The Dump People.

Short and sweet. And foul smelling and filled with plastic bags. The dump is an interesting place. No one would want to work there. And then there's Fred. Fred has been working with them for 8 years. The "dump people" they are called. "It takes time and a relationship and trust. You can't just relocated 500 families from a place they've been for 30 years." These are Burmese people who have fled their military government. Many people's perspective when they visit the dump is to get these people out right away. Outsiders say also that the reason the people stay there is because they are heavily supported by NGO's because the phrase, "the dump people", pulls on heart strings more than "relocated and integrated" does. Plus that's already a thing, they called it, "refugee camps" and their situations are sometimes just as bad. It's not an easy situation to be in. Fred has seen many things there. He told me that he has taken many dead babies out of there and older people too.

Before I pulled out my phone, I asked Fred if the people minded me taking a picture. He paused and said, "You know, I appreciate you asking that cause no one ever does, they just pull out their camera and snap pictures so they can post 'em everywhere and they miss the real people who are actually here in front of them. Right here, there are real people but we distance ourselves from them. Yes, go for it. Here, I'll slow down." I snapped this picture as we bounced down the road to pick up the children for school. As many mornings go, a sick older lady, being carried by her relative, hitched a ride to be seen at Mae Tao Clinic. There were about 25 of us all piled in the back of the truck with a bike and other goods under foot.

Many of the kids who are born there have never been into town. They have no idea what the outside of the dump looks like let along the beautiful beaches just a few hours south of there. Fred has worked hard to build a trusting relationship with the people and gradually they have built up a few structures where they do some teaching of basic subjects. Fred points out a few of the really bright kids and brags on them a little. "This girl is brilliant. She is learning so much and teaching the other children. Her mind is... Oh and this boy, he is so sharp. So sharp." If given the opportunity, what would some of these kids create to better the world. Or simply, their world. What if? In most cases we won't know. They will never have the chance to blossom.


Mae Sot Thailand, July 2015