Phnom Penh Cambodia Dump
Children working barefoot trying to scavenge small bits of plastic for recycling. The trash was constantly on fire from methane put off from the rubbish, and the smeal was unbelievable.
Meanwhile at the end of the day children went back to playing, flying kites, and making sleds out of old car bumpers.
The reality of what was happening there was just too much to ignore. We could hardly believe that this was a real suffering for our fellow humans, something had to be done, the world needed to see this to effect change.
In my experience If you can find beauty In despair often times you can effect change, and with that thought we set out to document what was happening here.
This firing apocalypse was located on the outskirts of Cambodia’s capital city Phnom Penh which over a period of 20 years, grew to cover more than 100 acres.
In 2008, when I first visited, there were between 500-1000 people working every day. At least half of these were children many working barefoot. This included approximately 100 people living directly on the rubbish. There were countless more living in slums close by. We are beyond elated that this direct suffering is over.
We share these Images In hopes that we can see the Injustice here, so that we will accept It nowhere. Thankfully this place no longer exists, It was closed In 2009.