Breakfast on a Mountain of Trash
Smokey Mountain.
If you're not familiar with the place, the name may conjure up images of a hilly region covered in clouds. Somewhere you might go on vacation for some fresh air and scenic views.
The truth is far from that.
Smokey Mountain is a large landfill in Manila, Philippines, where slums are shrouded in smoke from piles of burning rubbish.
Parents struggle to put meals on the table and hunger is a constant, forcing children as young as 6 years' old to dig through piles of rubbish to sell what they can, so they can eat.
In 2001, husband-wife team Nixon and Cora Rosales started taking food to about 15 children at the landfill.
Today, their Malaya Kids Ministries – Malaya means freedom in the Filipino language, Tagalog – feeds hundreds of children every Saturday.
Besides offering the children a respite from hunger, the group also gives them a community where they can have the freedom to dream.
Help give them the freedom to dream.
This story was part of The Good Story Competition 2014.
