There is some reason for encouragement for citizens of Naga City Philippines. Civic efforts over the last 15 years have brought noticeable improvements to the area. But for 12 year old "Jesse", who now lives just outside the Canton dumpsite (the "basura") the change has been dramatic. Jesse's family has recently escaped the worst of the destitution, abandonment, and disease, suffered by those still living inside the basura, referred to as "basureros", the scavengers of the dump. For the basureros, Canton is "home". Each group has a "hole" they literally dig into the rubbish which becomes their sleeping quarters. One group stays in there in daytime and another group at night. Jesse was raised in the Canton basura, digging daily through the endless piles of Naga Cities garbage, enduring the rats, flies and giant worms in this open dump site, searching for scraps with some redeeming value. These basureros suffer chronic health conditions including boils, asthma, malnutrition and infectious colds. The high incidence of dengue is epidemic and can be fatal to the children of Canton Dumpsite. Abandoned Children's Fund's partner, "Sisters, Missionaries of the Poor" rescued Jesse and his family through a feeding program to the basureros which has expanded to a strategy of building cinder block houses on land acquired "outside" the dump where relocated families are provided with clean water and nutritious food. Jesse's family has planted a garden and received trained in the basic skills necessary to operate a profitable businesses raising chickens.
|
