Hope is probably in short supply in the forbidden land of Manila's Smokey Mountain, but is not entirely missing, especially for the scavenger children. The children's eyes lit up and a spring of hope well in their hearts whenever a garbage truck arrives to dump Manila's wastes in the Smokey Mountain. For them, the garbage is manna from heaven.
Most of the scavenger children are in their early teens and some are even as young as four or six. As soon as the garbage trucks arrive the children would jockey for position, climb the trucks, and scamper to get hold of the most garbage. Many are barefooted, shirtless and without protective gloves. Quite a number of them bore deep scars in their feet and hands as a result of accidentally handling or stepping on broken glasses or sharp metals.
This day, however, is a day of blessing. The garbage truck unloaded among its cargo a sackful of discarded food from a fast food restaurant. The sack contained morsels of pork and chicken, and the children swarmed on it like a swarm of gadflies, not minding the evil stench that surrounds them while they gnaw at the discarded food. The smell of Smokey Mountain is a combined stench of rotting carcasses, human excrement, decaying flesh, and every abominable smell one can ever imagine. But for the children, this inhuman stench is just part of their everyday existence. One becomes immune into it after sometime. The human mind, by natural instinct, can teach its senses to negate the unpleasant elements of its surroundings. In this hellish world, the main focus of the human mind is the struggle to survive. The children never complained about the smell. The pangs of hunger is far more important to satisfy than to protect one's olfactory glands.
For the children the main line of thinking is to sift through the garbage and exchange their collection in the junk shops for a few pesos. For the little money they earned, they will not buy a toy or a candy--but rather to help their families buy the essential needs to survive, like a kilo of rice or a few pieces of tuyo (dried fish).
Most of the scavengers are school drop-outs and many did not even have the chance to enter any formal schooling. Carlito Reyes, 15, for example is a shy and quiet young boy who wanted to go to school but could not because he had to work to support his father, mother and seven siblings. Up to now he doesn't know how to read or write. But he is not ashamed because he thought that school is only for those who are rich. Poor kids like him are supposed to work and toil.
Some Smokey Mountain children learned first how to sift garbage than how to talk. Buboy is a four year old toddler who learned the trade of scavenging by imitating his older brother Alvin, 12, collecting trash in the Smokey Mountain. This day, Buboy managed to collect a few plastic cups, mineral bottles, and plastic spoons. A few moments later, however, his older brother stole his collection and left Buboy wailing to get his collection back--to no avail. His brother already sold it for a few pesos.
On the other part of Smokey Mountain, two scavenger boys are fighting for a scrap metal, each one claiming that he was the one who spotted the metal first. One of the older scavenger men got annoyed and told them he would confiscate the metal if the boys didn't stop quarreling. The two boys agreed to share the scrap metal.
These children have already lost their childhood. And it's most likely their future is, too.
Most of the scavenger children are in their early teens and some are even as young as four or six. As soon as the garbage trucks arrive the children would jockey for position, climb the trucks, and scamper to get hold of the most garbage. Many are barefooted, shirtless and without protective gloves. Quite a number of them bore deep scars in their feet and hands as a result of accidentally handling or stepping on broken glasses or sharp metals.
This day, however, is a day of blessing. The garbage truck unloaded among its cargo a sackful of discarded food from a fast food restaurant. The sack contained morsels of pork and chicken, and the children swarmed on it like a swarm of gadflies, not minding the evil stench that surrounds them while they gnaw at the discarded food. The smell of Smokey Mountain is a combined stench of rotting carcasses, human excrement, decaying flesh, and every abominable smell one can ever imagine. But for the children, this inhuman stench is just part of their everyday existence. One becomes immune into it after sometime. The human mind, by natural instinct, can teach its senses to negate the unpleasant elements of its surroundings. In this hellish world, the main focus of the human mind is the struggle to survive. The children never complained about the smell. The pangs of hunger is far more important to satisfy than to protect one's olfactory glands.
For the children the main line of thinking is to sift through the garbage and exchange their collection in the junk shops for a few pesos. For the little money they earned, they will not buy a toy or a candy--but rather to help their families buy the essential needs to survive, like a kilo of rice or a few pieces of tuyo (dried fish).
Most of the scavengers are school drop-outs and many did not even have the chance to enter any formal schooling. Carlito Reyes, 15, for example is a shy and quiet young boy who wanted to go to school but could not because he had to work to support his father, mother and seven siblings. Up to now he doesn't know how to read or write. But he is not ashamed because he thought that school is only for those who are rich. Poor kids like him are supposed to work and toil.
Some Smokey Mountain children learned first how to sift garbage than how to talk. Buboy is a four year old toddler who learned the trade of scavenging by imitating his older brother Alvin, 12, collecting trash in the Smokey Mountain. This day, Buboy managed to collect a few plastic cups, mineral bottles, and plastic spoons. A few moments later, however, his older brother stole his collection and left Buboy wailing to get his collection back--to no avail. His brother already sold it for a few pesos.
On the other part of Smokey Mountain, two scavenger boys are fighting for a scrap metal, each one claiming that he was the one who spotted the metal first. One of the older scavenger men got annoyed and told them he would confiscate the metal if the boys didn't stop quarreling. The two boys agreed to share the scrap metal.
These children have already lost their childhood. And it's most likely their future is, too.
Carlito is visibly appalled by the kind of work that he has to do to help his parents and seven siblings. But he had no choice. This part of Smokey Mountain is where the skeletal remains of the butchered calf/carabaos are being discarded. The skulls and skeletons are not being bought by the junk shops, but Carlito thinks that he can clean some and sell it. This part of the Smokey Mountain has a billion fly and maggot population, and the stench is that of a rotting carcass. I immediately retreated after taking this shot.
A scene that reminded me of holocaust.
A scene that reminded me of holocaust.
Going to the junk shop to sell their garbage treasures
Wailing to have his collection back, but his brother already sold it for 3 pesos.
Sifting the good bottles from the broken ones.
Eating some of the discarded foods from a fast food restaurant
*The Smokey Mountain children needs our help. Any donation of boots or gloves (kids' size) can prevent the children from stepping or handling broken glass and sharp metals. Any food or money donations will go a long way to helping them. Smokey Mountain and Happy Land are located at Pier 18, Tondo, Manila. If you plan to go there, please ask help from the police as the place is quite notorious for cellphone snatching and holdup.
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