While walking the streets of many Indian towns it is hard not to notice the children rummaging through trash pits.
Before leaving for India, many people told me to ignore the unpleasantness I would experience and to concentrate on the beauty of India. However, by doing this, I feel I would be doing myself a great disservice.
Along with enjoying the beauties of India, such as Hindi weddings, wild jungles delicious food and cliffs overlooking spectacular beaches, I’ve also found it beneficial to focus on the aspects of Indian life that make me value my own lifestyle in the United States. This is why I don’t ignore the children in the trash pits, but instead make a lasting mental image.
These children, who in most other places would be in school, are so impoverished that they must search through trash in order to help sustain their families.
Even in the developed countries’ most marginalized communities, scenes like this seem distant.
To learn more about the conditions of these children, enjoy this short video which explains in detail the reasons why these children carry trash and not books.