http://www.thephotoessay.com/
Introduction to the project :
No child dreams of becoming a maid or a construction worker. But
driven by poverty and a lack of opportunities, waves of Asians take
on such work every year, often away from the support of friends and
family.
In Singapore, migrant workers clean our homes and help raise our
children. They build the offices we work in and the roads we use
every day. But we know little of their stories and the dreams that
inspire them.
InsideOut is a six-month project involving 30 workers from
Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. They learn the basics of
photography and, guided by volunteer photographers and
photojournalists, are encouraged to take photos of their daily
lives in Singapore.
Through their photographs, we hope to learn from their perspectives
and experiences. The sharing of their stories may spark more
interaction between host and migrant communities, strengthening
links that already exist and building bridges where there are
none.
Foreign workers make up about a quarter of Singapore's 2.3-million
labour force. These workers, about 600,000 of them, are work-permit
holders who take on low-pay jobs in the construction and service
industries. About 150,000 foreign domestic workers in Singapore
come from the Philippines, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Construction
workers in the island-state come mainly from Thailand, India,
Bangladesh, Myanmar and China.
Many workers realize their dreams of a better life, but for others,
that dream erodes when they run into problems such as the
non-payment of salary and, in some cases, physical and mental
abuse. The project hopes to reflect some of the challenges all of
them face.
InsideOut will be exhibited as part of the M1 Singapore Fringe
Festival from Feb 22-Mar 21, 2006, at Objectifs, located at 12A
Liang Seah Street, Singapore 189033
Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 11am to 7pm
Saturday: 1pm to 5pm