The Malhapswene landfill, located near Darling, was built about 20 years ago and is now saturated. Locals eat indoors, with doors and windows closed, due to flies and the foul odor emanating from the landfill. From Monday to Friday, children passing by often inhale the fumes produced by smoke—created by people who depend on the landfill for their livelihood and decide to incinerate the waste.

Day and night, garbage trucks descend on the site. This place has also become a magnet for birds. Titos Julião, 37, a father of four who earns his living at the dump, has been visiting the site regularly since he was 13. He collects paper, plastic, cans, and glass bottles and sells them to recycling plants.

"I dream of a better job other than as a garbage collector, but life doesn't seem to treat me fairly. I'll keep fighting here until I find a stable job. When I'm not working at the dump, I spend time with my family or tend to my pigs. There's always someone rummaging through the trash. No matter the time of day, even without electricity. To make up for the lack of light, we use a few flashlights, including those from cell phones. Plastic sells for 8 meticais per kilo.

The landfill is not only a source of income for those who rummage through the trash with their bare hands, but also a place for other small businesses. Those who don't dare scatter the trash offer food and beverages for sale, such as juice, water, bajias, sausage sandwiches ("maheu"), eggs, and cookies. However, let's focus on the people who depend directly on the landfill.

Júlia, 19, is single and has been visiting the dump for 12 years. It's her workplace day and night. She collects bottles, plastic, cans, and scrap metal. "I have no choice. To survive, I have to sell trash. This is my reality. My family supports me because they know I'm doing something honest." Like all women, she dreams of having a husband and a home, but in the meantime, her focus is on making a living, which allows her to live without having to beg.