Here
is a video I had to delete from the "Families of the Dump" PowerPoint
presentation yesterday. The program crashed when I tried to go to
presentation mode. After I deleted some larger video files it worked
well. I thought I would post the missed video here on facebook as well
as my blog for those that are interested.
The video shows one of my night time arrivals at the dump as well as some footage of people working and girls laughing. At the beginning of the video we are handing out solo (lollipops) and mama (dried noodles eaten as a treat). It was not usually this chaotic during my visits but this time I drove in the front door which attracted everyone at once. Most days I would park behind the dump and sort of sneak in slowly which allowed things to be handed out in a more organized way. Every night more practical things like headlamps, boots and sometimes food and medicine was also given out. You can see young girls and people laughing in this video, that is more the reality of the place, it is not all doom and gloom all the time. There is some dancing which the local boys did sometimes. The video also includes a sad moment when a new dump child was trying to open a bag he found in the waste. He was looking for anything of value.
My view of the dump has evolved over time. At first I saw and photographed it as a place of filth and sadness. Now I think of the place as somewhere where families can make a living and build better lives. In many ways it is still a sad place but there is a goodness to the garbage as well. In my eyes the dump is a place of hope and even some beauty, that all goes back to the people who live and work there.
Note* The orange and green boots the kids are wearing at the end of the video are donations as are many of the headlamps etc.
Note** I think this video was made in late February or early March 2018.
The video shows one of my night time arrivals at the dump as well as some footage of people working and girls laughing. At the beginning of the video we are handing out solo (lollipops) and mama (dried noodles eaten as a treat). It was not usually this chaotic during my visits but this time I drove in the front door which attracted everyone at once. Most days I would park behind the dump and sort of sneak in slowly which allowed things to be handed out in a more organized way. Every night more practical things like headlamps, boots and sometimes food and medicine was also given out. You can see young girls and people laughing in this video, that is more the reality of the place, it is not all doom and gloom all the time. There is some dancing which the local boys did sometimes. The video also includes a sad moment when a new dump child was trying to open a bag he found in the waste. He was looking for anything of value.
My view of the dump has evolved over time. At first I saw and photographed it as a place of filth and sadness. Now I think of the place as somewhere where families can make a living and build better lives. In many ways it is still a sad place but there is a goodness to the garbage as well. In my eyes the dump is a place of hope and even some beauty, that all goes back to the people who live and work there.
Note* The orange and green boots the kids are wearing at the end of the video are donations as are many of the headlamps etc.
Note** I think this video was made in late February or early March 2018.
