Immersion inspires action

Context

The World Bank hosts regular conferences focusing on workers rights arpound the world. At their summit in Washington DC, Freak were tasked by the International Transport Workers Federation to showcase storytelling that would stop people in their tracks and get the attention of the most influential people at the summit.

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Solution

Our idea was to bring workers powerful stories to life by harnessing cutting-edge technology to create an immersive, game-changing experience.

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First, we visited Dakar in Senegal, where informal workers face immense challenges - ranging from 15-hour workdays to abuse and exploitation by police and criminal groups.

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Following our visit to understand the story of workers there, we captured a day in the life of one of them, realised as an immersive and interactive VR film.

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Our documentary follows Soukae Ka’s daily life. Through her story, we invited influential attendees to walk a mile in her shoes. The goal was to raise awareness and improve conditions for those working in the informal transport sector.

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We produced a ground-breaking VR documentary that transported viewers directly into the heart of Dakar, capturing the raw, unfiltered realities of informal workers - and presented this as an installation at the World Bank summit in Washington DC.

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Results

The result was a in installation at the event tast was the talk of the delegates - Freak had pushed the boundaries of creative storytelling and had moved international audiences to speak out and act.

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I never knew that the working conditions were that difficult in Senegal, it was very informative and I can't believe that they go so long without getting home, 6 days a week 12-14 hours per day it's… I couldn't imagine.

Elizabeth Boren – World Bank

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“I’ve been working directly in urban transport in African cities, and it still comes as a surprise to me how much this medium can give you an insight – helping you to understand what is happening on the ground. I analyse these issues on a daily basis, and this video still gives me a completely unique perspective. Fantastic.

‍Fatima Arroyo Arroyo – Urban Transport Specialist

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“You have a great sense of what the the issues of workers in this sector are – not just physically, but psychologically. In those few short minutes you get a real glimpse of how difficult the job is, what goes into it for 14 hours a day, the conditions she works in as well as other people working in the informal sector in Senegal.

‍Wesley Uhl – World Resources Institute