Photo and caption by Jason Rosenbaum

Gilgil, Kenya: Garbage Slum. The slum is a community of about 700 people who have lived in the city's landfill since 1984. Families survive entirely on what they can scavenge from the trash, including food. Violence is rampant, rape is common, and the HIV rate is about 50%. The stench from burning trash is constant and nauseating with scattered smoldering fires going on all day as people sort through, then burn garbage. We spent time volunteering with a local non-profit, Fadhili, which is helping residents survive in the near term, and will hopefully relocate them in the future.

Location: Gilgil, Kenya