GREAT PHOTOJOURNALISM

Great Photojournalism

Carsten Snejbjerg

Garbage Town

Manshiet Nasser is the largest squatter area in Cairo, populated mostly by Zabbaleen, or trash collectors who emigrated from rural Egypt in the 1950s. Three hundred and fifty thousand people live in the area, which suffers from poor living and environmental conditions, inadequate services, and lack of infrastructure.

A girl stands on a rooftop in the garbage city of Manshiet Nasser in Cairo, Egypt on Monday, October 23, 2006. The men and young boys of Manshiet Nasser collect more than a third of the 10,000 tons of daily garbage produced in Cairo. The Zabbaleen community of trash collectors recycles 80-85% of the garbage they collect. Three hundred fifty thousand people live and work in the garbage city of Manshiet Nasser. The Zabbaleen migrated from rural Egypt in the 1950s during a time of drought. They were Coptic Christian pig farmers who began collecting garbage to feed their animals. The infant mortality rate is around 12 percent, twice as high as rest of Egypt. An extremely high percentage of the children suffer from respiratory illnesses, diarrhea, and infectious diseases. Forty-nine percent of the inhabitants have intestinal parasites.

A man sorts through plastic garbage, which is considered to be the most valuable form of refuse in the city of Manshiet Nasser

Some of the wealthier men of the city relax in front of a cafe

Pigs in a sty between houses in Manshiet Nasser, Cairo

A person walks down the street in the early morning hours in Manshiet Nasser, Cairo, Egypt

Marian (seated) prepares for her wedding

Boys train and look after pigeons

A horse runs loose in Manshiet Nasser

Women stand to one side in church in Manshiet Nasser

Garbage is sorted in Manshiet Nasser, Cairo, Egypt, on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2006. Manshiet Nasser is the largest squatter area in Cairo, populated mostly by Zabbaleen, or trash collectors who emigrated from rural Egypt in the 1950s. Three hundred and fifty thousand people live in the area, which suffers from poor living and environmental conditions, inadequate services, and lack of infrastructure.

A heroin addict has just finished shooting up in Manshiet Nasser

Two boys play near garbage in Manshiet Nasser

A woman and a dog walk past garbage in Manshiet Nasser

Men return with refuse to the garbage city of Manshiet Nasser, Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2006. The men and young boys of Manshiet Nasser collect more than a third of the 10,000 tons of daily garbage produced in Cairo. The Zabbaleen community of trash collectors recycles 80-85% of the garbage they collect. Forty thousand people live and work in the garbage city of Manshiet Nasser. The Zabbaleen migrated from rural Egypt in the 1950s during a time of drought. They were Coptic Christian pig farmers who began collecting garbage to feed their animals. The infant mortality rate is around 12 percent, twice as high as rest of Egypt. An extremely high percentage of the children suffer from respiratory illnesses, diarrhea, and infectious diseases. Forty-nine percent of the inhabitants have intestinal parasites.

A scene in a barbershop

Two couples get married in Manshiet Nasser

A street scene in the garbage city of Manshiet Nasser in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2006. Manshiet Nasser is a city of 350,000 people, where the Zabbaleen, or trash collectors live and work. The Zabbaleen collect a third of the 10,000 tons of daily garbage produced in Cairo. They migrated from rural Egypt in the 1950s during a time of drought. They were Coptic Christian pig farmers who began collecting garbage to feed their animals. The infant mortality rate is around 12 percent, twice as high as rest of Egypt. An extremely high percentage of the children suffer from respiratory illness, diarrhea, and infectious diseases. Forty-nine percent of the inhabitants have intestinal parasites.

People stand in the street in Manshiet Nasser,

Boys play with a kite

A bride's family moves her belongings to her husband's house in Manshiet Nasser, Cairo, Egypt, on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2006. Manshiet Nasser is the largest squatter area in Cairo, populated mostly by Zabbaleen, or trash collectors who emigrated from rural Egypt in the 1950s. Three hundred and fifty thousand people live in the area, which suffers from poor living and environmental conditions, inadequate services, and lack of infrastructure.

People stand in the street in Manshiet Nasser

People walk through the street in Manshiet Nasser

A bride and groom at their wedding party

Streetlife in Manshiet Nasser

A man collects refuse in the garbage city of Manshiet Nasser, Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2006. The men and young boys of Manshiet Nasser collect more than a third of the 10,000 tons of daily garbage produced in Cairo. The Zabbaleen community of trash collectors recycles 80-85% of the garbage they collect. Three hundred fifty thousand people live and work in the garbage city of Manshiet Nasser. The Zabbaleen migrated from rural Egypt in the 1950s during a time of drought. They were Coptic Christian pig farmers who began collecting garbage to feed their animals. The infant mortality rate is around 12 percent, twice as high as rest of Egypt. An extremely high percentage of the children suffer from respiratory illnesses, diarrhea, and infectious diseases. Forty-nine percent of the inhabitants have intestinal parasites.

A man walks through the street in Manshiet Nasser, Cairo, Egypt, on Friday, Oct. 27, 2006. Since 2003, the city government of Cairo has awarded contracts to three private foreign companies to collect Cairo's garbage, posing a threat to the Zabbaleen's trade. Manshiet Nasser is the largest squatter area in Cairo, populated mostly by Zabbaleen, or trash collectors who emigrated from rural Egypt in the 1950s. Three hundred and fifty thousand people live in the area, which suffers from poor living and environmental conditions, inadequate services, and lack of infrastructure.