He had put so much effort into the organization, but he couldn't see anything coming from it. When his image was sold at auction for a large sum of money, Tiaò burst into tears (Wasteland). Someone spent good money on his portrait, and that alone is enough to boost someone's self-esteem. Tiaò and Magna are just two examples. Many of the other catadores gained a sense of self-worth and potential from Muniz's presence. The work Muniz was doing contributed to the catadores' translation of worth. After working with Muniz, they knew they were worth more than the disgusted looks someone gave them while they were on the bus. Catadores have come to realize that they define their own self-esteem, and with that self-esteem comes the potential to improve their self-esteem.