Along an ancient canal in Wuxi city, East China's Jiangsu province, lived a "tribe" of city cleaners. Thirteen households of 51 people, with 23 children and two elderly, resided in simple work sheds.

These migrant workers, hailing from other provinces such as Anhui, Sichuan, arrived in Wuxi 18 years ago. Some brought their family along, while others gave birth in the city. But their living quarters were removed as part of the city’s renovation plan and in August work began which in time will see high-rise buildings replace the area where the "sanitation tribe" used to live and work.

Since March 2010, photographer Jiang Rongfa has become friends of these migrant workers and has been recording their life with a camera.

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