Steung Meanchey Municipal Waste Dump is located in southern Phnom Penh, in a district of the city of the same name, Steung Meanchey. It is a part of the city with low-income neighbourhoods and slums. The dump itself covers about 100 acres, or almost 6 hectares. It is flanked by private property on which rubbish pickers build makeshift huts and are charged extortionate rents by landowners. Roughly 2,000 people, about 600 of which are children, live and work there. It is nicknamed “Smoky Mountain” because of the mist of smoke that the dump constantly gives off. At times it is literally on fire; the waste creates methane as it rots and the methane burns. In monsoon season and throughout much of the rest of the year, the surrounding area is swampe
d and the children live and play in fetid water.
Most of the rubbish pickers at Steung Meanchey are either from Phnom Penh or came to Phnom Penh looking for work and ended up in the slums. Many of the approximately 600 children have parents or relatives who also work on the dump and look after them. Some of them go to school, but most do not - at least not on a regular basis. It is safe to say that very few of them ever complete a primary school education. The school fees are too high and their families need them to collect rubbish to contribute to the family income. Adults earn, on average, 4000 to 5000 Riel (US$1.00 to $1.25) a day; children earn on average about half that amount. A whole family working together can actually earn more money than they could in the rural village from which they originally came.
d and the children live and play in fetid water.Most of the rubbish pickers at Steung Meanchey are either from Phnom Penh or came to Phnom Penh looking for work and ended up in the slums. Many of the approximately 600 children have parents or relatives who also work on the dump and look after them. Some of them go to school, but most do not - at least not on a regular basis. It is safe to say that very few of them ever complete a primary school education. The school fees are too high and their families need them to collect rubbish to contribute to the family income. Adults earn, on average, 4000 to 5000 Riel (US$1.00 to $1.25) a day; children earn on average about half that amount. A whole family working together can actually earn more money than they could in the rural village from which they originally came.
Elim works in two of the villages at Steung Meanchey. We teach and play games with the children. Give them nutritional food and treat villagers with medical needs. We have begun to supply villagers with every day needs such as kettles to boil water and cloths for the children and adults. Where huts are in a dreadful state of repair we supply materials to weatherproof and improve the condition of the stilted homes. We also have been involved with rebuilding huts that are beyond repair.
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