Garbage Economy. Life in Dandora Landfill. Nairobi, Kenia

Dandora, many years ago, was a green valley, crossed by a river, not far from Nairobi, in Kenya. Today it is considered as one of the most polluted areas of the entire planet.

The valley has become the main landfill of the metropolis, one of the largest in Africa. The children who live in the slums that surround it, Korogocho is the largest and best known, have very high blood lead levels. More than 60% of the young population that lives there is HIV positive.

In Dandora the approximately 850 tons of waste that arrive every day at the landfill are hand-selected, looking for recyclable raw materials, but also for food and clothing, mainly by children and women. 12 hours a day of work for a wage that rarely exceeds 2-3 dollars.