Last week I went with work to the dump hill of Tegucigalpa. This is basically the place where entire Tegus´ trash is found. While arriving I already had a strange feeling. I knew that the extend of poverty that I have know so far will not be anything compared to what I am going to experience there. Around 1,000 people ought to be found there who live IN the dump. These people are in a very dangerous place because of all the toxic substances they live around. Some of the problems existing in the dump are HIV, prostitution, drug addiction, alcoholism, and illegal abortions. The average life expectancy in this place is around 40 years. It was a very humbling and surreal experience to be there.
Just to make the picture a big more colourful. That day there were approximately 150 people looking for trash they can actually recycle. Amongst them plastic bottles (a bag full of those bottles is worth 100 Lempira which is approximately 3 Euros), simple plastic and metal.
When a truck arrived with "fresh trash" the major attention is drawn on the car. It is seriously a question of surviving. When I talk here about surviving I mean seriously surviving. People, dogs and zapilotes (big big big black birds who fight equally for food like the humans and dogs - they usually win for their size) fight for food like animals. The most popular trucks are the fast food chains. Of course, because they can actually find food.
It was a strange feeling standing up on that hill. Especially because with every new truck that came the earth started to move. (of course, because the hill was a trash hill)
The "architecture" was interesting indeed. Cartons stuck one into the other, which basically made up their accomodation. No running water, neither electricity. The kids I met and played with, told me that there was a nearby school. I doubt it though. And all of them told the same story. They are working here to help aliment their families.
When we left the dump hill I only felt dirty and shocked of the extent of poverty.
Just to make the picture a big more colourful. That day there were approximately 150 people looking for trash they can actually recycle. Amongst them plastic bottles (a bag full of those bottles is worth 100 Lempira which is approximately 3 Euros), simple plastic and metal.
When a truck arrived with "fresh trash" the major attention is drawn on the car. It is seriously a question of surviving. When I talk here about surviving I mean seriously surviving. People, dogs and zapilotes (big big big black birds who fight equally for food like the humans and dogs - they usually win for their size) fight for food like animals. The most popular trucks are the fast food chains. Of course, because they can actually find food.
It was a strange feeling standing up on that hill. Especially because with every new truck that came the earth started to move. (of course, because the hill was a trash hill)
The "architecture" was interesting indeed. Cartons stuck one into the other, which basically made up their accomodation. No running water, neither electricity. The kids I met and played with, told me that there was a nearby school. I doubt it though. And all of them told the same story. They are working here to help aliment their families.
When we left the dump hill I only felt dirty and shocked of the extent of poverty.
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