BEST OF COOKING LIGHT

Kajri, six, sits up in her makeshift bed in the town rubbish dump. Tens of street kids live here below the plastic sheeting, huddled together in packs for warmth and comfort.

In the day they work hard, collecting items discarded as rubbish, to be recycled for which they recieve a few rupees for.
Their place in the dump is hard won - it is one of the best places to sleep, its warm and cosy under the old carpet and plastic sheeting, and it has all been arranged carefully in layers to keep out the cold most efficiently.

There is a small 'kitchen' area by the back wall of the dump where the kids make fires and cook, I was constantly amazed by the way they made meals from next to nothing, and whats more, offered me generous portions of the dahl or rice that they cooked.

I could see that It was important to them that I accept and eat the food they offered me,(even though I felt as if I were taking it out of their mouths) as my doing so empowered them and put us on a more equal footing. I would bring them gifts of rice and oil to assage my guilt. I could see they got a kick out of me eating the food they had cooked. Amazing children.

These are the kids who should run the world one day...not the spoiled and babied kids of the well heeled. They are so smart, so ingenious, so deft... if they can do so much with so little....well...I hope that they get the chance one day to really show the world what they can achieve.

Down a long narrow cement corridor, around the corner from where the sisters are washing and cooking, you'll find their children.

This girl has just cooked some rice that she eats off an aluminum lid. In a recycled tomato paste tin is a mixture of oil, tomato, and green leaf.

This image was taken for a not-for-profit that has changed its named, focus, and mission to KEZA.

Remera, Kigali.
Rwanda. Central Africa.
October 4, 2006.

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