One of the things I do is organise international study tours for community development students. In 2005 the venue was Mumbai in India. This picture was taken on the municipal wast dump; a vast area of refuse where a community of rag pickers live and work. Although the majority of people there live under temporary shelter and education and health services appear non existent, there are some rudimentary shops and a sustainable community
We were there to visit the local ragpickers association who have been campaigning for the right to pick and resell the refuse as this is their only source of income. Most major cities in developing countries have such communities. It has been estimated that around 1.5 million people in India make their living this way.
The young men in the photograph were happy to have their pictures taken. And although the ragpickers association were pleased to see us, the visit was very tense with a large crowd following us around. It felt like high spirits threatening to tip over into hostility .
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Photograph taken on a Ricoh GRD
