Before arriving at the "slums," I had a stereotypical impression that they were dirty, smelly, and filled with violence and negativity. However, after visiting the slum of Dharavi in Mumbai, my perspective changed completely.
The men and women I saw there were busy with their work, and the market activities were bustling. After reading some reports, I found that in Dharavi, a place with nearly a million residents, not only does everyone have a job, but has also build thousands of small businesses that generate an average profit of over $50,000 per year.
This level of business activity is quite different from the typical perception of a "slum." I believe that if the local residents knew how some tourists view their community, they might find it quite puzzling.