Reflecting on the conclusion of a massive twelve-year construction project in Qatar for the World Cup, the video delves into the plight of migrant workers, largely from Nepal, who were integral in this transformation. Hundreds of thousands of workers from abroad have taken part in important yet hazardous jobs that are crucial for their survival. They risked their safety and endured difficult conditions for an opportunity to alleviate the dire economic situations back in their home countries. Through more than three dozen interviews, the documentary reveals stories of hardship, resilience, and a challenging system that ensnares many in a cycle of debt.

The video offers testimonials from workers who have returned to Nepal and those who remain in Qatar. Despite health issues like occupational asthma suffered by individuals such as Ganga Bahadur Sunawar, some workers feel they must stay due to lack of opportunities back home. It portrays the challenges brought about by illegal recruitment fees that burden workers with debt before even earning their first wages. The high interest rates from local lenders further exacerbate their financial strains, pushing them to continue working overseas despite the risks.

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Key Vocabularies and Common Phrases:

1. converge [kənˈvɜrdʒ] - (verb) - To come together from different directions; meet. - Synonyms: (meet, join, assemble)

Hundreds of thousands of migrant workers converge to help transform this desert nation.

2. retaliation [rɪˌtæliˈeɪʃən] - (noun) - The action of returning a military attack; counterattack. - Synonyms: (revenge, reprisal, retribution)

We're protecting his identity because he fears retaliation.

3. occupational [ˌɒkjəˈpeɪʃənəl] - (adjective) - Relating to or caused by your job or profession. - Synonyms: (work-related, professional, job-related)

Doctors say he developed occupational asthma.

4. grueling [ˈɡruːəlɪŋ] - (adjective) - Extremely tiring and demanding. - Synonyms: (exhausting, demanding, laborious)

It's grueling work that's only made harder by his medical condition.

5. staffing agency [ˈstæfɪŋ ˈeɪdʒənsi] - (noun) - A service that matches employers with employees. - Synonyms: (employment agency, hiring firm, recruitment agency)

Because the staffing agency who hired him illegally held his passport to work abroad.

6. routine [ruːˈtiːn] - (noun) - A sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program. - Synonyms: (habit, custom, procedure)

First you have to pay recruitment fees, which are illegal but routine in Nepal.

7. prospects [ˈprɒspekts] - (noun) - Chances or possibilities, especially for success or profit. - Synonyms: (opportunities, chances, possibilities)

Like many workers, Kumar fears that speaking out may hurt his future job prospects.

8. abruptly [əˈbrʌptli] - (adverb) - Suddenly and unexpectedly. - Synonyms: (suddenly, unexpectedly, all of a sudden)

But earlier this year, the company Kumar worked for abruptly stopped paying thousands of workers.

9. voluntarily [ˌvɒlənˈterəli] - (adverb) - Done, given, or acting of one's own free will. - Synonyms: (willingly, freely, of one's own accord)

A country official told us that the workers left voluntarily.

10. consternation [ˌkɒnstəˈneɪʃən] - (noun) - A feeling of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected. - Synonyms: (dismay, anxiety, distress)

The consternation over unpaid wages leads to protests that yield mixed results for workers.

What Happens to the Migrant Workers Who Built the World Cup? - NYT News

The World cup in Qatar is almost over, marking the end of a twelve year long nationwide construction project. Hundreds of thousands of migrant workers converge to help transform this desert nation, working in difficult and often dangerous jobs that are also essential to their livelihood. So what happens to them now? We interviewed more than three dozen nepali workers and their families, some who sent us footage from inside Qatar at great personal risk. Their stories shed light on a system that's trapped many of them in debt. Those who left Qatar told us they're trying to go abroad again, and the workers who are still there say they need to stay.

In the villages of southern Nepal, many men are absent. Outside of farming, there are few opportunities to make a living. About a quarter of the country's annual income is now earned abroad, and separation has become routine for many families. Ronnie's husband has returned home just three times in eight years, but he still calls her every day. The family was in debt when Ranni's husband left for Qatar. His father was sick and there were medical bills to pay. Her husband spoke to us from Qatar and shared rare videos of his life. We're protecting his identity because he fears retaliation. He says he rarely takes days off, but the work has paid off for his family.

Ganga Bahadur Sunawar has worked abroad for much of his life, in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and most recently in Qatar, where he worked at a steel factory. But he got sick and had to come home. Doctors say he developed occupational asthma. He now works in Nepal delivering water. It's grueling work that's only made harder by his medical condition.

Ganga Bahadur said he requested medical leave seven times before he was allowed to return home because the staffing agency who hired him illegally held his passport to work abroad. First you have to pay recruitment fees, which are illegal but routine in Nepal. It can cost workers $1,500 to get a job in Qatar. This can mean going deeper into debt before actually making any money.

Like many workers, Kumar fears that speaking out may hurt his future job prospects. We agreed to use a family name and hide his face to get a job in Qatar and cover family expenses. He borrowed money from a local lender that charged him 36% interest. He hoped to earn enough money to pay it back. But earlier this year, the company Kumar worked for abruptly stopped paying thousands of workers.

He and his fellow workers staged a rare protest blocking the road. Kumar says he and dozens of others spent more than a week in jail, and then police escorted them to their labor camp. The government paid some back wages and sent them to their home countries. A country official told us that the workers left voluntarily, but Kumar says they didn't have a choice.

At the airport in Kathmandu, more than 2000 workers leave every day for jobs abroad. But for all the departures, the arrivals are a reminder of the dangers they may face. These are the remains of two nepali workers who died in a construction accident in Qatar two months ago. Airport officials say three to four bodies arrive here on average each day, mostly from the Gulf and Malaysia.

Despite the risks and the sacrifices, most of the workers who spoke to us say they felt forced to continue trapped between poverty and debt and the difficult or dangerous jobs they just can't afford to lose.

Global, Economics, Inspiration, Nepal, Migrant Workers, Challenges, The New York Times