Sorious Samura
Documentary Project
for improved rights for migrant workers (Channel 4)
My name is Sorious Samura. I am a journalist from Sierra Leone and I have been living in the UK for the last 14 years. I am making a documentary about the challenges facing migrant workers in the UK for Channel 4 and I am asking for your help.
In the UK today, I feel migrant workers are under appreciated. They work hard, are paid little, do the jobs British don't want to do, but still migrants are talked about like they are a problem.
When I first arrived in the UK in the early 90s, I was just trying to make the most of my opportunity here. I didn't have permission to work, but I worked anyway. I was being paid very little so I ended up working serious overtime. In fact, I had 3 jobs and was often working more than 20 hours each day. There are many migrants in London today working like this. It is a very difficult and exhausting life, but the British public doesn't see this. They don't see how hard many of us work, and the difficulties we face.
For this documentary I am making, I want to show the extreme working hours that some migrants are doing (20 hours a day or more). I want to show the British public, and politicians, that many migrants are trying to better their lives, working incredibly hard to make ends meet – and not just taking benefits like some people say. I believe this will be an important film that will help workers rights for migrants.
Are you working 20 hours a day? Do you know anybody that works those kinds of hours? Please get in touch if you can help me find these people.
I appreciate that some workers will be nervous about coming forward – some will also be undocumented. First, let me promise you that we don't do anything without your full permission. Secondly, we can take every precaution to hide your identity. At this stage, we are not doing any filming, there will be no cameras, I just want to hear your story and explain more about what we are trying to do. Please feel free to google me if you want.
Please get in touch.
I can be reached on 07879 813091 or sorious@insighttwi.com
www.insighttwi.com