About the Philippines
The Philippines is located in Southeast Asia, and is comprised of more than 7,000 islands. The population is 94 million, making it the 12th most populous country in the world. Filipinos are known for their kindness, hospitality, and emphasis on family. The country is a blend of rural and urban, with large shopping malls located down the street from tiny farming villages. Unfortunately, poverty continues to be a massive problem. 44 per cent of the population in the Philippines makes less than $2 a day. That’s about 41 million people who don’t make enough money to meet their basic needs. Many of these individuals are scavengers, living on garbage dumps in some of the poorest areas of the country.
Scavengers and Poverty
Many families move from rural areas to the big city in the hopes of finding a job and a better life. Without an education, they are unable to find employment and fulfill their basic needs. They have spent all their money and cannot afford to go back to the countryside. They have nowhere left to go but the garbage dump,now the only place where they can make a living and find a home.
Scavengers pick through garbage dumps looking for anything that can be recycled and exchanged for money at the local junk shop. This includes cardboard boxes, plastics, and metals. Oftentimes, scavengers are forced to search for food as well. They will dig through piles of trash in search of items worth a few pennies. On a good day, a scavenger will make 75 pesos, about $1.50. They will use that money to pay for rice (fish if they’re lucky), and then head home. Family houses are built with materials they found on the dumpsite.
The conditions in which scavengers live are appalling. People suffer from severe respiratory issues. Skin sores are a serious problem from a lack of access to basic hygiene. Methane gas released from fermenting garbage often starts large fires and explosions, destroying what little these people already have. There are even more dangerous risks for children. On a regular basis, children are run over by garbage trucks and killed while scavenging to help provide for their families.
Scavengers are trapped in a cycle. They cannot get a job because they don’t have an education. They can’t get an education because they can barely afford to eat, let alone go to school. That cycle can repeat for generations, unless a child gets a second chance.
The Impact of Education
It is a big sacrifice for a family to send a child to school. Children are often equal breadwinners for the family. In order to afford basic needs, everyone must do their part. If a family pays for a child to go to school, they are taking a big risk if they aren’t getting any help from the outside.
To start, children who go to school are healthier. They spend at least six hours a day off the garbage dump, away from the fumes and health hazards. This gives the child a chance to stay healthy, so his or her family does not have to spend as much money on medication, an ongoing cost for many scavengers. They can use that money for basic needs or to help fund more schooling.
Educated children less likely to get married and have kids too early. With a high school diploma in hand, a job and a future are in sight. These children have big dreams of how they want to change the world one day. They would give anything to go to school. Giving kids an education is not only improving their lives, it is also giving them the confidence that they can be more than just scavengers.
