Over 200 million people moved to the cities in the last few decades. Their hard labour helped to make China the second largest economy in the world, but what´s the human cost for those working on the factory floor and building China´s future? The China Insight crew visited cities and rural areas spanning Guandong, Guanxi and Hebei, exploring the hardships and hopes of China’s migrant workers. [Enter Verity Aylward´s Blog]
Migrant Series 1- Struggles in the city
Over 40 years ago, this farmer built his home with mud and earth.He hoped these were strong foundations for a happy family life. He got married and had 3 sons and 2 daugthers. Once they grown up, they were sent away to the cities...But he never expected they’d be gone for the next twenty years, and visit so rarely. In that time, they got married and had their own children.So why do his children still struggle in the cities?
Xuelian has worked in Shunde for over a decade. Many young people in his hometown have also left for the cities. Although rooted to his traditional village home, he’s challenging convention by taking his former boss to court. He was fired without notice. Xuelian believes he was unfairly dismissed for being an outspoken worker.Will he find justice?
Migrant Series 3- A new dynamic
"Shenzhen is like a goldmine to many people," Ye Weiqi says. Like other new generation migrants, Ye Weiqi came here to seek her fortune. For Lu Yanwu moving to the city was about survival. He’s from Gansu province, where his family barely has enough to get by. Both Weiqi and Yanwu are resilient, and use their experiences to campaign for social justice. They expose the realities of migrant life through the powerful medium of microblogging. So what do they really want to achieve with their collective voice?
