A photo exhibition aimed at promoting better understanding and
communication between migrant workers and urban residents was
opened yesterday at Beijing's Capital
Library.???
The exhibition, jointly organized by the Culture and
Communication Center for Facilitators (CCCF), a Beijing-based
non-governmental organization (NGO), Actionaid China Office, and
Capital Library, is on until October 8, the last day of the
National Day holidays. Admission is free.
Zhang Lanying, program director of Actionaid China Office, said
at the opening ceremony that migrant workers have contributed a
great deal to city construction, and should be given equal
treatment as urban workers.
Nearly 90 photos, spanning over a period of about 10 years, were
chosen from over 40,000 taken by two photographers who work for
CCCF. Li Zhen, one of the photographers, told China.org.cn: "We
want to show you all the photos, but it's impossible. It took us
one year to choose these photos. Each photo tells a story."
Sun Wenjuan is a migrant worker from a village in north China's
Hebei Province. She was invited to speak at
the exhibition and tell others of her experiences. She came to
Beijing in May 2001 and was employed as a waitress in a holiday
resort, working up to 10 or more hours a day. She was diagnosed
with renal failure in February 2002, and underwent two kidney
transplant operations, once in July 2002, the other in November.
Both were unsuccessful. Today, dialysis treatments are keeping her
alive until she can find a new kidney donor.
CCCF learned about her plight and decided to provide with free
legal advice, which enabled her to obtain medical insurance cover.
Sun said that her greatest wish is for government officials to come
to the exhibition, and to give more care and support for migrant
workers who sometimes cannot even afford basic medical
services.
"Sun's case is just one of many. They're very familiar with the
organization I work with, and we have become good friends," Li told
China.org.cn. "This photo exhibition is part of our campaign to
promote a better understanding and communication between migrant
workers and the social mainstream. We are conducting large-scale
research into the impact of the city surge on those left behind in
the rural areas, predominantly women and children. And we are
strengthening cooperation with related funds and international
NGOs," Li said.
Li Tao, the other photographer and founder of the project, said:
"I was deeply moved with each picture that I took." Li Tao added
that the stint has been tough --ten years and counting -- but "if
you take this as your career, you will enjoy it."?
(Li Tao, founder of the
project, is showing pictures at yesterday's opening
ceremony.)
China has 120 million rural laborers working in cities and the
figure is likely to reach 300 million by 2020. At least one-third
of the migrant workers are women aged between 17 and 25. The work
of migrant workers has translated into 16 percent of China's gross
domestic product (GDP) growth over the past 20 years, according to
a report released in June by the United Nation's Education, Science
and Culture Organization (UNESCO) and the Institute of Sociology of
the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The CCCF was established in 2003, a local NGO with a mission to
safeguard labor rights and to promote understanding and
communication between urban and rural areas.?
(China.org.cn by Staff Reporter Zhang Yunxing, September 27,
2006)
