THE CHILDREN OF THE DUMPSITE

Oblivious to their surroundings, the children of the dumpsite force themselves to carry on with their lives just like any other child would, playing, loving, crying or laughing. Since they are just children and they were born into that world, they all believe that this is what the world and life is about. Their childhood however, is far from privileged; as soon as they are able, they will have to work hard by scavenging for plastic bottles, metal scraps or any other rests thrown away by the more privileged part of society . Their meals will consist mainly of rice and the only proteins at their reach will come from an occasional frog, rat ,lizard or snake caught by them or their parents. As newborns, the child mortality is high and most of the children are continuously coughing as if they were smokers, since day and night they breathe the toxic smoke and fumes coming from the burning of garbage and plastic. Many have chronic illnesses, external and internal parasites, and have no doctor to go to. The water they drink is contaminated, and the combination of a dysenteric amebiasis with the heat coming from the tropical climate,can very fast lead to a dehydration which can turn fatal. Their involvement in child labor prevents them from going to school and therefore from becoming something else in life but scavengers. The Children of the dumpsite love, and feel , just like any child, and are even capable to pray to the Buddha before a small shrine nailed to one of the only trees of the dumpsite. It is only later, when they become teenagers and learn on how the rest of the human society discriminates them, that they will know what their fate was meant to be.

My name is Javier Sanchez-Monge Escardo .I was born in Madrid in 1965.Education: Degree in International business management at the Schiller International University Germany (Heidleberg), 3 years of Biology studies at the University of Alcala de Henares and a degree in Philosophy, followed by a PHD still to be finished. Several advanced photography courses, video and editing. Can speak and write in different languages. Constantly I have been travelling around the world, photographing and living in foreign cultures.