Gallery: Inside the Hellscape Where Our Computers Go to Die

  • Image may contain Human and Person
    Kevin McElvaney
    01

    JOHN MAHAMA (21)

    John Mahama, 21. Mahama's eyes twitch. He suffers from insomnia and debilitating headaches, but must continue to work in order to pay for his medication.
  • Image may contain Urban Building Human Person Clothing Apparel and Slum
    Kevin McElvaney
    02

    ADJOA (9)

    Adjoa, 9. Girls like Adjoa balance tubs filled with small frozen water bags on their heads to sell to workers. The water bags are used for refreshment and/or to extinguish the smaller fires. Girls usually prefer selling water or fruits to burning e-waste.
  • Image may contain Human Person Transportation Vehicle Bike Bicycle Wheel Machine Urban Building and Pollution
    Kevin McElvaney
    03

    ADAM LATIF (21)

    Adam Latif, 21. Some boys cycle around searching for good places to scavenge. Latif built a functioning PCs with scrap from the fields and sold them in Accra.
  • Image may contain Human Person Footwear Clothing Apparel Shoe Animal Mammal Cow Cattle Bag and Plastic
    Kevin McElvaney
    04

    ALHASSAN ADAMS (19)

    Adams Alhassan, 19. Alhassan decided not to burn e-waste, but works in the part of the dump with food waste instead. He and others who work there often fall sick with malaria because of the mosquitos. Alhassan says without a good education its almost impossible to find another job in Accra.
  • Image may contain Human Person Clothing Apparel Pants Shoe Footwear Fire Denim Jeans and Flame
    Kevin McElvaney
    05

    ADAM NASARA (25)

    Adam Nasara, 25. Nasara wasn’t aggressive, but was in a hurry to burn the cables he set on fire so they didn’t melt together.
  • Image may contain Human Person Urban Building Pollution Slum and Tent
    Kevin McElvaney
    06

    MOHAMMED CAMARA (20)

    Mogammed Camara, 20. Camara came all the way from Ivory Coast to work at Agbogbloshie.
  • Image may contain Pollution Human Person and Ground
    Kevin McElvaney
    07

    WELLU SEREGIOUS (33)

    Wellu Seregious, 33. Seregious walked around alone. He was aware of the risks associated with burning cables and electronic goods, so he decided to collect old tins and other metals in areas filled with food and waste from Accra. It was his 4th day working in Agbogbloshie.
  • Image may contain Human Person Footwear Clothing Apparel Shoe Urban Building City Town Metropolis and Pollution
    Kevin McElvaney
    08

    BABA SALIFU (15)

    Baba Salifu, 15. Salifu burns e-waste and breeds goats to make a living in Agbogbloshie. Young men there earn an average of $2.50 each day.
  • Image may contain Pants Clothing Apparel Denim Jeans Human Person Footwear and Shoe
    Kevin McElvaney
    09

    RAHMAN DAUDA (12)

    Rahman Dauda, 12. Dauda says he tries to go to school “whenever possible.” He started working three years ago. Like many others, he believes the work is just temporary, but in the end most boys are not able to leave the vicious cycle of Agbogbloshie.
  • Image may contain Human Person Urban Building Slum Pollution and Gabrielle Onguene
    Kevin McElvaney
    10

    KWABENA LABOBE (10)

    Kwabena Labobe, 10. Labobe plays on the site. His parents are not able to send him to school and forbid him to burn e-waste.
  • Image may contain Human Person Wheel Machine Clothing Shoe Footwear Apparel Spoke Tire Motorcycle and Vehicle
    Kevin McElvaney
    11

    WIRED-Agbogbloshie- 10

    Abdul Salam, 18. Salam says he has severe headaches for days, and was sweating and shaking while he and McElvaney spoke.
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