Still, when she returns from sifting through rubbish all day, there is never enough water for a proper wash. When entire lives are geared towards basic survival, nutrition is an alien concept. Sometimes, when she is unbearably hungry, More looks for chicken remnants or rotting fruit in the garbage. Not surprisingly, malnourishment and illness like fevers, coughs, malaria, scabies and diarrhoea are common. The number represents the proverbial tip of the iceberg.
Sexual molestation is also a constant threat.
The heat is intense. Many girls, already in poor health, are married between the ages of 14-16. They bear children while still young and malnourished themselves. Over 100,000 women die in India every year from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. Work, poverty and social attitudes towards a daughters education, ensure low literacy rates for girls.