Dump Provides Livelihood, Brings Perils to Nairobi Poor
June 25, 2012
Joseph is one of many children working at the Dandora dump site in Kenya.
Sixteen-year-old Joseph is one of the many children working at the Dandora dump site. He has been here since January, when he left school because his family could not afford his school fees.
He’s lucky if he makes 200 shillings, or about $2.40, per day from the items he finds to resell.
"Yeah, it is difficult, but we have no other ways. We live here because [we have] nowhere else to go," he said.
People eat food directly from the dump, as well as reselling it to residents of nearby slums.
"Because it has food, and people get their livings. Before stealing, they come here, they eat, they go home," said Joseph.
Although it provides short-term satiation, this food poses many health risks - in part because of the hazardous materials with which it comes into contact.
James Bhuop operates a rehabilitation center near Dandora to encourage children to stay in school instead of scavenging and doing drugs.
"The dump site, even there are some pigs which are walking around there, dogs are being thrown there, even things coming from hospitals… because that is the area where everything inside Nairobi is being thrown there. So it is very dangerous place," said Bhuop.
The U.N. Environment Program conducted a study of the dumpsite in 2007. It found that workers are exposed to a toxic mix of plastic, rubber, lead paint-treated wood, and even some chemical and hospital waste.
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