THE experiences of migrant workers who move thousands of miles to find work in the UK is to be highlighted in a Southend student’s documentary film.

Thomas Maneya, 30, came to the UK from Zimbabwe in 2002, and has held down several jobs to support himself and his family

Currently a part-time bus driver, Mr Maneya is also studying for a BSc Hons degree in social studies at South East Essex College, Southend and is due to graduate next year.

In the meantime, he has registered his own production company and is putting together a film, which aims to reveal the hardship and crime experienced by many migrant workers over here.

The film, provisionally entitled Beneath the Visa, is meant as a pilot for a full-scale series he hopes one day to sell to a TV company, possibly the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

The subject is something of which he has first-hand knowledge, as he sends money home to Zimbabwe to support his mother, four brothers and two sisters.

Mr Maneya, who lives in Coleman Street, Southend, with his wife, Patience, and five-year-old son, Jamal, says: “I wrote some scripts about foreign people living in England and it inspired the documentary.

“My ambition was to show people back home what it was really like to live in a Western country.

“People here work very hard to look after their families back home. When you send them money back, they need to look after it because of what the people here have gone through over it. It’s not an easy way to live.”

He adds: “Some parents push their children to come here.

“I am trying to show what can happen. You might push them to come, but it doesn’t mean they want to come, or are prepared for what it will be like.

“Some people get caught up in crime or drugs, because there is no support network, or they aren’t prepared for what they find.

“Some children come over without their parents and they have freedom for the first time in their lives. That can lead to them into trouble.”

A clash of cultures and traditions is often to blame, Mr Maneya says, explaining: “We are taught to look after each other, but here, there is more independence.

“Most African children are brought up with very strict rules, so when they come here without their parents, the freedom can be too much for them and before they know it things have gone wrong.

“It can be very difficult to come back from that.”

He says the documentary will aim to strike a balance between those who come here, work hard and make it and those who struggle to cope.

Mr Maneya also wants to encourage highly-qualified professionals to be sure their qualifications will be valid in their new country before they leave.

He says: “We have very highly-qualified people – doctors or lawyers – who come here without the right papers and find they cannot do their jobs.

“They end up doing menial work. If they were still at home, they could be giving something back to the community, by helping people. If they can’t do their job, it’s a waste of their skills.”

So far, Mr Maneya has spoken to three local migrant families. Next month, he plans to film them for the documentary.

He is still looking for more migrants who want to share stories of success and of their struggles to survive in a foreign land.

He adds: “You might come here and make it, or you might struggle, or both. I want to get more people’s experiences – otherwise, it could be a limited story.

“Where I come from, in Zimbabwe, you can work just Monday to Friday and survive.

“Life here moves very fast – it really is the fast lane. It takes time for you to catch up with the pace.

“In the end, if you watch closely, you can catch up, but it’s quite a shock at first.”

If you have a story to tell for the documentary, call Mr Maneya on 07794 810971, or e-mail savanna highway@gmail.com

Source: Essex Echo

By Staff reporter and agencies