Life at Steung Meanchey
By James Helmer
8 December 2007
On the outskirts of Cambodia's capital city, Phnom Penh, is the sprawling 100, Acre garbage dump known as Steung Meanchey. As thick black smoke rises from the huge piles of garbage, choking the air with toxic gasses, hundreds of people scavenge through the 900 tons of garbage, dumped daily at the site.
Many search for recyclable materials, which can earn them an average daily income of about 2000 Cambodian Riels (US 50 cents). With no alternative but to support family survival, children as young as 6 years old can be found working here. The general story of life here is similar. They are all living in poverty, illiteracy is high, education is low, and many families are no longer intact. Many of the children are orphans who have lost parents to AIDS, landmines, drugs or prostitution. Cambodia offers no social safety programs in country, so many end up working here to survive.
On the hottest days, temperatures can soar above 40 degrees Celsius and the smoky air becomes un breathable. The workers here follow the garbage trucks that arrive with fresh loads of garbage, often walking behind the bulldozers, seeking treasures hidden underneath. During the rainy season, the soft ground makes it dangerous to walk and children have been crushed underneath the massive bulldozers on several occasions. Bad coughs are common and many of the residents complain of frequent headaches and dizziness. Many of the local inhabitants of the dump simply eat their daily meals at one of the many food camps set up around the site. Life at Steung Meanchey is one of survival, but it also is one of hope as local orphanages regularly work with parents on foster programs so younger workers can escape to a future of safety, education and a better life outside the dump.
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