UNCLE J stares into the distance, seemingly lost in thought as he pauses every now and then in between sentences, while telling me about his family back home in Bangladesh.
A migrant worker, Uncle J currently works as a cleaner for a local company. He makes just enough to cover his cost of living here and dutifully sends the rest home to his family.
I've known him for many years, observing him sweeping and cleaning the street where I live. Like clockwork, he starts work at 8.30am on the dot, every day including Saturdays. On Sundays, Uncle J collects whatever scraps he finds to sell to the recycling shop for some extra income.
It's a tough life but many migrant workers like Uncle J see their act of migration as a necessary sacrifice. This is eloquently described in Shivaji Das and Yolanda Yu's book, The Visible Invisibles: Stories of Migrant Workers in Asia.
According to the book, these workers constantly grapple with worries after taking the plunge and working in a foreign country. Is the sacrifice worth it? How do I cope with feelings of guilt after being separated from my family for so long?
NECESSARY SACRIFICE?
Reading the heart-wrenching stories in The Visible Invisibles is almost like having Uncle J retell his life in Bangladesh and what led to his difficult decision to leave behind everything he knew and loved to work in a foreign land.
According to the book, most migrant workers (often those who fall in the lower-wage category) are forced or tempted to move due to a host of problems faced in their home country, including economic stagnation, political instability, identity-based discrimination, and even climate change.
They made the sacrifice in the hope that life would be better. But the reality? Grappling with poor living conditions, hostility from the locals, intimidation, exploitation, racism, exorbitant agent fees… the list goes on.
Throughout the book, readers get to "meet" people from all walks of life. Some of them — just like us — dream of achieving success in life.
A Filipino domestic worker had to leave her newborn behind to work in Singapore; a Bangladeshi man working in a construction site recounts how his fellow countryman died from the lack of medical care; an Indian migrant worker-turned-activist is determined to render assistance to his beleaguered colleagues; a Nepalese security guard, a former soldier who fought in a war, is now forced to salute condominium owners as they drive into the building.
These are just among the many stories meticulously documented by Das and Yu, who interviewed 45 individuals from eight countries, hailing from different backgrounds.
"A critical part of our approach," explained Das in an email interview, "was to show diversity among the workers facing different circumstances, including cultural backgrounds, gender and the nature of their work".
He went to on to say that he got to know some of the interviewees from having worked with them previously. Others, he met through acquaintances or were introduced through trusted non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
TRUE STORIES
Continued Das: "We're grateful for the honesty and willingness of these workers to tell their stories. They undertook great risks in sharing a slice of their lives with us. Some of them, of course, requested that we changed their names, while others spoke on condition of anonymity."
All the stories, he added, highlights the quality of human life. Their experiences are inspiring, touching and at times, heart-wrenching. "It's definitely worth the readers' time and attention," he said.
I can't help but agree. One of the stories that stood out for me was about Sagar, a Bangladeshi construction worker in Singapore. Sagar's father retired as a policeman and his retirement money was used to finance Sagar's journey to Singapore. Barely into the week, Sagar, who was unaccustomed to the backbreaking work at the construction site, wanted desperately to return home.
In another harrowing tale, Zheng Xiaoqiong, a former domestic migrant worker who now works as a writer and editor, recalled the hardship of working in a factory in China.
"In factory dormitories, we followed the law of the jungle," he recalled. However, he went on to add that the hardship he faced all those years ago had grown to become some of his most beautiful memories. "We may have complained about how tough life was 20 years ago, but we still recall them as beautiful days," wrote Zheng.
Even with the odds stacked against them, these resilient workers have one common goal: to work and survive. It's easy to blame them for all the faults that appear in the system — it's the system that failed them in the first place.
In this book readers will learn about how these workers are exploited and are unfairly treated. Be prepared for an emotional read. Despite the tough subject, the book is easy to understand even for those not used to non-fiction works.
The Visible Invisibles serves as a reminder for the rest of us to count our blessings. Perhaps it'll change the way we view migrant workers in this country. Their courage, indomitable will and determination to survive are truly inspiring.
In the words of Elpidia Abel Malicsi, a Filipino domestic worker who worked in Saudi Arabia and is currently working in Hong Kong, "… when we're determined to sacrifice, we can achieve anything."
So true.
The Visible Invisibles: Stories of Migrant Workers in Asia
Authors: Shivaji Das and Yolanda Yu
Publisher: Penguin Random House SEA
Paperback, 226 pages