Visiting Safe Passages and the Guatemala City Dump

After a few days of adjustment and orientation, TTS21 took a day to experience another side of Guatemala. The Guatemala City dump (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRW1jlLACxk) is the largest dump in Central America and it employs many people of the lower class. Men and women have used trash as their means of income for decades as they sell their daily findings on the streets. On the edge of a drop off overlooking an enormous pool of garbage, the girls of TTS listened as a volunteer from Safe Passages explained the scene. Our guide told us about how scavenging has become the norm for these families and how Safe Passages has made an effort to care for the children involved. Safe Passages (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0PKnCU4hlA) is an after school program for school aged children, as well as 2 to 6 year olds. They also offer adult literacy programs, tutoring, and jewelry making (http://creamosfuturos.com/Home_Page.html) in effort to improve the lives of families that have fallen into the trap of the Guatemala City dump. Safe Passages was an encouraging aspect of the day as the girls witnessed poverty like they had never seen before. This humbling experience made each girl feel even more grateful for this amazing opportunity they have.
By Kathryn, Senior,VA

Children Pickers in the Guatemala City Dump