Animated Stories: A Means to Elevate Underrepresented Voices

The Global Fund for Ending Modern Slavery (GFEMS) is an NGO whose mission is to end modern slavery by supporting grassroots organisations and survivor-led initiatives.

GFEMS commissioned an innovative study on the construction sector in India, which highlighted the vital role of micro-contractors in preventing exploitation and safeguarding vulnerable workers. Consequently, an intriguing animated film project explaining this crucial study was assigned to Simit Bhagat Studios.

The result of our collaboration is a visually appealing animated film that serves as a powerful advocacy tool. It aims to raise awareness about the importance of formal business practices and the ethical treatment of workers among micro-contractors in India. 

Watch the full animated film here.

Extensive communication and brainstorming marked our partnership with the GFEMS group. While developing the short film, we explored a variety of animation and drawing approaches before arriving at a one-of-a-kind, multi-layered 2D method. To maximise visual impact, the colour palette was painstakingly selected based on the study focus.

Everyone involved worked closely together and refined each step—from writing the screenplay to designing the characters to animating them to editing, voiceover and sound design.

At its core, our animation project revolves around the moving narrative of Ramesh, a construction worker who grapples with withheld wages, debt bondage, and threats to himself and his family. The film follows Ramesh’s story and highlights the positive impact of GFEMS interventions with micro-contractors, that ultimately transform Ramesh’s life.

We enlisted the help of a regional theatre artist to give Ramesh’s character an accent rooted in Bihar, which lent a further layer of realism to the story.

The culmination of our collective efforts is an animated video that not only showcases the success story of Ramesh but also amplifies the recommendations outlined in the research.

Great storytelling can do more than just entertain; it can be a catalyst for change. This project shows how teamwork, creativity and visual storytelling can drive meaningful social change.

GFEMS’s animated film reveals how micro-contractors can combat exploitation and promote ethical practices in India’s construction sector. If you are a nonprofit looking to create impactful animated content, we would love to help. Reach out to us here.