Christmas for Payatas

Christmas is just 2 weeks away and everywhere we go now we can see a variety of decorations awaiting the arrival of December 25. Christmas trees of different heights and sizes are put into display at shopping malls and restaurants bringing the must needed Christmas feel.

Unfortunately it is not in the same for the people living in Payatas. Fot those who heard nothing about Payatas, it is actually a main waste dump located in the suburbs of Manila and was named Smoky Valley after Smoky Mountain. The waste dump in Payatas is filled with garbage piled as high as seven stories in some places. Impoverished squatters, including many children, live in the area and pick through the dump to collect items they can sell. When part of the garbage mountain collapsed on July 2000, partly weakened from a recent typhoon, garbage crashed down onto the huts and shacks below and caught fire, apparently ignited by fallen power cables and stoves in the huts. This disaster has claimed over 200 lives including many innocent children. For over 8 years now, people living there has been living in extreme poverty.

On a daily basis, children pick through newly arrived garbage to collect material to sell. The earnings made by one child are not enough to even buy food for the day. Hence, entire families are forced to climb the mountain each day, hoping to earn enough to feed everyone. In such a dump, it is not rare that children as young as four years old scavenge from early morning till late at night in order to help the ends meet. Therefore, many of them are unable to go to school. Due to the harsh living conditions, many children suffer from malnutrition and skin diseases.

It may be hard for many people to imagine what it would be like to live in such conditions, but that's the daily reality for the thousands who live at the Payatas dump. Many of the residents of Payatas make their living by digging through the influx of "fresh" trash, scavenging for plastic, cardboard, paper, wood, glass, metal and other items that can be sold to recycling agents. The meager earnings made by one person are not enough to buy food for even for a day. Whole families are forced to climb the mountain each day, hoping that together they can earn enough to feed everyone.

Video speaks louder than words. Click HERE to watch the Youtube video. It has highlighted how worst their condition is and that we should felt blessed that we are no living there. Imagine if we are living in such condition, we might not even get to survive the very firsy day itself.

Everyone would not want to celebrate Christmas in such a condition don't we? So are they. Many charity organizations including politicians, celebrities and footballers has started to give donations with an objective to improve their livings. The money raised will help fund the projects already in place, and help fund additional projects aimed at providing better housing, and a means of livelihood for the Payatas community.

It is hoped that by creating better awareness to the plight of these children, more support can be garnered towards their betterment. The little amount we can donate can help bury the poverty. Current donation has reached USD 81,000 and is still increasing. Because Christmas is all about giving, the season becomes more meaningful if we give and support charitable initiatives, particularly, Christmas For Payatas. Together we can give a helping hand hoping that we can bring a joyous Christmas for them this year.

Please visit Christmas For Payatas for more info and make a donation. Every bit counts. You can make a difference =)

Signing off~~