The most difficult one to watch and one that will probably make the artist, dump talks is dogs and humans scavenging side by side in the garbage for the meat. Will post some of these videos later on from Bangkok when I have time. or possibly in April/May from Canada when I return to my security night shifts.

4 Goodbyes

As I drove out on my motorbike tonight at 1145pm 4 different groups of people said goodbye to me and see you tomorrow in various languages (Burmese, English and Thai).

1) Family group of people I had just photographed (9 or so people in that group including children). Bye Bye Gerry (also asked for some rice).
2) Four young boys playing video games on their broken down cellphones while siting on a dump sofa. "Gerry See You Tomorrow"
3)Lady sitting on a hill overlooking the garbage. "Bye Bye"
4) Man sleeping under mosquito netting with his family near the dump entrance. "Bye Gerry"

A Leg Hug

I was on a hill of garbage photographing the new very poor family group again when I heard MING GAH LAH BAH from out of the darkness below, I replied MING GAH LAH BAH back (hello). Then quick and sudden out of the black night came a large strong hand and arm. The Win family father gave my left leg a big bear hug before laughing loudly and walking off still smiling. Mr. Win has hugged me 3 times that I can think of, he likes to hug which I rarely see elsewhere here (public signs of affection are very rare).

Mr. Win is the hardest working man in the dump, his entire family works extremely hard. In the 5 years I have been photographing here there has rarely if ever been a day when I have not seen him working the garbage along with this extended family. Through the years we have all become friends. Here are some older later 2015, early 2016 b/w film photos of him and his family..

Note* I have all the names of the children in my notes, need to remember them. Burmese have such  complicated, long names. I usually call the other people, uncle or aunt, mother or father, and the younger ones son and daughter.

Mr. Win

Mr. Wins oldest daughter

Mr. Wins Youngest Daughter

Oldest daughter

Middle daughter

Youngest son

Oldest son

Buys, Donations

Did a number of smaller buys yesterday and a Cash hand out (from the friends family $300 CAD fund).

- rubber boots 10, 10.5 and 11. 3x200 baht - 600 baht
- lollipops 40x5 = 200 baht
- cookies 3x10 baht = 30 baht
- Medicines from pharmacy = 120 baht (antibiotic creams etc)
- Bandages, cleaning alcohol, iodine = 150 baht
- Tiger balm 4x56 baht = 224 baht
- Total = 1324 baht (added to the spent money (on goods) total.

- CASH (from the family fund) 400 baht.

Great News $300 Donated

I recently got some great news, another $300 CAD was donated by kind person I work with in Canada. The donation was given by my friend and her family to the "Families of the Dump" The one stipulation was that I hand out the money in cash to the families that need it most. I am in the process of dividing up the money now and deciding what goes where. I hate deciding who gets money and who does not. I hate playing king but the dump is like everywhere in the world, some have more than others. I am concentrating on giving the money to those that live directly on the garbage and do not have more permanent homes. I will also give some money to those that do not have the backing of large families to help protect them.

Gerry The Medic?

Lots of people asking for medicines, anti itch, antibiotic creams etc. Getting over the counter drugs and handing them out as I can, but do not want to get too deeply into this type of thing. I do my best and ask the pharmacist how to use things, then tell the people, but I am not a doctor, not even a medic. I keep advising everyone that they should visit Mae Tao clinic which is nearby, not sure many do thou.

The groom got bitten by a dump dog and has puncture like marks on his leg, and also some scraps and slightly torn skin. I will get him some antiseptic things to clean the wounds. Maybe get him some antibiotic cream as well. I told him 3 times it was better he went to the clinic and had a doctor look at it and get needles for rabies but not sure he will do that.

Thinking of studying medicine more on my return to Canada. I need to have at least a basic understanding of medical issues connected to the dump. I need to understand how to treat minor infections, rashes, cuts etc.

I will also start carrying more medicines, creams, balms and sterile bandages in my camera bag. I need these things to hand out at random as people ask for them.

Photographed Tattooing

Photographed one boy giving another boy a tattoo in the dump, Not sure how it will play out visually tried shooting it from a number of angles and exposures but it was a hard rather awkward to shoot. The light was extremely hard and close at the tattoo point and then extremely lacking and dark everywhere else. Did  my best with it, hopefully got a usable photo.

There is always something new and different happening in the dump, something you never saw before. After the tattoo I warned the boy to keep his arm clean, that if it got dirty he could have a big problem, he said he understood, then covered up his arm with this long sleeve shirt (dirty?). With that much blood, and open wound action, inside a garbage dump you got to worry about infection.

Photos From Tonight

Here are a few photos from tonight, not a lot of energy or time to edit. Will do more editing when I leave the dump and have time in Bangkok.

Man in longyi, old area of the dump

Lady sitting in the dark with her headlamp, outside her home

Almost did not make this picture, was heading out of the dump walking a back road when I heard a man singing. I went back recorded a bit of his singing and then stayed for another hour making photos, some pretty good I hope. This one was made near the end of the hour as the 11pm garbage truck was leaving, shot from a nearby hill of garbage. Only bad part of the picture is as I was standing up on the garbage hill I had weird insect like creatures crawling up my pant leg I had to fight off. Not sure what they were, but was able to shake them out.

People work as garbage truck leaves

Today's Buys

Did a number of buys today, added to the spent money total.

- 3 pairs of boots 10.5, 11, 11 3x200 baht = 600 baht
- 3 times raincoat 3x20 baht = 60 baht
- 2 anti scratch cream 2x50 baht = 100 baht

Total = 760 baht

Photos from the 24th

Some new photos:

Teenage boys playing in dump

Woman in blue with red twine

Children and trucks, in the dump

Great baby escape, mom chasing

Baby in dump shack doorway

Family in home

Laughing mother

Mother holding child

Man working the garbage

Photographing Teenage Boys Playing

Did a series of photos at the end of the night tonight of teenage boys playing. They had set up a double mattress on the flattened dump dirt and then to town on it. Dancing, jumping, wrestling, flipping, they did it all. I shot both video and stills. Will try to make a DVD of the video for them and give it to them next trip.

Calling Out "Gerry Da Bong"

Kind of weird but GERRY has become such a known quantity here in the dump that I am starting to refer to myself in the 3rd person with the families. Am sort of a watered down Elvis or Sinatra type thingy :))) For example I as I was walking down to the homes a woman walking the other direction said hi Gerry, then she told me where her house was. As I walked down into that area alone, in the dark some people looked out into the darkness from their homes and were concerned. "Who is that big guy?" I said to them...GERRY NAH DA BONG (its Gerry taking photos) then they replied, "Oh Gerry!" then, a laugh, a repeat of GERRY and some Burmese to another person in the home and I would make my pictures.

Did that same thing many times tonight and in recent days...GERRY NA...DA BONG or GERRY....and then the other person would recognize me, laugh and relax. Tonight I even got invited in for a coffee at one home. Other people asked for headlamps, was shown a sick baby by a single mother who lives alone with no men around, only her, her mother and a little baby boy. Another home (the coffee giving people) had a woman and 4 men living in the home,  mother 2 boys, a husband and her father. I tried to get names, ages, shot some videos to remember things. Most people in most houses I knew or knew me.

Not a lot of strangers left in the dump for me these days. The families in a way have become a single family.

Visited The Old Area Of The Dump

Looking for new subjects I headed into the old section of the dump tonight. I visited areas that I had not really been to since 2013. Most people knew me, GERRY is sort of a dump wide known quantity now. Think I got some good and different photos. Did some shots through doorways, shots of the shacks, some family portraits. All was good! Will go back a few more times before I leave the dump until at least 2019.

Medicines

The sick father in the dump seems in bad shape. There were many older Burmese people sitting near him today. I told them they should take him to the Burmese clinic but they did not seem to want to do so. I asked if they wanted medicine, they did. One man wrote down the name of the medicine in Burmese for me, and told me how to say it in Thai. I will try to find that for them tomorrow. If I cannot get it, will give them some money for them to try to find it themselves (not sure they can do that thou).

I also met a mother with a two year old who has a infected toe, some pus. I told her to take him to the clinic also but not sure that will happen. I gave her the little bandage kit I had. Tomorrow I will go to see if I can find some kind of antibiotic cream to help, and will take her a little first aid kit I have here in the room.

I wish I had some medical training and could help people at a higher level then I am doing now. We do the best we can do, sometimes thou you wonder if that is enough.

Quote: Photographer Billy Kwan (The Year Of Living Dangerously)

"Well, I support the view that you just don't think about the major issues. You do whatever you can about the misery that's in front of you. Add your light to the sum of light.

Billly Kwan (Linda Hunt) with Mel Gibson In "The Year Of Living Dangerously"

Today's Second Buy, Raincoats And Boots

Did a big buy of cheap rain coats today, "Moo Goh" in Burmese. Picked up 40 rain jackets made of plastic for 20 baht a piece at the boot shop. Also bought size 9.5, 10 and 11 boots today.

- Plastic raincoats 40x20 baht = 800 baht
- 3 pairs of boots 3x200= 600 baht
- 100 baht cash gave to a man with 3 children

Total = 1500 baht

Felt like Santa handing out a rain coat to everyone. I gave out 40 rain jackets to the families. When I left the apartment it was raining rather heavy, but when I got to the dump all the rain had stopped. The people will use them next time. The coats are all color of the rainbows, will help keep the families dry and will look cool in pictures if I photograph when its raining and they wear them. Am not sure that is going to happen thou.

Note* The lady at the shop through in one extra at for me.
Note** Will pick up 10 extra rain jackets next time along with boots.

Update* Added the 1500 to the spent money total. We are now over budget. I expect to pay an extra $300-$400 or so out of my security salary savings before I leave.

Gerry, Poh Mai Sau Bai (Gerry My Father Is Sick).

A young girl from the poor family came up to me and said GERRY POH MAI SAU BAI. "Gerry father is sick"(in Thai). I gave her some tiger balm and also some of the Thai style cold remedy balm for inhaling. Doubt either will do that much good but better than nothing, at least he can be distracted a little from whatever ails him. The Thai balm might help a tiny bit, clear his head somewhat.

No Scratch Cream?

A new mother to the dump asked for the scratch cream for her daughter. She has a 2-3 year old who scratches all the time. When I was photographing the family today, I gave her some Tiger balm and a rain jacket, after the mother asked me for the scratch cream. She showed me her daughters, back, arms and legs which were red and damaged from over scratching. Tonight while I was photographing the child sitting in a chair in the middle of the the dump she continued to scratch everywhere.

I will speak the pharmacist tomorrow about it, and see what she says, what she recommends for this little girl. I have the feeling that this entire trip will be worth all the effort if I can just get a cream to help this baby girl. Isn't that worth the trip? Stopping a child who lives in garbage from scratching Seems to me it is.

Final Headlamp Buy

Spent another 6800 baht.

- Headlamp 16x300 baht =  4800 baht   (I have 2 of these headlamps left over in my room).
- Headlamp 20x80 baht =  1600
- Hair bands 100 baht
- 60 Batteries = 300 baht

Total = 6800

The plan is to take 3 of the expensive headlamps a day and 3 or 4 of the inexpensive type. I have 6 more nights left in the dump. I will also need to buy more boots, 2 or 3 pair more per night

As a bonus the nice lady at the headlamp shot gave me 4 free hats! She told me "Hai dek dek." (give to the children).

Last headlamp buy, free hats from Thai lady who owns the shop

Note* Am now into spending the security guard money, all the donation money has been spent! Donated = $3518.69, Spent = $3739.01 and counting. I still have boots, lollipops and odds and ends for 6 more nights to buy. That is OK it is all worth it.

"Doing the right thing is never the wrong thing!"
"Ain't Life Grand!!

Photo Story: Oldest Daughter Watching Her Mother

from Facebook...

Daughter looking into her own future? The two people sleeping near her are her younger sisters, her 2 brothers are sleeping behind the mother.

I do like the oldest daughter watching her mother photograph it his like she is looking into her future. She seems like such a thoughtful young lady. Gave her so me cough candies, she was coughing lots 2 nights ago.

Daughter watches mother

Quote: Trump Empathy Poem By Limericking

"The president sat in his chair.
A group of survivors was there.
He looked at a note
An aide of his wrote
And thus was reminded to care."

New Photos From The Night Of The 22nds

Here are some pics from tonight. It was a difficult night, not much photo wise. Maybe I am running out of things to photograph there, repeating myself now? Have to fight through it and find new subjects. Maybe the noble portraits from below.

Daughter watches mother

Abstract child #1, shot on the 21st

Abstract child #2

Tonight's 8pm Garbage Truck

Night shot of 3 women on the garbage

Group working from above

Mother smoking

Found plastic

Face details #1

Face details #2

Trying To Help Very Poor Family More

Ended up giving the very poor family in the dump extra stuff today, 2 packages of cough candies (the older daughter was coughing lots). 100 baht cast and a nice 300 baht headlamp. Will get size 10 1/2 boots for one of the older men tomorrow.

Learning More Burmese

Getting more confident in my Burmese speak now, saying little itty bitty things. Learned words for son DA, daughter DAMEE, aunt AU DOH, and years NIH (as in 53 years old, GERRY DOAN ZAY DOEH NIH (Gerry is 53 years old).

If I stayed here for a number of years I think I could learn this language. Going back to Canada and continuing to learn Burmese is where it gets tough!

Shooting More Video

Made a conscience effort to shoot more video today. Shot a garbage truck unloading along with people working and various other things. I hate to be in video mode because it stops me from shooting stills, I need a second body!!!!! Anyone out there got a Canon 5D Mark 3 or 4 body they want to donate to an earnest semi young man?

Kids Climbing All Over Me!!

Kids were all over me like I was monkey bars today. Climbing me, heads and face all over me, the camera the tripod. At one point had a young boy stick his head through my legs from behind at just below knee level. Other boys and girls of all shapes and sizes touching the lens, jumping in front of the camera. It was a real mad house at times, It is getting more crazy the longer I stay in the dump, children following me everyone, calling out my name. Rather incredible, thou now it is interfering with the picture making somewhat. I tried to shoot some video and photos of the swarming little ones but hard to do. Also played a game lifting them up and swinging them about which they loved, shrieks of joy that sort of thing.

Might try to make a video or at least a sound track of the next attack of the children tomorrow when I enter the dump.  They run at me from everywhere out of the darkness.

More Small Buys, Missed Boot Shop - CLOSED

Raced down to the boot shop arrived at 8pm, and the boot shop was already closed. Will have to buy boots for the people at the dump tomorrow, my mistake, got up to late. I went instead (once before the dump visit once after) to 7/11 and bought a bunch of things, they included.

- Tiger Balm 5x56 baht = 230 baht
- Thai style balm for coughs and colds 4x40 baht = 160 baht
- First aid kits 2x79 baht =158 baht
- Lighter 11 baht
-  Package or Oreo cookies 26x18 baht = 468 baht (the packages were on sale 18 baht each, down from 30 baht each).
- Cash 100 baht for the very poor family.

Total = 1127 baht

Part of the Oreo cookie buy, bought 26 of these total, 14 already handed out, being eaten now

Medicine buy from yesterday and earlier, will hand out a bunch tomorrow

Note* Sort of saved a 7/11 girls bacon today. When she gave me change for one of the Oreo buys she accidentally gave me too much change. She should have given me 852 baht but she gave me 952 baht back. After taking it, I recounted it, confirmed the mistake, then went back in line up and gave here the 100 baht back. She would have had to pay that herself, out of her own pocket. She waied me then did a little bow with a big ear to ear smile when I was leaving the shop. Small and nice little memory for her and me.

More Small Buys And Donations

Did more small buys and things today.

- Lollipop 40x5 baht = 200 baht
- Mama noodles 12x6 baht = 72 baht
- Cough candies 4x38 baht = 152 baht
- Tiger Balm 3x56 baht = 168 baht
- Cash 60 baht

Total = 652 baht

Photo Critique. Works Festival "Trumpet Exhibition"

I posted a variation on this before but thought it looked nice in picture form so that I would do it again :). This is from the Latitude 53, Works Festival in Edmonton in the summer of 2017, "Families of the Dump" photographs. I do not get my photography REVIEWED much, it is nice when it happens.

Quote: Richard Dawson (Actor-Game Show Host)

”Be nice to each other. You can make a whole day a different day for everybody.”

Photo Story: Girl On Sofa

from Facebook...

Gerry Yaum

February · Edited ·  · 

This young girl is lying on her dump sofa bed. Her parents leave here there each night when they work. They are always watchful for her safety, Every time I enter this partial shelter they are nearby. This child was so sweet, after I made this picture she played hide and seek with me under her blanket, peaking out and laughing then covering her face and hiding again.

Girl laying on dump sofa, her bed for the night

Photo Story: Girl In Red

from Facebook...

Gerry Yaum

57 mins · Edited · 

Children are often running in the dark here. They seem everywhere all the time, sometimes I accidentally bump into the little guys. Other times they latch onto my tripod and hang on for all their worth. Laughing all along at the fun of it all.

One thing that is also common is people sleeping in areas you do not know they are sleeping at. Sometimes I will be photographing at a location for 10-15 minutes before realizing there is a sleeping person only feet away from me. Caution is needed at all times not to step on a sleeper or bump into a running or standing, curious child.

Young girl in red dress, running in the dump

Photo Story: Working A Garbage Truck

from Facebook....

Gerry Yaum

February · Edited ·  · 

Garbage truck unloading. Sometimes when this happens it seems surreal and distant to me, the light, dust, sound, and smells, such a different world than I am used to in Canada. But then I see someone I know, may have known for 5 years, at that point reality hits home. This is real, this is peoples lives, their daily living. Not distant and surreal but instead extremely personal.

Garbage truck in the dump