Aajeevika Bureau

Aajeevika Bureau is a grassroots organisation working across Gujarat and Rajasthan, supporting migrant workers through legal aid, skill development, and access to social protection. Founded in 2005, it addresses the challenges faced by informal labourers who move between rural villages and urban centres for work, focusing on issues such as wage exploitation, unsafe working conditions, and lack of documentation. Through a rights-based approach, the organisation works to strengthen worker agency and improve long term security and dignity.

Over the course of a week, I documented Aajeevika Bureau’s work across multiple locations, focusing on the lived experiences of migrant workers. The images move between factory sites including abandoned and fire damaged industrial spaces and worker’s home environments, offering a more complete view of their daily realities.

Rather than focusing on organisational activity, the work centres on individuals and the environments they inhabit. Observational images and portraits explore the physical demands of labour, the instability of migrant life, and the quieter moments of rest and connection that exist alongside it. By situating workers within both their workplaces and domestic spaces, the project aims to reveal the broader conditions shaping their lives, while reflecting ongoing efforts to advocate for safer, more equitable working environments.