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Remember Hercules, the hero from Greek mythology? He's famous for the twelve labors he was forced to perform by one of his rivals. One of the toughest was to get rid of 30 years worth of manure left by a herd of royal cattle. That's a lot like the job facing Gordana Jankuloska. Only in her case the mess is decades of corruption and violence in a former East Bloc country desperate to catch up with the rest of Europe. At barely five feet and 100 pounds, she doesn't quite have Hercules' physique. But she's got the shovel, and she's determined to use it. Sandy Tolan's profile is part of the WORKING series from Homelands Productions.
Also in the WORKING series
Shipbreaking Worker
(00:07:41)
From: Homelands Productions
Sandy Tolan profiles a 13-year-old laborer at one of Bangladesh's giant shipbreaking yards.
Runner
(00:07:58)
From: Homelands Productions
Jon Miller profiles the little-known Kenyan woman who won the 2009 Boston Marathon by less than one second.
Banker
(00:06:28)
From: Homelands Productions
Sean Cole profiles an international banker living in London, both before and after the world banking crisis.
Electronics Recycler
(00:06:35)
From: Homelands Productions
Ingrid Lobet profiles a woman who joined a group of unemployed middle-aged women to open an electronics recycling plant in northern Mexico.
Human Smuggler
(00:06:46)
From: Homelands Productions
Gregory Warner profiles a Pashtun man who smuggles Afghan refugees over the mountains into Iran.
Marriage Broker
(00:07:44)
From: Homelands Productions
Kelly McEvers profiles a Vietnamese woman who works for a marriage agency that matches Korean men with Vietnamese brides.
Circus Performer
(00:06:32)
From: Homelands Productions
Sean Cole profiles a Ukrainian dancer who performs with in a Russian circus that tours the UK.
Labor Inspector
(00:07:57)
From: Homelands Productions
Sandy Tolan profiles a member an anti-forced labor SWAT team whose job is to free slaves working in Brazil's iron, cattle and sugar cane industries.
Miner
(00:07:51)
From: Homelands Productions
Gregory Warner profiles a freelance miner in the lawless eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Pirate
(00:06:47)
From: Homelands Productions
Kelly McEvers profiles a small-time pirate who robs ships in Indonesia's Strait of Malacca.
Piece Description
Remember Hercules, the hero from Greek mythology? He's famous for the twelve labors he was forced to perform by one of his rivals. One of the toughest was to get rid of 30 years worth of manure left by a herd of royal cattle. That's a lot like the job facing Gordana Jankuloska. Only in her case the mess is decades of corruption and violence in a former East Bloc country desperate to catch up with the rest of Europe. At barely five feet and 100 pounds, she doesn't quite have Hercules' physique. But she's got the shovel, and she's determined to use it. Sandy Tolan's profile is part of the WORKING series from Homelands Productions.
Intro and Outro
INTRO:Remember Hercules, the hero from Greek mythology? He's famous for the twelve labors he was forced to perform by one of his rivals. One of the toughest was to get rid of 30 years worth of manure left by a herd of royal cattle. That's a lot like the job facing Gordana Jankuloska (YAN-ku-LO-ska). Only in her case the mess is decades of corruption in a former East Bloc country desperate to catch up with the rest of Europe. At barely five feet and 100 pounds, she doesn't quite have Hercules' physique. But she's got the shovel, and she's determined to use it. Sandy Tolan's profile is part of the WORKING series from Homelands Productions.
OUTRO:That was Sandy Tolan reporting. WORKING is produced by Homelands Productions in collaboration with Marketplace Radio. To see pictures and hear audio, go to working.homelands.org. While you're there, you can also tell the world what you think about YOUR job.
Additional Credits
WORKING is a collaboration between Homelands Productions and Marketplace Radio. Major funding comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.




