A Reflection on National Geographic: The Real Slumdogs

Colton Weaver English6 1/17/14

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Dharvi is a slum in Mumbai, India. Something interesting about Dharvi is that 1 million people live there, and they have no welfare. Even though Dharvi is a slum, people there can succeed because they are willing to work hard through all circumstances. Laxmi is a rag picker. She is the mother of a little girl named Sheetal that dreams of being a doctor. Their living conditions are horrible. She shares a 100 sq. ft. home with her mom. Laxmi picks through trash to put her daughter through school. If Sheetal works hard she might have a chance to climb out of poverty nobody starves in Dharvi. There are lots of opportunities for work.1

Laxmi National Geographic: The Real Slumdogs. CD ROM. Directed by Steve Baker. San Francisco, CA: Independent Television Service, 2010.

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Google images- rag pickers in Dharvi

Striving for science is what a boy in Dharvi dreams of. Jigha is a little boy, and all he wants in life is to be a scientist. His dad works as a Tailor to provide for his son. He has a bright mind and is likely to succeed. If Dharvi is leveled, he will have very little hope in reaching his dreamsDharvi is a city of dreamers. These people are fighting to survive in the most extreme circumstances.2 You might have seen this man on TV. Shilesh is a soon to be actor. Shilesh is a rickshaw driver and dreams of being an actor in Bollywood. He has a wife and two kids. His money goes to feed his family. His main priority is providing for his family. He has a chance of being an actor if he tries; but the sad part is not every one has the same chance. Dharvis people are willing to work through everything from the blazing heat to the freezing cold. Just three stories were shown in this, essay but there are hundreds of stories that are as inspirational as this. Right now there is a debate to level Dharvi or not. The good part about

(Rodd Houston) National Geographic: The Real Slumdogs. CD ROM. Directed by Steve Baker. San Francisco, CA: Independent Television Service, 2010.

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leveling Dharvi is that India will be an amazing super city; the bad part is where are you going to put one million people, if you have people everywhere then where will they live, eat, and sleep?

Google images- map of India with Dharvi

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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National Geographic: The Real Slumdogs. CD ROM. Directed by Steve Baker. San Francisco Independent Television Service, 2010.