The students of the Cumballa Hill School in Malabar Hill didn’t know what to expect from a tour through Dharavi. “Usually we take our students to malls, the beach or in museums. But we never took them to a place like this although they can learn so much from the Dharavi community”, says the 4th standard teacher Mrs Preeti.

During the week of August 13th 250 students from the 4th to the 7th grade of the Cumballa Hill School participated in the 2.5hrs walking tour through the industrial and residential areas of Dharavi of Reality Tours and Travel. They learned about the vibrant industry that powers Dharavi including the recycling, leather and pottery industries as well as about sanitation, water and social issues.

Reality Tours and Travel started the “Students Welcome”-campaign to invite high school and college students to Dharavi to educate them about the challenges, issues as well as the potential and opportunities of one of Asia’s biggest slums in the heart of Mumbai. We hosted already tours for the students of the American School of Bombay, Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Oberoi International School and Ecole Mondiale.

“The people in Dharavi work so hard in so difficult conditions – we should actually salute them” said one of the students from the 5th standard on Monday during the tour.”