Arriving at Payatas dump site

This was taken on 1 December 2005. When we went there, we saw they way they worked through the rubbish. The first thought is that this is the same rubbish that has been collected from our homes. The smell is not easily describable, and it's hard to imagine how the people can work in these conditions day and night, not to mention the children who should be in school but the opportunities are not always there. The dump site, 19 hectures in total area, not including the peripherals where 10,000 or more people live around to be near their source of livelihood.

At the informal school, our team taught basic English, Mathematics, crafts, visited the homes of the children who come to the school. Some of the children have to cross a river to get to the school, when the tide is high, they stay home.