The Rubbish Pickers – Chittagong, Bangladesh

In the vast dumps of Bangladesh, where others see waste, rubbish pickers make a living. Surrounded by mountains of discarded plastics and scraps, people are resilient, as men, women and even children sift tirelessly to salvage things to sell. 

I spent a day walking through this chaotic yet humbling world, meeting remarkable people. The sweetest kids with dirt-smudged faces and bright, curious eyes greeted me with shy smiles.

 One little girl, who was full of spirit despite her young years, stood out. She followed me everywhere, her laughter ringing through the makeshift lanes as if it could defy the hardship around her. When it was time to leave, she clung to my side, her innocent gaze asking a question my heart couldn’t answer.

I explained that I couldn’t take her with me, and she nodded, sounding much more mature than her years. She waved goodbye as I drove away.

In a world where things are often discarded, these children remind us that dreams and hope can be found even in the most unlikely places.