We are reminded daily of the huge risks migrants take as they make journeys to find freedom, safety or work – and of how often those risks lead to tragedy. Now a new exhibition is reminding us that the migrant experience dates back far long than the last couple of years. It has been put together by Lebara, which styles itself as “Lebara®, the universal brand for the world’s migrant community”.
The exhibition brings together a collection of poignant stories, taken from over 700 real-life experiences of hundreds of Lebara employees, depicted in words, pictures and portraits. This curated display is based on a series of workshops the company held where its staff shared and recorded their individual migrant stories from around the world. The exercise was initiated and devised by Beaconsfield and facilitated and produced by Artgym – two organisations which specialise in this area of creative work.
The workshops took place in all of Lebara’s operating countries and continue as part of the induction programme for new employees. Lebara’s global workplace have, between them, 64 nationalities: this reflects its diverse customer base and also means that the ability to empathise and understand migrants is right at the heart of Lebara’s DNA. Lebara Community, launched in April 2015, is a global digital hub for migrants, providing help and support for every step of the migrant journey.
At a private viewing event with colleagues and community partners on 21st October, Mr Yoganathan Ratheesan, Chair and CEO of Lebara Group, said: “At Lebara we empathise with anyone moving from one place to another. We understand the journey both physically and emotionally, and their needs to stay connected to home and belong to their new community. I’d like to thank the Lebara employees, past and present, who took part and shared their stories to create this inspiring collection that captures the essence of the migrant experience.”
The Migrant Experience is open daily, Monday to Friday, 10am-5pm, until 29th January 2016 at the Foundry, 17 Oval Way, London, SE11 5RR, Vauxhall’s “building for Human Rights”. Admission is free.
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