Street Roots • May 1-7, 2015
News
Page 7
Young street paper a safety net for Greeks
BY BASTIAN PtiTTER
hedia, Greece’s first street paper was
launched two years ago to support
those most seriously affected by the
country’s crippling financial crisis. Today,
the street paper is still going strong, and has
helped many of its vendors off the streets.
But one-third of Greeks still live below the
poverty line and the number of people
looking to Shedia for help - it now has
around 160 vendors - continues to rise. The
street paper’s editor Chris Alefantis speaks
about the current situation in Greece,
Syriza’s election victory - “a triumph of hope
over despair”- the work Shedia does, and its
inspiring vendors.
S
CA.: Apart from running a street paper,
Shedia has a wide range of programs and
support services for our vendors. In the last
year and a half, we ran a vendor photography
project which culminated recently in an
exhibition held at one of the most important
cultural venues in Greece.
Why do fears feel real
When I don’t believe they’re true
Why must I bear this burden
When there is so much else I could do
Why must I walk in darkness
When I prefer the light
Why must I be all alone
When I could be with you tonight
Why must I be stuck on spin cycle
When I have dreams I could realize
And why when I am set on atonement
Can I not look you in the eyes
Help me God or someone or something
This seems like such a waste
Why not give me a full bottle
Instead of just a taste
B.P.: Who are your vendors? Who comes to
Shedia?
And, of course, we support our street
paper vendors in their search for jobs and
accommodation. Seventeen formerly
homeless street paper vendors already have
their own small flat paid with the income
that comes from selling street papers. We
are delighted when it works. For us, this is a
common victory. It’s our readers who make
this happen when they buy a street paper.
CAs. Ninety-nine percent of our vendors
are victims of the financial crisis. They had a
job, a place to live, a family. They lost their
jobs, then a few months later they lost their
homes, and then they lost everything. Our
vendors are from all walks of life. Architects,
former publishers, tradesmen of shop
owners work at Shedia, as do people who
have worked in unskilled labor. They were
the first victims of the financial crisis. Their
stories are those of completely normal
people. On the one hand it’s sad, and on the
other their determination to get their old life
back is impressive. They are fighting.
Shedia’s vendors never give up.
B.P.: How has the social situation in Greece
developed in recent years?
B. P.: How do you think things will progress
with regard to Shedia and Greece?
CA.: If you look at the »figures? it becomes
clear that not much has changed over the
past five years. The unemployment rate
continues to be around about 26 percent,
and the youth unemployment rate is 50
percent. People have been job seeking for
years without success. We are especially
concerned about those who are age 45 and
over. Their job prospects are particularly
bad. At the same time, the queues outside
soup kitchens are continuing to grow.
Hundreds of thousands of people don’t have
health insurance anymore. How can we allow
this to go on?
You know, there’s a difference between
being unemployed for six months and being
C. A.: Our dream is that Shedia becomes
superfluous, that all of our vendors find
“regular” employment, through which they
can earn their living. We also dream that we
will reach the point where we will no longer
need a street paper.
We have to make a difference ourselves.
We all look forward and work hard towards a
better future, be this with our friends in a
united Europe or in whatever form this may
take. It’s hard work, but we’ll manage to do
it. As Vassilis Alexakis says, “We have no
other option than to be optimistic.”
B astian P u tte r : Two years ago, at the
height of the financial crisis, you launched
Greece's first street paper. How is Shedia
doing?
B.P.: What can you do for your street paper
vendors?
by A ven d o r
unemployed for three years. The number of
long-term unemployed people is so great,
and that’s dreadful. If you walk around
Athens, you don’t see many people smiling,
which is sad in itself.
On the other hand, we support each other
in everyday life. In an interview with us, the
famous Greek author Vassilis Alexakis said,
“We have no other option than to be
optimistic.” We should try that and continue
to fight for a better future, both individually
and collectively. This is also the stance taken
in our street paper vendor meetings.
C O N T R IB U T IN G W R IT E R
C hris A lefantis: Shedia came about from
the desire to support those who had been
most seriously affected by the economic and
financial crisis. One could also say that
Shedia is a result of the rage surrounding
injustices which have happened to the vast
majority of Greek workers and the middle
class. We had to do something to help those
affected. The same goes for the thousands of
people across the country who have set up
networks of solidarity and who are helping in
every possible way. These are grass roots
answers to a bigger problem.
We measure our success in terms of the
number of people we are helping. These
people are discovering newfound courage
because they no longer feel invisible and
earn some money in a dignified way.
Why Just a Taste
Transitions
b y j.m c c u rd y
She smiled
at him
instead of ...
with him...
tenderly Screening
Forever
And its complications
Out of her expression...
And he knew
By the lack
Of
Memories
Waiting to be made
That his
Heartbeat
Wasn’t welcome
Against her skin
Anymore
Translated from German into English by
Dominique Mason. Courtesy of INSP News
Service www.street-papers.org/Bodo
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