Migrant workers wait for trains in a Dongguan railway station to return to their homes in Henan province. [China Daily]

The main streets that once bustled with scores of factory workers and activity now stand quiet. Fewer trucks tread on the roads and there is an uneasy calm here as many migrant workers are busy heading home to face the harsh realities of the grim economic winter.

Like the rest of the world, Guangdong also has been hit by the global recession. Many factories had to curtail their production in the wake of lesser overseas orders, while some had to even down shutters.

Dongguan employed over 6 million farmers-turned-workers in its bustling factories till a few months back. But less workload and even days of being idle have forced many to quit their jobs or seek permission to return home.

It is not just the employees who have been affected. Thousands of landlords may lose rents, while shopkeepers near the closed factories may no longer find customers to buy their wares.

The situation is no different for middle-aged Guo Jinrong and her husband Yin Peitong, employed at a local shoe factory. With their employer veering towards bankruptcy as international orders have virtually dried up, there is every possibility that the duo may lose their jobs soon.

The couple's 11-year-old son and their aged parents, living 1,000 kilometers away in a remote village in Henan province also do not have much reason to cheer.

"The stark reality is that our ability to raise the family has been challenged," said Guo. "To be frank, we have no money for my son and parents since the last two months. We have also been unable to purchase them warm jackets for the winter."

Like millions of migrants in Guangdong, the industrious couple never looked at overtime work as a burden and survived on their meager wages and extra pay - less than one dollar an hour - to support the family.

With slowdown resulting in sharp decline of orders from Europe and the US, the Xingyang Shoemaking Factory where Guo and Yin have worked for three years has given them less overtime opportunities since the middle of this year. Regular work has also lessened in the recent months.

From September, Guo and Yin were able to get work only every other day, with hardly any chances of working for extra pay.

The couple's total income has fallen by more than half to less than 1,400 yuan a month. "If the situation worsens and the orders completely stop, we will lose our jobs," said Guo.

The current earnings are just about enough to keep the pot boiling, the couple said, and that they have to tighten their purses and pursue thrifty habits.