A young filmmaker has travelled to India to make a documentary about the lives of women construction workers. Meera Darji, from Leicester, is working on a documentary called Majoor 9195, which she is filming in Majoor, Gujarat.
Meera, 23, said: "There are 1,130,029 unregistered construction workers in Majoor, with an average daily employment rate of 9,195 females.
"This film will look at the lives of Majoor women, exposing the difficult conditions they work in as well as their hopes for the future. These women work nine hour shifts a day and some have their children on site.
"The main issue I want to show is the health and safety. Some don't have shoes and are walking on bricks, cement and broken glass.
"These women work so hard, day and night, in scorching temperatures, and it's shocking to see how they survive in the day.
"We have been filming from early morning, seeing how they live. It has been an eye-opener so far, especially with the fact their duties begin before work, as they must clean, cook, feed children, wash clothes and prepare for evening meals.
"As a filmmaker, it has been incredible to not only observe their lifestyles but absorb their hardships and struggles. With no complaining or moaning, they continue to lift cement and shovel sand with smiles on their faces."
Meera has filmed in Gujarat in the past, working on a 30-minute documentary called Transindia, exploring the lives of Hijras, the transgender community.
She won the best student factual film category at the RTS Midlands Centre Awards for Transindia, and also picked up awards in India.
Meera said she noticed the women construction workers when she was filming Transindia to give her the idea for her new documentary. She is studying 21st Century Media Practice at Coventry University and this documentary is for Meera's final post-graduate project.
She is in Gujarat till the end of July. She has set up a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for the film, and to support the women.
To donate, visit: www.indiegogo.com/ projects/majoor-9195
