Muhammad Yasir, 14, Delhi, India. Muhammad Yasir wasn’t at all fazed by a westerner pointing a large camera in his direction and I admired that. A ninth grader who begrudgingly learns English, Muhammad Yasir said he spends his free time hanging out at the local mosque. As for life after school, he will take care of his father’s business making vehicle shock absorbers. 2015.
Rakesh, 38, Delhi, India. Cleaning street drains ... 2015.
Rakesh, 38, Delhi, India. It’s easy to walk past people like Rakesh and not give them any further thought. After all, it’s hard enough simply imagining the hardships faced cleaning sewers, let alone actually doing it day in, day out. Rakesh seemed happy enough be photographed and was very cheerful, however he initially felt he had to give me a fake name. I can understand why he did this, but at the same time it made me both angry and sad. People worldwide heap praise on doctors, aspire to be lawyers and worship film stars like gods, yet those who do equally and often more important work, like waste and rubbish removal are looked down upon. Sure, it’s clearly not a desirable career path, however without people like Rakesh, our communities would be uninhabitable. Rakesh’s wages are just over $100 a month for a job that’s not only unbelievably tough, but also very dangerous. Rakesh wears no shoes, gloves, mask or any other safety equipment, as he shovels waste matter into a bucket with his bare hands. He sometimes descends up to 6 metres and deals with sharp objects and highly toxic gases. The Tata Institute of Social Sciences found that 80% of sewer workers die before the age of 60. This is a shocking statistic - a statistic that means a hell of a lot more to me though, after meeting Rakesh. Family however, takes priority over Rakesh’s own well-being. I’m not sure he will be able to change his own future, but I’m very hopeful his two sons’ lives will be different, as is Rakesh's wish. 2015.
