VIsiting dharavi

​In the morning, we started off by preparing our trip to Dharavi, the most populated slum in Asia, which consisted of a short walk to the public bus, and then taking a train. Upon arrival, we noticed that this “slum” —a name that associates places with poverty, disease, and crime— was actually a complex society with multiple jobs and residential areas.
 
We entered through the commercial district and saw many industrial jobs such as collecting, sorting, and processing plastic and aluminum. With precarious work conditions, these workers were paid on average 300-500 rupees (65 rupees = 1 US dollar). These workers often slept, ate, and dwelled in the same room as where they worked. This prompted questions such as: Did women often work in Dharavi? How does Dharavi interact with the rest of India (and the world)? Nevertheless people in Dharavi still have lives. Parents go to work, children go to school, and life continues for all 1 million plus people in city within a city.

​After touring the industrial and commercial side of Dharavi, we visited the Reality Gives Community Center, where they focus on educating Dharavi youth to get self-sustaining jobs and invest back into the community both with new knowledge and money. The program focused on teaching students English, computer skills (how to type, navigate, and use applications), and life skills (communication, time management, self-care, etc.).
 
One of the biggest distinctions of this community center was its emphasis on self-confidence, encouraging students to believe in themselves as they move through the program. We were very excited to interact, play, and learn from students enrolled in the program. 

​After returning from Dharavi and having dinner, we preceded to the CST train station —which used to be the busiest station in Asia— to ride to Heranjalu, where we will spend the remainder of our trip.