Silk Show Me What You're Made Of

'These five kids have had the journey of a lifetime in Asia,

'leaving behind their pampered lifestyles in the UK

'to experience for themselves how their prized possessions are made.'

-Nathaniel.

-Let's go, girlies!

'They've made socks, stuffed toys, threaded jewellery

'and produced parts for computers.

'Has what they've seen made them think about

'how easy they have it at home?'

I think everyone in Britain needs to come here and see what it's like,

then they'll shut up a bit.

You've made me want to be better behaved at school, so, yeah.

I think I'm going to change.

My dad's just concerned that I'm going to come home, I think.

What have I done? I've just wanted the experience of a lifetime.

'Today, they're on the last leg

'of their extraordinary journey in Asia.

'Can they rough it in the fields as a farm hand on a remote island?'

-Hey, farmers!

-Oh, my gosh! You're serious?

'Face deep-seated fears for the sake of others?'

There's a disgusting thing on the floor!

'And show they have the backbone

'to tackle whatever is thrown at them?'

Ugh! Head again, head again.

'Last time they learned how difficult it is

'to make their favourite gadgets.'

-We don't allow cosmetics inside production.

-Spent ages putting it on.

'And how hard everybody works at school.'

'Then they had their most emotional experience so far.

'They met Bing, who'd been separated from her two eldest children

'for three years.'

It must be heartbreaking as a mother.

700.

'The kids pooled their wages to bring this family back together.'

Woo!

It's time for our kids to take on their very final challenge.

I've brought them to the Filipino island of Negros,

where they'll get to see the work that goes on

in producing luxury textiles.

Off we go!

'They're going to be making silk

'at the only silk farm in the Philippines.

'Producing the silk for the scarves and tops we have at home

'is hard, physical work,

'with long hours out in the fields,

'followed by tough shifts in a sweltering factory.

'And they will have to work with these - big, fat silkworms.'

'Their bosses for the next two days are farm manager Ricky

'and director Thelma Watanabe.' You must be Ricky? I'm Stacey.

'They train farm hands here all the time,

'and are looking forward to testing out

'a new batch from the UK.'

You are now at Bago Training Centre.

Training centre for young people who want to become farmers.

For the next two days,

you are going to experience

what we are doing here in our project.

So, guys, it's silk. How are we feeling about that?

I think it's cool, cos we've been to a clothing factory

and we've made things out of silk,

and we're seeing how the silk got to the clothing factory.

-It's like a cycle.

-There we go.

You've seen the factory, but here you see the worms.

How to take care of these worms.

We're going to be touching real worms?

-Yes.

-Yes.

'Emma is petrified of bugs, which means the boys

'are in with a chance of beating the girls in today's task.'

-That's why the boys are going to win.

-We will not let you win a task.

-Up for it, Emma?

-Mmm... Yeah.

So, OK, we'll do the first task. Please follow me, everybody.

'The bosses have decided

'that the kids will be thrown in at the deep end -

'handling the silkworms that are the starting point for silk.

'In this shed alone, there are 20,000 of them.'

-Oh, my god.

-Wow.

Oh, yeah. So they are.

Oh, my God. I'm not touching that.

WHISPERS: That's gross.

Is that yellow stuff poo or is it something else?

I can hear them wriggling.

'These finger-sized silk worms spend their short lives

'munching on mulberry leaves.

'All they do is eat and eat and eat.

'And they need a supply of food all day, every day.'

OK, I need one volunteer to do a different job.

'Ricky needs someone to harvest mulberry leaves for the silkworms.

'It's a chance to make a quick getaway.'

-I'll choose Jonas.

-OK.

'Now the other four have to collect the worms by hand.

'Emma will have to face her worst nightmare.'

It's disgusting.

'The 500 silkworms on this table are at a crucial stage of their lives.

'They have been lovingly fed and nurtured since birth,

'and they are on the cusp of spinning silk fibre

'and turning into cocoons.'

I can't even look at them, they make me sick.

I'm not even just...

'The silkworms cannot be allowed to cocoon on the mulberry leaves,

'so must be moved gently by hand to wooden frames.

'This is a really delicate job.

'Ricky wants to give them a trial run.

'Can they move a silkworm without damaging it?

-Can I try?

-OK.

Can I put the bucket here?

'First up, Nia.'

-Awww.

-Good job!

'And she's passed with flying colours.

'Milly is more apprehensive.'

Do you want me to hold this?

-You ready?

-Go on.

-Go on. Yeah!

-Nice and gently!

She just chucked it in!

-Slowly, slowly.

-Chuck it to its death.

It's still moving.

'No problem for Nathaniel.'

Pro!

Do you want me to hold it with you?

'But Emma's bug phobia has paralysed her.'

Can't touch them. No, I won't. Be really grossed out.

-If you just touch it.

-Come on.

-Look.

-Don't like bugs.

I'll do anything else. But I won't touch bugs.

Is it worth having a try, Em?

They're really grossing me out, they're, like, wriggling and stuff.

See how you feel about going close.

But I can't touch bugs.

Oh, its face!

'Now Jonas heads off to the fields.

'His job is to bring mulberry branches

'back for the silkworms to munch on.

'Jonas has to keep up,

'and load the cart without damaging or dirtying the mulberry leaves.'

Oh, oh! That's gross. Sorry. Seen a massive snail.

Have you ever seen a snail that big before?

And they're everywhere.

And it's pooing.

'Jonas has never done farm work before,

'and the temperature in the fields is 40 degrees.'

These people don't stop cutting.

Ever.

'And silkworms never stop eating, either.'

-WHISPERS:

-Hate this!

Think I'm getting a rash.

I've started to become really itchy under my neck, and all over here.

'A Filipino farmworker can spend the whole day out in the fields,

'and Jonas has only been out in the humidity for half an hour.'

Oh, no. There's the hill.

'Milly, Nathaniel and Nia are collecting silkworms,

'but Emma's phobia has extended to anything that moves.'

Ugh! There's a disgusting thing on the floor!

That millipede, there.

I'm not trying to put it on, I just generally hate these things.

Emma's told me, "Stace, I'm really not great with bugs,

"it's a genuine phobia, I can't cope."

So, I think she's finding it difficult,

Because if it is a phobia, it's tricky to overcome.

It's just really gross looking.

'But Nia, Milly and Nathaniel have all settled into the task,

'and are racing to collect every last silkworm.'

Ugh! Oh!

EMMA GROANS

It's so gross!

Come on.

They feel like teddy bears that wriggle.

'It looks like every silkworm has been collected,

'and Emma still hasn't picked one up.

'Now they have to place the worms carefully on the frame.

'This is where the worms will spin silk fibres overnight,

'and turn into cocoons.'

'It's time to find out which of the other three

'has collected the most silkworms.'

98.

'Milly has a respectable 98.'

-143.

-'143 puts Nia in the lead.'

18, 66.

'But can Nathaniel win his first task of the entire trip?'

-198?

-Yep.

'There's no arguing with 198.'

-Hi, gang!

-Hey!

-How was it?

-Fill me in. Who won? Who got the most?

-BOTH: Nathaniel.

-Nathaniel, did you?

-Yeah.

-How many did you get?

-198.

The boys have won one task.

APPLAUSE

Now everyone's won a task apart from Jonas.

What he's doing's probably not as gross as this.

'Out in the mulberry fields, Jonas has already filled two carts.

'He's found his stride, and he's determined to keep up.'

I'm trying to run there and walk back,

so the quicker I get done, the quicker the work, I can finish.

'He's realised that there's purpose and reason

'to everything that he's been asked to do on the silk farm.'

I had no idea that silk was made out of the spit of worms, at all.

Like, I don't know. I didn't really know where it came from.

If I was to go back and re-do the whole experience,

I would try a lot harder, because the idea is that

I'm expected to do it as fast as I can.

'Jonas proudly hauls back his last cart,

'and he has a souvenir from the fields for the rest of the group.'

Look at this.

-Oh, wow!

-Ugh!

That's a praying mantis.

'It's time to feed the youngest silkworms

'with mulberry branches Jonas has brought back from the fields.

'It's a job even Emma can do.

'And it's the first time

'that they have all worked together quietly without fuss.'

Every little job has a knock-on effect.

So if you do one bit wrong, the next bit's going to be wrong, and so on.

So, you know, everything's important, and obviously

if they don't get fed, then they can't grow and make the silk.

It was just this morning, when we had to physically touch them.

Even though I found this morning really hard,

I kind of need to make up for that now, so I really want to try hard.

'The kids will be spending the night down on the farm.

'And, after three weeks travelling around Southeast Asia,

'they let off some steam.'

We have a mirror. An actual, proper mirror.

-And a shower, and an actual working toilet.

-Oh! Not looking good.

'After dinner, I have a surprise which will bring home to the kids

'exactly how far they have come during this trip.'

My lovely five!

We are very, very nearly at the end of your amazing experience.

And I've got you a gift. So close your eyes.

-I'm not touching one of them worms.

-And count to ten.

ALL: One! Two! Three! Four! Five! Six...!

'I've got letters from their parents.'

Count to 20!

'And it's time to deliver them.'

ALL: ..13! 14! 15!

OK, you can go.

Awww!

Ah, we knew it!

Can we open them now?

Yes.

And just take a few minutes and really read.

My mum is such a cringe. She put pictures.

Oh, that's sweet.

I can't even read my dad's... That's what my dad said.

"Even though I don't do letters, I have put pen to paper."

-Can't even read it.

-Do you want me to read it?

-Yeah, please.

I don't know if you'll be able to.

Let's have a look.

"An extra note from me.

"Even though I don't do letters, I've put pen to paper to say

"we all love you very much and miss you,

"and really look forward to seeing you soon.

"Take the most from every experience on offer,

"and you will have no regrets.

"Lots of love, Dad."

My dad works so hard so that he can send me to school,

so I think I need to be more grateful when I'm at school,

and don't waste my time there, and don't waste the money messing around.

"I love the way you live life to the full.

"Your fun-loving, friendly character,

"and your natural interest in the welfare and lives of other people.

"I look forward to hearing all about your amazing Asian adventure,

"and I love you very much."

Do you feel like you've done your mum proud?

Hopefully.

I think I've got a lot out of it.

And there are a few mistakes which I've made,

but you don't learn unless you make mistakes, so...

What would you say is the one thing you've learned, the biggest thing?

I'm just so lucky for everything I have,

and I didn't even realise it.

And I need to make the most of what I have by helping others.

-Do you think Mum'll be proud?

-Yeah.

I do, too.

NIA LAUGHS

I've got no real, like, regrets,

because it's all part of the experience that you do.

Are you getting all teary?

What do you think's made you teary?

I just haven't thought of home for, like, three weeks.

And suddenly, you don't realise there's so many other people

don't even have a family with them every day.

And I'm so, so, so lucky that I do.

KNOCKS ON DOOR

Good morning!

'In the farm training programme, everyone has to get up before dawn.'

Ready before exercise.

'On the farm, they grow their own rice, their vegetables,

'and everything needs attention.'

Ugh, gross!

'So, before the kids get near any more silk production,

'they are sent out in the fields to harvest rice.'

Hey, farmers! How you doing?

Why are you on a buffalo thing and I ain't?

This is what they use to get around the farm.

It's like another farmer. Is it physically hard?

You get dirty, but it's OK, you just don't be girly about it.

It's hot out here, and you're wading through disgustingly thick mud.

They're having to bend over and use their arm muscles.

At the start I was, "Ugh, mud," but now I'm, "Whatever."

I could be sitting here going, "I've got mud all over my legs,

"it's gross," but actually I don't really care.

It's part of the job and it's quite fun.

'Overnight, the silkworms have been working, too.

'And the ones the kids collected yesterday

'have transformed themselves.'

It is so interesting to think that just yesterday

this frame was covered in wiggly worms,

and through the night, obviously,

the worms have spun the cocoons, tirelessly,

they've worked all through the night,

and all through today, and now there's only five or six on show.

The rest of the worms are inside the cocoons.

'Now they've demonstrated to Ricky

'that they can all apply themselves to farm work,

'he's decided to let the kids move on

'to the next stage of silk production.'

So, you remember from yesterday,

where we got to with the silk cocoons?

Basically, the cocoons are brought into this room,

they put the cocoons into their steam machines, over there.

Then they're boiled in that big pan.

Once they're boiled, they bring the cocoons

and put them in this machine,

and this machine finds the thread from the cocoon.

Then once that thread's been found, it goes on these little trays.

It goes round,

and the beginning of the thread is found by the reeling machine.

So then it just starts reeling yarns and yarns of silk,

then that silk will be taken off the reeling machine,

and someone will make something with the silk.

'As well as silk threads made by machine,

'this farm also produces silk floss, made by hand.

'Silk floss is a sheet of raw silk, which is hand-spun when finished.

'And the silk floss sheets are made out of boiled cocoons.'

-Hi, Ricky.

-Hello.

-Hi.

OK, you see this one? This is our next task.

-15 napkins, and there's 25...?

-Yes, 25.

'They're trying to work out how many cocoons they need

'to make 15 silk floss hankies.

'And remember, each hanky is made up of 25 cocoons.'

So, 25 x 10 is 250.

Times 5 is 500.

'The answer is 375 cocoons.

'But what do they think?'

Is it 2,655 or something?

3,075? Am I completely off?

-What's 2,500 halved?

-3,075. No.

Is it 375? I'm sure it's 375.

'And another thing they haven't clocked

'is that they have to pick out the dead, boiled silkworm pupae

'from each cocoon as they spread out the silk threads on the frame.'

-Do you know what these things are that the lady's picking off?

-Bugs.

-That's the dead silkworms.

-The pupa.

-The pupa.

Their dead pupas.

'These silkworm pupae would have come out of the cocoons as moths

'if they hadn't been killed in the boiling process.'

-It looks kind of gross.

-It looks a bit gross.

-I think they look like cockroaches.

-Yeah.

I think the girls are going to win.

All right, guys. Ready to give it a go?

ALL: Yeah.

-A good try?

-For the last time.

Last push. Off you go.

'So, who is going to be able to overcome the gunge factor,

'and spread out the boiled cocoons

'to make 20 pieces of silk floss hankies for the farm?'

Argh! Stupid flies!

-Flies are killing me.

-Ooh, flies!

Ugh.

Still alive?

I don't like it when you crush their head off.

I thought you weren't scared of them anymore?

If they're a whole piece, it's fine, but when you crush their head off...

Ugh! Head again, head again, head again.

Emma, if you damage the silk, it's wasteful.

-Oh, there's two!

-Urgh!

I can't, I can't touch them.

Will gloves help, Emma?

Emma, come on. Last task.

With this task being their final task ever in the Philippines,

I'm really hopeful that they do really well.

I have real expectations, and I'm sure they can live up to them.

They've come such, such a long way.

You know, they do seem to have upped their game every time.

It'd be nice if they do themselves proud on the final ever one.

-Keep reminding myself that people do this every day.

-Mm-hm.

I'm sure they don't think it's any less gross than I do.

I daren't put on any ones that break and stuff like that.

If I was in a position where it was this or nothing,

then I would just, like, have to try and do this as best as I can.

They don't complain about anything,

and that's actually something that's, like, really inspiring.

Just no. That's a no-no.

-'That's it. Their hour is up.'

-Oh, thank you.

'They've all given it their best shot.

'But who has made the most, and who has met the really high standards?

'the kids have been called to see Ricky and Mrs Watanabe

'outside the farm office.'

The end of our time here at the farm.

Ricky, I know that you've helped them all out lots,

and you've kept a close eye on how they're getting on.

And Mrs Watanabe?

Well, upon seeing them work for two days,

especially today, they made silk cloths.

Everybody really tried their best, and given the right training

the right opportunity, I think the five of them

could make good workers.

Although today, it was Nathaniel who really made good effort

and very good quality silk floss.

APPLAUSE

Nathaniel. Second day, second triumph!

You've done really, really well at this farm. How you feeling?

I think that it's really good that the boys have won one.

And I think that it was about time.

Mrs Watanabe is saying that she sees potential

in every single one of you, so you've all done amazingly well.

Well done.

APPLAUSE

Ricky and Mrs Watanabe decided that you all worked very hard,

and they would pay you all.

-Thank you!

-So, congratulations!

-Thank you.

-Wow!

-There's 270 pesos, here.

-Thank you.

-Can't believe I got money...

LAUGHTER

Just under four pounds.

So that's 4, 8, 12, 16, about 20 quid between you all.

-Any ideas where you're going to put that 20 quid?

-Straight to Bing.

APPLAUSE

'the kids are giving their wages to Bing,

'who lives on the rubbish dump in Manila.

'They've already paid to reunite her with her two eldest children

'two days ago, not far from this silk farm on the island of Negros.

'And now the UK kids have pledged to help Bing bring her children

'back to Manila to live with her permanently.'

-Well done, everyone.

-Oh, well done.

Thank you for turning me grey.

-You ain't got no grey.

-You were going grey.

'When they all arrived in Asia three weeks ago,

'most of the UK kids had never done a day's work in their lives.

'And often they didn't seem to care about much beyond themselves.'

According to Mr Ha, the two of you are not serious.

Not taking things seriously.

With all due respect, we couldn't disagree more.

Uh, could you stand up? We will proceed to production line.

-Can you hear what he's saying?

-My attitude?!

-Hey, I can't use that.

-I know, I'm sorry.

You know, you're really wasting the cord.

I've tried to untwine it, but...

CLUCKING NOISES

Like, cutting string, and trying to count,

and then the guy comes over and talks to you,

and you lose count, and you get really fed up.

'8,000 miles, two countries and five factories later,

-'these kids can hold down a job...'

-Time over, tools down.

'..respect a boss, and do what they ask,

'live the life of a worker, and not complain.'

So, the quicker I get done, the quicker the work, I can finish.

'They go back to their families in the UK changed people.

'Made wiser by the workers in Asia

'who welcomed them into their lives, and wanted to show these kids

'that the luxuries they take for granted at home come at a price,

'and at a price we don't often see.

'And now the kids are back in the UK,

'the changes in them are there for their families to see.'

If I'm just being horrible and spoilt and rude to everyone,

it's so ridiculous, because I've seen how people live,

and if I don't try and change my attitude,

what does it make me look like? A horrible person.

So, it did open my eyes, and I think that after that experience,

it really showed me how much I don't know.

It's not that I would go out of my way and say "thank you"

because people in Southeast Asia have it so much worse,

but I just do, because there's no point making an argument

and being rude over things that don't matter and are just petty.

Since Jonas has come back,

he's a completely different child.

In fact, I can hardly recognise him.

He's polite, he's sensitive, he cleans the house, he Hoovers.

His schoolwork is just so much better. He actually does homework.

I think I used to use my Blackberry for, like, six to eight hours.

As soon as I left the school gates, I'd be on it, until late at night.

Now it's just, like, whatever.

Just leave it and hang out with family and friends and that.

I think this trip has really been life-changing,

and it's made her grow up in so many ways.

She's more thoughtful, she's more focused, and she's more empowered.

It's empowered her.

Everything I buy and do, I keep on thinking about how lucky I am.

I think the experience has affected Milly.

I think that really brought home to her

what it's like to be separated.

The fact she was separated from me

and her sisters and her family, as well.

'All five kids are spending time raising money

'to reunite Bing with her two eldest children.

'Milly is even knocking on neighbours' doors

'to tell them of Bing's plight.'

"Hello, I'm Milly, I'm 12,

"and recently I went to Indonesia and the Philippines.

"I met a woman called Bing who lives in a slum

"with her two babies and her husband,

"so I've been trying to raise money to send to her.

"She doesn't need much, please donate to Bing. From Milly."

I have done car boot sales,

knocked up and down the road for donations or for some money.

The information's gone in the school magazine.

So, hopefully awareness is just as important as money.

I'm doing a sponsored cycle

from Goole, where I live, to Market Weighton and back again.

And that's 32 miles, and I've already got £104 in sponsors.

I'm going to do a mufti day. I've already started planning this.

For my whole school and the junior school.

'Now as the whole experience has sunk in, it's made them realise

'that they have choices and freedoms not available to many in Asia.'

I'm still recognisably Jonas.

But I think it's the most amazing experience of my life so far,

and I really do think it's changed my perspective on so many things.

In the Philippines, if you're poor,

you're destined to be a farm worker

or a factory worker.

But here, you can change that.

England has a lot of opportunities,

and I really want to just take them.