Homeless Persons

Through individual observation over the years, I have observed the number of homeless people is increasing. When I think about who homeless people are, I think about the people who sleep in the streets, people living in their cars, or people living with friends or family due to lack of their own houses. Although people living with friends are difficult to see or account for their lives, those living in the streets are more visible. I think of these people as individuals experiencing some challenges in life which could include domestic violence, poverty, drug and substance abuse or mental illness. I have seen people on the streets borrowing food because of poverty and others eating from bins due to mental illness. Moreover, I have witnessed a person living in a car after a life of constant violence at home. When I see individuals experiencing these social hardships, I believe they need our help as individuals, government, and non-governmental organizations. Since nobody would enjoy life in the street, living in a car or seeking accommodation from friends, society has a collective responsibility to improve their status.

My beliefs are informed by what I witness in our society and what the media feeds us. While walking on the street, I encounter homeless people and try to interact with them. By treating them well and offering little support, some speak out about their experiences. Although it is difficult to validate the truth about the narratives they give, it appears that most of them are on the street due to poverty. One day I met a young man asking for a token to buy food. When I asked him what led to him being on the streets, he said that he lost his job and he had not gotten any other job for over eight months. Another factor influencing my belief that homeless person is victims of circumstance is the media. Although mainstream media feature stories about homeless persons, social media is an important source of information. People share stories about their friends and relative who get lost due to mental illness such as depression or drug addiction. In some cases, these people are food sleeping in the streets or abandoned houses and garages.