Sorting garbage in Haiti: A source of income with health risks for disadvantaged families

Sorting garbage in Haiti: A source of income with health risks for disadvantaged families

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Sitting in the middle of a pile of garbage, a few inches away from a red and white bag filled with old, torn shoes, Viergélus Noël Juste, a 39-year-old mother of seven, including newborn twins, sifts through garbage daily to support her family. Amidst smoke, flames, waste and even decomposing bodies, she searches for salvageable shoes to clean and resell. Her workplace is a stark contrast to the life she strives to provide for h…