本片記錄了西部非洲的鄉下青年到城市打工的經歷。許多尼日利亞青年離開位于內陸的家鄉來到沿海國家象牙海岸打工，許多人在首都阿比讓的平民區落腳。本片主人公是一位仿照美國電影明星取名愛德華·羅賓遜的年輕人，他在攝影機前講述自己及其同伴的故事。The film depicts an ordinary week in the lives of men and women from Niger who have migrated to Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire for work. After a short introduction by Rouch, "Edward G. Robinson"-Omarou Ganda, who like the film's other subject-collaborators plays himself under the name of a Western movie star-takes over the film's narration, recreating dialogue and providing freewheeling commentary on his experiences.