The Outskirts of Town

On Saturday we went for a ride on the train again(!), the train was quite quiet on the way out due to it being a holiday and so it wasn't too bad. On the way back we had to run and jump on - into first class with a second class ticket because the rest were so busy. To board second class would have meant that we might have had to hang out of the door - when you consider that on average 20 - 26 people a month die on the Mumbai trains this was never going to be an option. We stood quite near to the door and there is something of a breeze, so you can see why people stand there!

Anyway where were we - well it is fair to say that this was going to be the most challenging visit of the trip, so our organisers had put it at the end of the itinerary. We went out to visit an organisation that works with people in the slums of Mumbai - these are the people who you might have seen on the television who live within canvas rags. As we walked through the visibly crumbling streets we began to attract attention. At one point we had a group of sixty or more young people following us along the streets excited by our presence. Some people found this quite intimidating - but some of the young people spoke to us and asked questions - their English was superb.

It was absolutely horrendous and the memory of that day will remain with me forever. The organisation works with the people who are known as 'rag-pickers' and this is their work - if you consider that towns, villages and cities grow up around where the industry was - farming, cotton-weaving, ports etc. then to think that this 'industry' is based around a landfill site might give an idea of how bad things are for these people.

We went right through the tents to a riverside and there were young males swimming in it, despite it being clearly polluted. On the way down this pathway there were young children looking after babies and some women who even despite our intrusion into their private space managed to smile. All of the people were extremely friendly and welcoming and we met a social activist who lives within the community and fights campaigns for the rights of the rag pickers - she was a very strong woman. The visit was extremely humbling, and has given me a lot to think about; although whether I can make any sense of this sort of hardship is something that will take time. Some people try to paint a picture that this is the start of an economic journey for the people - after seeing it though; it feels more like the 'end of the line'!