Where The Chasm Is Bridged

The lockdown was a difficult time for many. While everyone's struggles took various forms, the definition of a "home" was redefined for the migrant workers. In the face of immense uncertainty, Kapri's 1232 Kms documents the treacherous journey undertaken by the migrant workers of Bihar.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup has seen a rise of underdogs, with several countries defeating what were perceived to be stronger sides. 

All of us love a good underdog story. It gives us hope that anything is possible. However, when this World Cup is done and when the winners have been awarded, there will still be an underdog who has remained out of the limelight: the millions of migrant workers who made it possible for Qatar to be the first Arab nation to host the major football event.

This episode delves into the issues faced by the blue-collar workers involved in World Cup-related activities in Qatar since 2010, and explores what causes them to migrate in the first place despite precarious working conditions. 

Happy listening!

Welcome back to another episode of Where The Chasm Is Bridged, a podcast by Behind The Scenes.

Cooking food is no longer a hassle with Swiggy and Zomato being just one swipe away, right? Super fast service, relatable ads, quality food, there seems to be no issue at all with these food delivery giants. However, the story narrated the workers is the complete opposite: abysmally low pay, painfully long working hours and bare minimum social securities. With this, let's to delve deep into the dark side of some of your favorite food delivery apps with this podcast.

Happy International Women's Day! 

Though we are a bit late, we would like to wish everyone a very Happy International Women's Day! Durga didi has been working on a construction site for the last 10-15 years, and has been working with the same contractor for the last 7 years. She has 4 grown children and wishes for them to do well, and not enter the line of work they are in. She hails from MP and came here with her husband in search of work. 

There are many people like Durga didi who are not as fortunate to have found a good contractor. Many get cheated or are not paid to their fair wages. There are hopes and there are aspirations. Durga didi is very clear in her motives and aspirations for her children, so it makes me proud that at least no hope or dreams are lost in the vicious cycle of circumstances and poverty.

Welcome to another episode of Where The Chasm Is Bridged, a podcast by Behind The Scenes. Today we have a very interesting podcast, where we have narrated a story you must have seen in your everyday lives as well.

The story follows Sona, a domestic worker, who is accused of stealing a pair of diamond earrings from her employer, Kirti. Kirti does not listen to her and is immediately convinced that she must have taken it, without a second thought. There are many workers like Sona who are accused of stealing or finding ways to not work, without proper evidence. We accept the best from them, without giving them the necessary or even basic treatment.

*The story is completely fictitious and does not mean to harm anyone's sentiment.*

Welcome to Where The Chasm Is Bridged, a podcast by Behind The Scenes. 

The film which is today's focus is Hawaa Hawaai. It revolves around the life of one Arjun Waghmare who is a victim of incessant atrocities. The son of a poor farmer, he works at a tea stall to make ends meet. The movie shows how he and his friends face all odds to come out winning and despite all the impediments that society puts in their way, they rise to the challenge. It's a heartwarming tale of how tough life is for child laborers and an appeal to the emotion for everyone who watches the film.

It is interesting to see how the society stereotypes the children and adults by categorizing them into the 'hopeless' and 'useless' category all because of their social background. They are ridiculed and discouraged from pursuing their dreams, making sports like Tennis or Golf, the sport of the 'Rich'. 

Welcome to Where The Chasm Is Bridged, a podcast by Behind The Scenes, an NGO aimed towards working for Dignity of Labor. 

Disability can be of different kinds. According to the Census survey, it has been categorized into 5 categories, namely, visual impairment, mobility impairment, mental impairment, speech impairment and hearing impairment. According to the International Labor Organization, 4-5% of India’s population is said to be affected by one or more of these disabilities. Due to the sheer size of India’s population, even a small percentage can lead to a population of several millions. There are many people who are stigmatized for being disabled and are not allowed to tap into their full potential. 

Mrs. Shashi Azad is the National Vice Chairperson of the Mahila and Bal Vikas campaign of Bharat Vikas Parishad. Ma’am is also working as President of Mahila samiti of Vanvasi Raksha Parivar foundation which focuses on helping women in the tribal area. She has been working in this field for many years now, along with her husband. Through Bharat Vikas Parishad, ma’am has helped many disabled people by providing them with artificial limbs. In the lockdown too, she worked hard to give food to workers and the people in their vicinity, both through the organization and in her personal capacity.

Welcome to Where The Chasm Is Bridged, a podcast by Behind The Scenes, an Ngo working for dignity of labor among blue-collar workers. 

I think this New Year made me realize several things. While we looked for resolutions within the comfort of our homes, there were people who looked for new opportunities. I realized how the same joyous occasion could mean different things to different people. A student would wish to do better academically, a worker would wish for more wages and a lost child would wish for directions home. In these cold nights where everyday is a struggle, I think, the New Year would become just like any other day. So why not make a resolution to try and make things better for someone else, and not ourselves? The last year has been very difficult for the entire world, so let's help those who could not help themselves. Happy New Year everyone! 

Welcome to Episode 13! Today, we are in conversation with Mr. Rameysh Sharma, an emotional intelligence and life skill trainer. He has been in the field since 2006 and has worked with many government ministries. Sir helped us understand the various ways in which the pandemic affected the mental health of so many individuals, why it was all the more impacting for daily wage workers. 

Mental Health of any person can be very fragile, as the pandemic has shown us. Taking care of ourselves, mentally as well as physically, can be a way we can achieve ways to reduce our stress. In a world where everyone has 'too much stress', perhaps, the ability to differentiate between positive and negative stress can allow us to motivate ourselves and learn to pave our way forward. Not just us, but empowering those around us to seek answers for themselves and learn more can be an initiative, we as individuals can take as well. 

This Human Rights Day, we would encourage everyone to think about the exploitation of blue-collared workers and speak up about the inhumane circumstances they are subjected to. Here is a short thought provoking self composed poem for you.