Street Roots • Feb. 26-March 3, 2016
News
Page 7
Romania and Mass, introduce street papers
In a high-poverty
nation, a voice
against corruption
BY LAURA SMITH
STREET NEWS SERVICE
n November, tens of thousands of
Romanians brandishing placards and
megaphones marched through the
streets of Bucharest They were united in
fierce protest against the widespread
corruption that doesn’t just eat away at their
country’s political and media institutions; it
kills.
Simmering public frustration and
tensions escalated after a fire that broke
out in a nightclub claimed the lives of 63
people Oct. 15. Many believe the club
passed fire safety regulations by paying off
officials — that the true cause of death was
corruption, a long-standing issue that
continues to plague one of the poorest
countries in the EU.
The protests, led mainly by a younger
Romanian generation demanding political
reform, held the incident up to international
scrutiny. They were swiftly followed by the
resignation of the prime minister, his
I
governm ent and th e mayor of th e local area.
It was clear that Romania was a country
desperate for change.
According to Aaron Israelson, this will
soon come to Bucharest in the form of a
street paper - birthed in one of the city’s
poorest districts.
The former editor of Faktum, a Swedish
member of the International Network of
Street Papers (INSP), plans to launch his
new publication in Romania’s capital this
September. He believes the country is in
dire need of an independent media voice.
“All countries have a poverty and
homeless problem, but Romania is the
second-poorest country of the EU, so I think
the need for a modem way to combat
poverty is stronger here than anywhere
P H O TO BY R A D U SIGHETI/REUTERS
A m an holds a banner in Bucharest that reads: “I am looking fo r work I beg you to help me
with something to eat or give me something to work I thank you from all my heart God bless
you and protect you from all bad things.” A new street paper launching in Bucharest will allow
its vendors to earn an income.
else,” Israelson said.
The street paper’s
distribution base will be in
Ferentari, a poverty-
stricken area of the city
where just 30 percent of
the population is legally
employed.
The project is partly
inspired by the Romanian
vendors Israelson worked with during his
four-year tenture as Faktum’s editor in chief.
He says 50 percent of vendors at the
Gothenburg street paper were from
Romania.
In 2014, Romania had an estimated
national GDP of just 7,500 euros (about
$8,200 at the current exchange rate) per
capita. The same year saw 37,000
Romanians and Bulgarians migrate to the
U.K. to seek a better life. Many Romanian
vendors selling street papers across Europe
told INSP that low wages and few work
opportunities make it impossible for them
to remain in their home country.
But Israelson hopes the pressure to leave
will change when Romania gets its own
street paper, which provides an income
opportunity for vendors.
Israelson’s mother is Romanian, and he
speaks the language. He has been visiting
the country since he was a child, and he
moved to B ucharest in Septem ber.
Since then, he has formed a partnership
with local charily Project Ruth, which
supports up to 170 families in Ferentari.
The street paper’s main distribution will be
located in Project Ruth’s school and adult
education center.
In 2014, the average daily income per
person in Ferentari was 4.35 RON ($1.07 at
the current exchange rate). Out of 170
families supported by Project Ruth, 56
percent of parents were unemployed and 14
percent worked without legal
documentation. Roughly one-third of parents
have little or no education.
Mihai Ciopasiu, Project Ruth’s executive
director, hopes that a street paper here
could help “break the cycle of poverty and
give them better opportunities in life....
Vendors will have self-esteem, more money
to support their kids in school, and could
start earning enough to qualify for social
insurance and medical insurance.”
Israelson and Ciopasiu have 17
prospective vendors. Having their children
attend school will be a requirement for
vendors, who will also have access to
educational support programs delivered by
the organization.
The project is initially being funded by
backers in Sweden, but Aaron hopes to
secure more local support
Besides supporting homeless and socially
vulnerable people in Bucharest, Israelson
plans to call out corruption and campaign
for political reform while also tapping into
the pulse of Bucharest’s vibrant and diverse
social scene.
After four years at the helm of Faktum,
Aaron Israelson knows a thing or two about
running a successful street paper. But
launching one in Romania’s capital city
comes with unique challenges.
Since the 1989 revolution brought an end
to communism in the eastern European
country, Romanian print media have been
plagued by high levels of corruption.
Israelson says his publication will be one of
the few independent media outlets in
Romania, where the majority of newspapers
and TV and radio stations are controlled by
powerful politicians or businessmen seeking
to prom ote th eir own. agendas.
Stefan Candea, who co-founded the
Romanian Centre for Investigative
Journalism, said a new street paper,
particularly one that aims to be a watchdog
on corruption, could shake up Romania’s
stagnant print media landscape. But he also
advised caution.
Investigative journalists in Romania face a
lack of resources and the absence of
powerful amplifier for their voices, either in
print or online, he said.
Despite the challenges, Israelson remains
optimistic.
“It will be a rough ride,” he said, “but I
meet a lot of people who think it’s a great
idea and want to see this country change for
the better.”
Courtesy ofIN SP .ngo
A catalyst for ‘d ignity and empowerment’ in Lowell
merica’s newest street paper, The
Catalyst, began sales Feb. 23 on the
steps of the Lowell, Mass., town hall.
“It’s about dignity and empowerment.
Vendors of The Catalyst can become micro-
enterprises,” said the man behind the new
project, Ryan White, who added that he
hopes to see vendor numbers rise quickly.
Two thousand copies of the first edition
of The Catalyst are available. Vendors buy
each paper for 40 cents and sell it for a
dollar.
“We want to be the change agent in
people’s lives and propel them forward.
There’s this quote that’s often attributed to
Gandhi: ‘Be the change you (wish) to see in
the world.’ So there’s also the opportunity
for the customer to be part of the vendor’s
a
P H O T O BY D A V ID M M C C U IN
Two thousand copies o f the first edition o f
The Catalyst are available. Vendors buy each
paper fo r 40 cents and sell it fo r a dollar.
story - to be part of their catalyst story
beyond poverty or marginalization.”
White began working on The Catalyst
almost a year ago, following a visit to a
nearby homeless outreach center.
“Speaking with them touched me,” he
said. “One of the issues that kept coming
up was that they wanted to work, but it
wasn’t possible to find a job for many
reasons.”
In common with many areas of the U.S.,
Lowell has recently been attempting to
crack down on panhandling.
The American Civil Liberties Union of
Massachusetts recently celebrated the
decision of a federal judge to strike down
Lowell’s ban on panhandling in the
Downtown Historic District, saying that the
activity was protected under the First
Amendment.
Lowell was hit with a bill of $736,466 in
legal fees following the judgment
White hopes The Catalyst will have strong
support as an alternative to panhandling.
“People really love the idea of the street
paper model,” he said.
“Once people understand that vendors
have to purchase the papers then sell them
on, they really like that idea. The support
cuts across the two-party system. Both
Democrats and Republicans here support
the idea of helping people help
themselves.”
- Laura Kelly
Courtesy ofIN SP .ngo