RTE star Síle Seoige has described a recent charity trip to India as feeling like she was “in hell”.
The tv & radio presenter has opened up about her visit to Kolkata with the Hope Foundation last night, and says she was left horrified by the Howrah dump, which sees thousands of people scavenge on a daily basis to find food.
“Going to the dump was the worst day and probably the closest I came to having a panic attack.
“I’d never seen anything like it in my life – it completely took me by surprise,” she told the Irish Independent.
The Galway native added: “I felt like I was trapped in a nightmare. But what I found most disturbing was how beautiful, friendly and smiley they all were.
“The dumps and the slums are all they know, it’s normal for them. But for us in this part of the world, we can’t get our heads around it.”
Síle went on the trip to witness the inspirational work done by Hope, and to help them learn yoga, which she recently qualified to teach.
Posting on Twitter, she wrote: “Having one of the most powerful eye & heart opening experiences of my life.”
