The Resilience of Women Builders in Chennai

ON A BUSTLING MORNING IN CHENNAI, ALARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE BLOCKED THE ROADWAYS, STANDING WITH HOPE AND LONGING FOR WORK OPPORTUNITIES ETCHED ON THEIR FACES. WE ENCOUNTERED A GROUP HOLDING HAMMERS, CHISELS, AND PLASTIC WIRE BAGS. AMONG THEM WERE MAINLY WOMEN DRESSED IN BRIGHTCOLOURED SAREES, ADORNED WITH TURMERIC ON THEIR FACES, RED KUMKUM, AND FLOWERS ON THEIR HEADS. THEIR FACES REFLECTED A DEEP SENSE OF YEARNING, AS THEY WAITED IN THE SCORCHING MORNING AT OUTSIDE MOGAPPAIR WEST BUS STOP. WE’VE SEEN THEM ON ROADS, IN TEMPLES, SHOPS, AND BUSES, AS THEY NAVIGATE THROUGH VARIOUS PARTS OF CHENNAI. THEY ARE TELUGU-SPEAKING MIGRANTS FROM ANDHRA PRADESH, STRIVING FOR LIVELIHOODS HERE IN CHENNAI. THESE MIGRANT WOMEN WORKERS FACE NUMEROUS CHALLENGES AND STRUGGLES IN THEIR QUEST FOR A BETTER LIFE. MORE ON THEIR JOURNEY FROM ANDHRA PRADESH TO CHENNAI...

- VINITHA VENKATESHA

Parvathy, a 35-year-old P woman from Anakapalle, Andhra Pradesh, says, "I'm married, and I have two boys who are in Anakapalle, Andhra Pradesh, studying. I came to Chennai along with my husband as a mason, and it's been a week, but I still haven't got a job. The daily wage for female workers is Rs. 800, and for male workers, it's Rs. 900. Female workers only carry cement, soil, wood, and mix cement with water, while male workers do tougher jobs, so they get paid more. We don't know the language, the place, or the people here, but we wait here as a group with our community people to get daily wage work. If someone approaches us for work, we will go.

I understand Tamil a little but can't speak fluently. People in Chennai understand us, so there's no problem commuting by bus. We miss our children, but we've built a house in Andhra, and we have loans to pay.

We are here to work for our children's education, clothing, and books. We've been coming to Chennai for mason work for the last 10-15 years. Our room rent is Rs. 2000-3000 per month for a family. We save money every day, and if we don't get a job even for a day, we may have to go without money.

We are here to support our families, esp for our children's education.