Life as a Gig Worker

In this series, Rest of World reporters highlight the daily life of gig workers who make the platform economy run.

A collage image mixing black and white photographs, over a teal background with a thin black circle, black and tan squares, and light purple lines, showing a food delivery rider wearing a helmet on a motorbike, a speedometer at a 100kmph and a hand holding a fuel pump.

Life as a Gig Worker 22 November 2023

Need for speed: This Johannesburg driver delivers anything in 15 minutes

The grocery delivery industry in South Africa is flooded. To get more orders, Mkhululi Siziba has increased his delivery speed and taken an extra gig.

By Kimberly Mutandiro

Life as a Gig Worker 6 November 2023

Driver by day, TikTok star by night: The Vietnamese gig worker living a double life

“If driving wasn’t my source for TikTok videos, I wouldn’t drive.”

A collage image mixing black and white photographs, over a teal background with a thin black circle, black and tan squares, and light purple lines, showing a man holding a perfume bottle, a hand taking a phone selfie, a shopping cart with cosmetics and a triangular warning sign with an exclamation mark.

Life as a Gig Worker 25 October 2023

Cosmetics resale in Brazil: The Uber driver running a beauty store from his car

This gig driver’s car is a shop on wheels, and every passenger is a potential customer.

By Laís Martins

A collage image mixing black and white photographs, over a teal background with a thin black circle, black and tan squares, and light purple lines, showing a woman standing in a shalwar, hands applying nail polish, a clock and a phone screen with a map marker.

Life as a Gig Worker 11 October 2023

In-home beauty service in Pakistan: The woman sweet-talking tough clients

Though gig work gives her respite from the grind of working in a salon, choosy clients make a beautician’s job demanding.

By Zuha Siddiqui

A collage image mixing black and white photographs, over a teal background with a thin black circle, black and tan squares, and light purple lines, showing a man standing in a suit, hands typing on a computer keyboard, a stack of dollar bills and a five star rating.

Life as a Gig Worker 27 September 2023

Upwork in South Africa: The copywriter working 20 hours per day

Busani Moyo fears AI could soon wipe out his job, so he’s been trying to learn how to use ChatGPT to his advantage.

By Kimberly Mutandiro

A collage image mixing black and white photographs, over a teal background with a thin black circle, black and tan squares, and light purple lines, showing a smiling woman, gloves and a mask, a hand punching in a code, and Vietnamese currency.

Life as a Gig Worker 13 September 2023

Domestic work in Vietnam: The 5-star butler who naps on the steps

She cooks, cleans, and has a key. But she also naps in stairwells and eats in hallways.

A collage image mixing black and white photographs, over a teal background with a thin black circle, black and tan squares, and light purple lines, showing a cutout of a woman's head, a computer monitor, a hand holding a phone, and cent coins.

Life as a Gig Worker 30 August 2023

Clickwork in Brazil: A mom balancing endless gigs with childcare

Through platforms like UHRS, Amazon Mechanical Turk, and Appen, a clickworker takes on a job consisting of hundreds of quick, repetitive tasks.

By Laís Martins

A collage image mixing black and white photographs, over a teal background with a thin black circle, black and tan squares, and light purple lines, showing a cutout of a man smiling at the camera, a small car, a hand, and a piece of paper currency from Pakistan.

Life as a Gig Worker 16 August 2023

Ride-hailing in Pakistan: A driver’s endless struggle for a clean car

This inDrive worker says he is tired of passengers treating his car like a donkey cart.

By Zuha Siddiqui