Raunaq is a young graduate from Hazaribagh, Jharkhand. She has been very expressive about her experiences as a migrant worker stuck in Uttar Pradesh during the COVID -19 lockdown and has actively engaged and articulated migrant workers’ issues in the Worker’s Webinar. Raunaq is currently looking for employment. She hopes to work as a teacher.
Gulzar and his co-workers were working in Goa as mandap decorators for various event management companies before the lockdown. Unfortunately, one of the companies had not cleared their wages. Gulzar, on behalf of his co-workers, had taken the initiative to raise the complaint with the Goa labour department. He strongly believes in community building and collectivisation. Gulzar actively fights for workers’ rights and is vocal against the dowry system.
Despite being a Frontline Health worker, Sima is currently unemployed and is looking for work in the Health sector. Having worked in a private Hospital in Goa before the COVID-19 lockdown, she has exhibited strong leadership skills by supporting her coworkers to claim their rights. She is determined to advocate and voice migrant workers’ issues through her experiences.
A migrant worker who was working in a theatre in Bangalore before the lockdown, Tahir has extensively spoken about their struggle for full payment of their wages. Coming from the flood-prone regions of Assam and being the sole earning member of his family, he is currently looking for employment opportunities.
Aarti is a passionate 21 years old who has completed her secondary education and has 10 years of housekeeping experience. Aarti has lost her father at a very young age and been working to support her mother since then. She speaks Marathi and Hindi fluently, also understands English. She is pursuing her graduation and funding it with the income from her work and fellowship. She aspires for her own business some day.
Mithlesh, originally from Muzaffarpur, Bihar, has previously worked in a parlour in Guwahati. He lives with his wife and children. Even though the lockdowns have forced Mithlesh to be unemployed for almost 2 years, he is working hard to ensure his family’s well being. He is currently a member of the Pravasi Mazdoor group and assists in the organisation of the group as well as visiting blocks to assist individuals in obtaining labour cards and job cards.
Karuna, a native of Bidar, Karnataka, has been a resident of Bangalore for last three years. She has studied till secondary school. She used to work in a Bidar training centre before moving to Bangalore to work for a garment company. She eventually left that job to open a panipuri stall with her sister and husband. Karuna is fluent in Kannada, Hindi as well as Marathi and wishes to learn English. She is also interested in embroidery.
Mohd. Muslim is a part of the recently formed Pravaasi Majdoor Group- a migrant workers’ group in Muzaffarpur, formed for addressing their issues and advocating their rights. Being a circular migrant, he has previously worked in major cities like Delhi and Kolkata. He hopes to help and empower other migrant workers to start small local businesses and access various welfare schemes.
Nicholas, who used to work as a construction worker in Bangalore and Chennai, has been actively involved in assisting fellow migrant workers in accessing their due entitlements. He has also played a critical role in supporting the survivors of a human trafficking and bonded-labour. Nicholas has made valuable contributions to SWAN’s Worker’s Webinar and the Janta Parliament.