Life Lessons from the Managua City Dump

Mariana and José (kids in the picture) live at the Managua City Dump, “La Chureca,” with their family. Their home (like others in the dump) is made out of scrap metal, tied together with pieces of barbed wire. Their family makes money by sifting through the trash, collecting whatever recyclables the garbage trucks leave daily. On a very good day, a family will collect a pound of recyclables. Each pound of recyclables is worth 4 to 6 cordobas; 18 cordobas is equivalent to about one dollar.

Entering the City Dump, one is taken aback by the smell of burning trash. The blazing heaps of litter produce a smoky haze that engulfs the seemingly endless piles of garbage. The heavy, pungent stench of burning paper and rotting food fills my lungs. With each deep breath my chest burns and I cough- my own bodily response to the caustic air is a reminder why respiratory illnesses are so common among the La Chureca community.

Over 1500 people live at the City Dump. 53% of the population at La Chureca is under the age of 18. From daybreak to dusk children and adults spend their days searching through the piles of trash, looking for objects of value: aluminum, plastic and glass. Plastic, cardboard, and rotten foods sustain the families that live and work in the mountains of burning waste. It’s nothing but heart breaking to see a little 4-year-old eat a piece of moldy bread straight out of the dumpster.

I’ve spent a lot of time in La Chureca. I go at least once a week for many hours (more if I can) to work at a clinic or help out with a feeding program sponsored by a Nicaraguan organization called “Juntos Contigo.” I always leave the dump with a renewed sense of perspective. La Chureca inspires me.

From an outsider’s view, the sites and smells at the dump are incredibly sad. The visible malnutrition in the kids and the obvious lack of health care can be described as nothing but devastating. The unnecessary health problems in La Chureca are a constant reminder of why I am here working in Nicaragua. However, after spending much time in the community playing with the kids and interacting with elders, some of whom have lived in La Chureca for over 35 years, it is obvious that La Chureca is not a sad place.

It is an amazing realization that many people from the US (with every luxury in the world) could take a hint from people living in literally, a dump. At La Chureca, people don’t worry about small, insignificant things. They spend time with their families, live very relaxed lives, laugh often and have a positive, happy outlook on life. I don’t want to generalize too much, nor do I want to put the La Chureca community in the typical “poor but happy” box, but I just want to express how much I’m learning from the individuals who I’ve interacted with at the Managua City Dump. Days consist of grueling, back-breaking work sifting through trash and people still maintain positive attitudes. Families are as close-knit as any I’ve ever known. Depression is very rare in La Chureca, despite the living and working conditions. Time not at work is spent with loved ones- laughing and chatting and simply living. Life in La Chureca- for those who live there- isn’t so bad. To me, families in La Chureca have it figured out. Whether by choice or by circumstance, people in La Chureca have their priorities straight- they live surrounded by loved ones, and don’t focus on the negatives- and it’s inspiring.

Our job is to improve access to the basic human rights in La Chureca- specifically healthcare, clean food, and education- not to judge the community for how they live… no matter how dismal the circumstances (from the outside) may seem.