PAUVRES huMAINS
Men and women remain prostrate for hours in the street ; Motionless, lips closed and downcast eyes. They beg.
In the majority of the cases, either through guilt, or in judgment, the passers-by avoid them or ignore them. Rare are there exchanges of looks or words.
For those who break these usual rules of our societies, sometimes the looks exchanged remain difficult ; Sometimes the words remaining thought useless. The philanthropy focuses then on what is perceived as the essential contact point : hands.
Anonymous, these hands beg chastely.
Humbly, they authorize to the others the anonymous charity.
Igor is 29 years old ; He is Russian and has been in France for 15 years.
He has been on the streets for 4 years following a serious work accident ; He was not registered and is not entitled to any help. He cannot work any more. He wishes to stay in France.
This woman is 38 years old, she comes from Bulgaria.
Without ever raising the head, she looks what is within the reach of her eyes : the legs of the passers-by and the wheels of cars. Her confusion lets perceive her fragility ; She is completely lost.
She has been in France for four days only and does not speak a word of French. She is completely lost.
This young 21-year-old Romanian came to France with his wife and his baby ; He is worried for them. He does not speak French but thought he could find work. Of France he knew only " Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood "; He keeps hope. He has been begging in the street for a few weeks.
At 53 years old, this man comes from Bulgaria.
He has been in France for 6 months and he only speaks a few French words.
He repeats ceaselessly « No work, no work » He wants to join his family in his country, but he has no money. He is discouraged.
Communication with this woman is impossible ; She does not speak French and she is paralyzed by the fear. She hardly dares to raise eyes on the passers-by who do not see her ; She would so much want to be somewhere else that she became invisible there.
It is likely that she comes from Romania. It is difficult to estimate her age ; She is possibly around thirty years old.
Pascal is French ; He is 53 years old. It is difficult for him to find work at his age. He begs to complement his state benefits. He really hopes to keep the small apartment which he still has ; Otherwise, it is the street. He has maybe found restaurant work for the season ; He waits for the answer. Everybody knows Pascal in the district ; His neighbors greet him when they walk past him while he begs
Bristly hair and matching white beard, this man is approximately 60 years old.
He is Bulgarian and does not speak French.
His face is closed and his eyes are dark ; He remains impassive about the street which parades in front of him. He is the only one who asked for money for the photo.
Tibi is Rumanian ; He is 40 years old. He speaks French well and has been in France for 2 years. He shares an apartment with his wife, his two children and his beautiful daughter ; His elder son is an 18-year-old Dad. Even if the situation is precarious here in Paris, he does not want to return to Romania ; Here there is social care; It is not much but it is better that over there where there is nothing, no work. Tibi has done a little casual work in France, but at the moment there is nothing.
This young, 25-year-old Frenchman is called Dimitri. He comes from the South of France ; He lost his job there ; He came to Paris to find work more easily. He has been on the streets for six months ; He is alone.
The sweetness and the shyness of this young man are in contrast with the hard context of the life in the street. He does not want to return to a homeless shelter, the last time somebody stole everything from him.
