Bags Show Me What You're Made Of

Show Me What You're Made Of is back,

and this time we have five brand-new teens visiting

two very exciting countries in Southeast Asia.

To kick off this amazing journey, we're starting here in Cambodia.

-That is a live spider!

-ALICE SCREAMS

It's a country on the up.

Factories are now springing up everywhere...

Oh, my days! It's really big.

..meaning there are jobs and wages available.

-The question is...

-Ow!

That's way too hot!

..have our five got the strength and the spirit...

Ah!

..to join in?

I just couldn't do this as a full-time job. No way.

Putting themselves to the test are outspoken Alice...

I love to give my opinion,

and that gets me in trouble sometimes.

Ow!

..Mr Tech, Joe...

I've got a PC, two laptops,

an Xbox 360, an Xbox One,

a PS2, an iPhone, an iPad, an Apple Watch,

and a pinball machine.

..hashtag-fashion Faith...

I think if you're not willing to

make an effort about yourself,

then it just says a lot about your personality.

..label-loving Sam...

New hats, new clothes, new shoes -

that's what I am.

..and one-of-a-kind Ellie.

At the moment, I wouldn't want to change anything

because I love myself.

That just sounds really spoilt and full of...

Oh, do you know what? I don't care.

Can these pampered five swap places with the workers?

It's just really hard and frustrating.

And what happens...

I can't move!

..when they have to live the local life?

There are holes in this ceiling.

There's cobwebs everywhere. I don't like spiders.

I'm not doing it.

We've flown over 6,000 miles from the UK

to Cambodia in Southeast Asia.

Nearly three quarters of Cambodians live on less than £2.50 a day,

but Cambodia is in the middle of enormous change,

and our teens are about to get a taste of that.

There's a baby. Aw...

Someone's wearing a Liverpool top.

Yes! Whoa!

We are in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's revitalised capital

of two million people.

Development is everywhere, with factories moving here to make

many of the goods that are on sale in our UK high streets.

-Now, that's a factory.

-A factory.

What I don't understand is there are so many factories,

yet everyone here seems to be living in really shanty houses.

The factories are, like, the nicest-looking thing

out of everything here.

Our five are en route to join this city's ever-expanding workforce

in our very first factory.

I'm taking them to learn the hard graft that goes into making

something that we all own - bags.

Oh, God!

Last year in the UK,

we spent nearly £3 billion on fashion accessories like bags,

and as Cambodia is now one of the fastest-growing exporters in Asia,

more and more of our school bags, backpacks,

handbags and sports bags are coming from factories

like the one we're heading to.

We're going to be on a real production line

alongside real workers.

I've got quite a short fuse, so if I don't get it right,

then I'll probably, like, get quite angry.

I'm going to win at everything.

Come on, then, gang.

'Our five will be joining the 1,000 workers on the production lines

'of the New Pex bag factory,

'but first, they must meet their bosses,

'general manager Alex and assistant manager Bak.'

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-My name's Stacey.

-Mine's Alex.

-I've brought you some new workers.

-How do you do?

-OK.

We work eight hours per day.

In the morning, we start from 7am.

So, everyone get...have to work hard together.

Basically it's teamwork. It's very strict.

Alex, are we able to have a look in your factory?

-Yeah.

-Thank you.

Here we go.

'Keeping the production lines flowing means doing repetitive work

'quickly, as well as carefully, in high temperatures.

'How will our teams cope?'

Oh, my...

Oh, my days.

-So, this is it.

-I can't see the back of the room.

It's really hot.

Just the thought of sitting there all day without talking or anything,

I couldn't do it.

These guys are doing this six days a week, always focused,

and it's so we can have the bags that we like

back home in the UK, right?

I thought machines did this.

I didn't know people did this.

You know now.

-LAUGHTER

-Oh, nice!

-Yeah.

'Before their boss, Bak, will let them join the production line,

'our five need to get into their uniforms.'

Oh, I look like a nurse or something!

-Let's go.

-Let's go.

I don't like this.

'Kitted out, they're ready to start work on the factory floor.'

This is where you're going to work, guys.

-They start from the back.

-Yeah.

And step-by-step, step-by-step,

step-by-step until finished.

'Our team's first job is to finish these bags

'by sewing the round ends on.'

We start from this point here,

and we put here and we start.

Essentially, you're in a real, live production line

and you're at the end of that line,

so, ten, 15 people prior to you have worked really hard.

'The experienced staff here work incredibly fast

'producing 100 bags an hour to the very high standards

'the international market demands,

'but the boss is setting our newbies a target of 20 finished bags each.'

It is achievable.

I'm not guaranteeing anything.

Try your hardest for me.

All right. Off you go.

I'm so nervous.

'After a quick practice...'

OK? And go straight.

-Watch those fingers!

-Ready? OK.

'..Bak gives our teens real bags to sew.'

Three, two, one,

let's go.

It's not an easy task. It's a very, very difficult task.

'At the end of the task,

'Bak will decide who gets promoted and who gets demoted,

'and he's asked his supervisors to keep a close eye

'on the new workers.'

-OK. Wait, wait, wait.

-I can't control the speed of the foot pedal.

OK, slow, slow.

-Oh.

-I think I broke it already.

OK.

'Most of the group are finding it tough going -

'that is, all except competitive Faith,

'who's already got the hang of it.'

OK, nice. She can learn really fast.

Very fast. It's yours!

-See?

-Thank you.

-Very nice.

-Very nice.

-Wow. Good girl.

-Well done, Faith. Keep it up, yeah?

-Thank you.

I'm really happy cos it looks like one of the professional ones.

'But further down the production line,

'Ellie is really struggling with the stitching...'

Oh, my gosh!

I can't do it.

That one's coming out.

'..and every mistake means doing it all again.'

We have to repair it and do again.

Honestly, for Ellie, the fact that she can't get to grips with it

seems to be really frustrating her.

-She looks like she's got the hump.

-So, I'm getting a bit angry with it.

Back home in Wales,

one thing 14-year-old Ellie really excels at is sport.

I love playing football and watching it and I'm a big fan of Everton FC.

But she's not too bothered what it costs to get all the latest gear.

I love spending money on, like, branded clothes.

My most expensive pair of football boots are £200.

We sacrifice a lot for Ellie to keep up with the latest fashion.

I can't remember the last time I went shopping for myself.

Her mum, Jo, is hoping that this trip will be a wake-up call.

I think I'd like Ellie to appreciate what she's got at home.

She's got a tendency to be quite lazy.

Oi.

'Back at the factory, Ellie's not taking the job seriously,

'and both bosses have noticed.'

It seems to me like Ellie is losing interest.

Yes, losing interest.

-Ellie.

-Yeah.

-Talk to me.

-I'm bored now.

-You're bored?

-I can't do it.

Are you a quitter?

I'm not going to quit, but it's just...I can't do it.

Do you know what?

All of these people that are surrounding you, this is their life.

This is how they feed their kids.

-So, I wonder, is it worth just bearing that in mind?

-Yeah.

'At least the others are knuckling down and trying to reach the target

'of 20 bags each.'

Wow. Very good.

'With her basket of finished work filling up,

'Faith is clearly outshining the rest.'

-Faith!

-Yeah?

-You're on cloud nine, aren't you?

Do you think the others will get the hump with you

because you've seemed to fly through this task?

I don't care!

Like, we were told to do a job and I'm going to do it,

and if they don't like it, so be it.

OK, guys, last rush now.

As many as you can in that basket.

'The others have minutes to catch up with Faith.'

OK, time's up. Finish the work.

That's it. Up away from your sewing machines.

'But there's no time left.

'Boss Bak quality-checks and counts our teens' bags.

'Who has proved that they deserve a promotion?'

I really got the hang of it.

I think I might work here when I'm older.

I wondered if you could have a quick chat with each of our kids.

For me, I found that Faith, she's very good.

She produced ten bags.

-Yay!

-Yeah, she produced ten bags. She's the best one.

Alice, I also found very good.

Very fast.

So, in total, Alice can produce eight bags.

I didn't think I was going to do that well.

Like, I've never used a sewing machine before.

Joe, a little bit slow.

How many bags did Joe do?

Joe can produce four.

I'm happy with that.

Sam can produce two.

Let's talk about our Ellie.

Ellie, she did one.

A little bit frustrated.

-Yeah.

-For you to kick back and go,

"Do you know what? It's not for me, actually."

It's a bit disappointing.

'But there's more bad news.

'Only 16 of our teens bags were fit for sale

'and they should have done 100.'

So, 16 bags.

That's awful.

'Will any of them get promoted now?'

OK, one...

Faith, OK, the first one.

And, second, Alice.

-(Well done.)

-(Yay.)

And next, Joe.

And the last two, they fail.

They fail with this task.

You guys have got some digging to do.

Yeah. I'm quite disappointed with myself,

but I'll try harder next time.

I hope that tomorrow all of you will come again...

fighting.

Yeah, fighting.

'Though a few of our five have done well today,

'I don't think any of them gets just how valuable these factory jobs are

'in Cambodia...'

-Hello.

-Hello.

'..so I've arranged for them to spend the night in the home of

'one of the workers, Visna.'

Hello.

Hi, my name's Faith.

-TRANSLATION:

-It's nice to meet you.

Guys, this is the mother of the family and this is grandmother.

'Visna's family are rice farmers,

'making just enough from their crops to get by,

'but she's worked her way up to the role of supervisor

'at the New Pex factory.'

So, are you happy for me to show our three around

and show them where they will be spending the evening?

'Visna, her husband and two of the other adults in her extended family

'now work in the factory,

'and their savings have allowed them to build concrete houses on their

'family plot of land.'

Have a quick peek in there.

Oh, dear. There's a cow in there.

There's two cows in there.

-So...

-This is not what I was expecting.

-Not at all.

-This is where you're going to be spending the night.

This is your toilet.

-What?

-No!

-That's all right. I'm good with that.

So, you get water, scoop water out of this basin,

and make sure that you...

ALICE SOBS ..that you really push the water through so that...

-I'm not doing it. I'm not doing it.

-Where's the toilet roll?

-I don't want to!

-There's no toilet roll.

No. That's my...

-That's the line. That's the line.

-No. That's going too far.

For 13-year-old Faith, appearance is everything.

I always judge people on the way they look or they dress -

I think that's why it's really important that I look nice myself.

She spends twice as much time doing her make-up as doing her chores.

At the moment, Faith's best friend is lipstick.

Faith spends about £200 a month on looking good.

I'm hoping this trip will really let her see the complete contrast of

people who have to absolutely struggle.

'In Cambodia, Faith is still coming to terms with

'tonight's accommodation.'

There are holes in the ceiling.

There's cobwebs everywhere. I don't like spiders.

Everything was going so well.

-I'm OK with it.

-I got promoted,

I came first and I get...

-No, because I...

-I'm not doing it.

What aren't you doing?

I'm not using the toilet.

I'm not sleeping up here.

I'm not using that bucket to wash in.

You've come to Cambodia for the entire experience.

You can't just, sort of, pick out the bits where you're doing

really well and it's all hunky-dory.

That's not the reality.

The reality is that this is the kind of home that they live in.

This is comfortable.

'Down the road, demoted Ellie and Sam are getting

'their own reality check.'

Hello, I'm Sam.

'Sim works six days a week as a zip cutter at the factory.'

-TRANSLATION:

-Welcome to my house.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Is this where you sleep?

Yes, this is the place we sleep,

and there are 14 people sleeping in here.

Our conditions are very poor,

and they are just enough money to eat.

'On her factory wages, Sim has to support her seven children,

'as well as her mum and her sister's family.'

How much would you say you get paid a month?

Each month, I earn 180.

There is not enough money for my kids' education.

Sometimes, I can send them to school.

When I first walked into the house,

I actually thought I was going to cry,

cos it's so overwhelming.

I mean, I've never seen anything like this before.

What kind of place do you use for the toilet?

When we need to go to the toilet, we go to my mum's,

because I don't have the money to build a toilet.

In my room, I have my own bathroom and this is...

this bedroom's probably about the size of my bathroom.

If I had a house like that, I would be very happy.

It kind of makes me feel like I want to do a bit more,

and work a bit harder in the factory, maybe, tomorrow,

because I see how much she does for her family,

so I would kind of like to make my family proud

and do something good for once.

'I hope that meeting factory worker Sim will help Ellie to

'apply herself tomorrow,

'but back at Visna's, Faith is still refusing to stay the night.'

No, it's like... Going in a luxury hotel, yeah, that might be great,

but staying here, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

to see how real people live.

It's not just watching it on TV.

-I know they're not the best.

-It's the basic. It's the basics.

But you have a toilet, you have somewhere to wash,

you have a bed to sleep in...

And that's more than some people.

OK. I'm going to say.

OK. OK.

-Good.

-Yay.

OK, I'm going to say. I'm going to stay. I'm going to stay.

'I don't think Faith quite understands that supervisor Visna

'has struggled to achieve this level of comfort.'

Are you happy to tell the kids how much you earn?

-TRANSLATION:

-Without overtime, we earn 400.

Each month, there isn't any money left over.

Your wages in the factory,

have they enabled you to build your house?

To buy nice things?

It's really hard to save money.

What we earn, we spend on our children for food and school.

I think it is worth bearing in mind that Visna is one of the bosses.

-She's a manager.

-I think the surprising thing is that

we were all like, "Oh, this house is so basic."

It's got the basic needs, yet she's got one of the top-end jobs.

When I first looked around, I was a bit reluctant to stay.

I was a bit overwhelmed by it all,

but I think I've looked at it in a different way knowing that they've

struggled to get what they have.

'As Ellie and Sam re-join the others at Visna's,

'they all have much to dwell on tonight.

'Work will start again tomorrow.'

'It's first thing on their second day in Cambodia...

COCKEREL CROWS

'..and Joe has been woken up by a chicken.

All of the factory workers have gone.

People have started doing their chores.

'The rest of Visna's family are already working around the compound,

'while our teens are just getting going.'

-I wouldn't hit the cow if I was you.

-Yeah, no...

It might, erm, get a bit annoyed and angry.

'What they don't know yet is I've arranged jobs for them this morning

'on the family's farm and back at the factory.'

All right, gang, do you want to come in?

I'll have a quick chat with you.

We're going to leave it to the promoted team

to decide whether or not you want to go to the factory

or you want to stay here and help Grandma and Grandpa.

-SHE GASPS

-Oh, my God!

But whatever you decide,

bear in mind the demoted two have to do the opposite.

I really think we should go to the factory.

-No.

-We went there yesterday.

-We went there yesterday.

-I want to help out here.

I want to see what kind of jobs that they do.

-Yeah.

-Stay here.

-We'll stay here.

Which means the demoted two are going to go back to

-work at the factory.

-No...

'Oh, dear. Sam and Ellie don't look too pleased.'

-So, you're not happy with the decision?

-No.

Good luck, you guys.

You two, follow me.

'While I take our demoted pair back to the bag factory,

'Faith, Alice and Joe head out to do a job

'in the heat of the paddy fields with Visna's parents.'

Oh, dear. Wellies.

'More than two thirds of all Cambodians still

'depend on farming to survive.'

Oh, my days.

-I don't like the hat. I don't like it.

-Do we have any trousers?

'And before the arrival of the factories,

'this is what the majority of Cambodian workers

'would have been doing.'

-Oh!

-Are you joking?

Ah!

'They'll be planting rice seedlings alongside Visna's parents,

'who have farmed the land their whole lives.'

I think we look pretty good.

Stop it, Joe!

-TRANSLATION:

-Every rice seedling must be planted in the soil.

Right.

HE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE

How many plants would you plant in a day?

I'd plant 40 bundles in one day.

How old are you?

I am 73.

-Wow.

-Wow.

I think that's quite amazing.

'Rice farmers earn a lot less than factory workers

'and it's backbreaking work.'

-TRANSLATION:

-Are you happy or not, working in the sun?

No, I don't like it.

It's very hot and it's very muddy.

I could do this all day.

No, this is too much for me. I couldn't do this every day.

I can barely just do it now.

I don't like being out in the sun - it's hot.

It's just horrible. I want to be indoors.

'Over at the factory, the workers are on a break.

'Boss Bak has asked Ellie and Sam to sweep the whole place

'before they come back on shift.'

The whole...?

The whole lines. The whole lines in the factory.

You have to sweep the entire floor.

Yes, that is right.

'The factory's as big as two football pitches

'and the workers are only on break for an hour.'

Dig deep. No moaning.

Well, bye!

'No time for hanging about.'

I'm feeling tired and very sweaty.

I'm very hot.

This is the worst job ever.

It's so boring and repetitive,

and my back's already aching and I haven't even done

a quarter of the line.

There's still stacks of rubbish all over the floor.

Not great.

'I'm really hoping Ellie, in particular, can improve on

'yesterday's performance.'

It's too much.

HORN BEEPS

'Outside in the canteen,

'the workers are nearing the end of their lunch break.

'Ellie and Sam only have minutes to finish the job.'

We've still got to do some of them as well, cos we skipped a few.

I'll do it.

Ellie seems to be, sort of, knuckling down, and it's hard graft,

but I've got to, you know, give credit where it's due.

Giving it a good go at least.

'Ellie has found her focus,

'but Sam isn't really putting his back into it.

'As the workers stream in, Ellie gives it one last push.'

We've got to go, apparently. We've got to go.

Well, I'm not going to be leaving this mess on the floor.

We haven't done all of these aisles.

Bak's going to kill us.

Time's up.

Good job.

Are you bit gutted, guys, that you didn't manage to finish it?

I was trying to get every single little tiny bit of cotton

out of everywhere, but that took me a long, long, long time.

Yeah, I tried my hardest this time

and I was really putting in the effort.

You need to up the ante somehow and start delivering for Bak.

Come on, guys.

'Yesterday's star performer in the factory, Faith,

'hasn't got the same enthusiasm for fieldwork...'

I just feel groggy. There's so much dirt and grime on me.

I feel like it's really strenuous work,

but unlike yesterday where you just sit down,

and it was just your hands doing it...

Whereas now, you're stuck in mud.

You're moving about. The heat's terrible.

'..and Alice has given up.'

I haven't done much, but I can't help it,

because I'm so...

'I think "hot" is the word you're looking for, Alice.

'Visna's parents have no choice but to carry on in the 34-degree heat,

'until the planting is finished.'

I feel like the older generations,

they're used to it cos they've been doing it all their life,

therefore they're all right with it.

'Joe isn't used to it either and he's still going.'

I'm stuck.

LAUGHTER

What is he like?

Saved by Grandpa.

I wish we'd went to the factory now. Faith, I'm sorry.

I said the factory from the beginning.

'Apart from Joe's efforts, this job has been an epic fail.

'Let's hope they can all show their boss, Bak,

'their enthusiasm for factory work in the last task.'

So, we're going to bring it back to where we started.

You're going to be part of the production line.

'The teams will be packing 100 bags alongside the regular workers

'on an order that has to be dispatched in the next hour.'

OK, firstly, we need to put the hang tag with this one, like this,

and then you have to pass to the next person.

'They must tag each bag,

'attach its handle and then fold it neatly in a wrapper.'

As fast as possible.

Off you go.

OK, guys, nice and quick.

This final task requires total teamwork,

and I feel like if they find their strategy,

and they're calm and they're fair with one another,

they'll probably fly through it quite quickly.

'Ellie is working as fast as her Cambodian co-workers

'and impressing the boss.'

Very good. Yes. Very good.

Yeah, I'm trying to pick myself back up from the last few tasks.

'But on the other side of the table, things aren't looking as slick.'

This always goes on this one, OK?

Never put the other side on.

'The pressure to get the order right is taking its toll on Faith.'

Did you get what I just said?

What's the situation here? What's going on?

It just wasn't packed right, so then we had to swap,

and we've just got a build-up, which I don't like.

I don't like the build-up.

'Bak is also finding fault with the quality of the work.'

Oh, this one. This one not yet complete properly, OK?

So you'll have to do it again.

The bag's already ripped.

The bag's ripped! The bag's ripped! Oh...

-Faith...

-I'm really upset.

Why are you upset?

Because the other team don't have build-ups, but we do.

Faith, I know you're stressed and I know you're passionate,

-but don't take it out on Joe and Alice.

-I'm not. I'm not.

Because that's not cool and you wouldn't like it

-if they did it to you.

-No.

Do you know? I feel for Faith, actually,

because I know her heart's in the right place

and she just genuinely wants to do really well,

but sometimes she's a harsh taskmaster

and they can't then work as a team,

which is what a production line requires.

'While Faith's side of the table falters,

'Ellie's finished their order.'

-Well done, Guys. Go and get yourself a drink.

-Thanks.

'Minutes later, Faith, Alice and Joe also wrap it up.'

OK. Come on, then.

'It's time for the factory bosses to pass final judgment on our teams.

'Who has done enough to earn a wage?'

-Hello.

-Hiya.

-Hi.

'New Pex general manager Alex

'has returned to give his assessment, alongside Bak.'

Alex, how do you think our five have got on?

I was worried that I'm not sure they can do well,

but I think they did good.

Let's start with Joe.

He tried his best and stayed patient.

What do you make of Alice?

-Yesterday, she did a very, very, very perfect job.

-Mm-hmm.

Talk to me about Faith.

Yesterday, she did very fast.

For today, she...

..during working time.

It's so necessary for you guys to be on the same team,

and then we saw that, sort of, unravel.

Everything just started going really bad.

I was just really upset that I'd just lost my good streak.

But you can, sort of, hold your head high in terms of your delivery

yesterday because it was awesome.

Talk to me about Sam.

A little bit slow.

Let's talk about our Ellie.

Today, she changed a lot -

attitude and her work as well.

I can say brilliant for Ellie today.

-Yes.

-Much better.

-Yes.

-A vast improvement.

When we went to Miss Sim's house,

then I think that gave me a bit of oomph to try harder

because she goes to work every day and gives her all,

so I think I kind of wanted to do it for her.

OK, gang, so, Bak has decided as your boss that he would like to

pay some of you for your time.

Drumroll, please.

Mr Joe, congratulations!

Thank you.

-Alice.

-Oh, my gosh, thank you.

-Yay.

This third and final wage is going to...

..Ellie.

-Congratulations.

-Oh.

There you go.

Thank you.

Well done, Ellie.

'Next time on Show Me What You're Made Of,

'they head to a remote coffee plantation.'

I'm not laughing.

I'm angry.

'Can they work as a team here...'

Sam, just get in the hole!

I don't like being bossed around.

'..and embrace the local way of life?'

-Faith, your one's alive.

-No!