Many people feel that all homeless people are entirely to blame for their own miserable situation. Those same people tend to believe that under no circumstance could they find themselves homeless. In reality, people from all walks of life can become homeless and almost no one is immune from the possibility.
The Wagon Night Shelter is a converted former German hospital train which was donated to the Hungarian railway which then passed it on to the order. The train is permanently sited and connected to the city’s heating and drainage system. There are showers and toilettes on board and have space for 110 people.
The shelter open its doors at six o’clock every evening when receive a steady stream of regulars as well as a few newcomers. They ask to show a proper ID card, medical certificate showing that they are not suffering from any contagious disease and the staff prefer it if they are not drunk. Ten social workers helping for the “night time residences” keep their spirits up. People can stay all night until eight in the morning, after the cleaners clean the train and make it ready for the following night. These people in the wagon became homeless for many different reasons but relationship breakdown, bereavement, addiction have played a part. They come from a wide variety of backgrounds and have different skills and experience. There are driver, electrician, carpenter, construction worker, waiter, seller, economist and sales person. Some of them are permanently working as street cleaner or do other skilled or unskilled job. Work as a figurant getting more and more popular among homeless. The film industry pays a bit better, since Hungarian film studios attract foreign film productions. Unfortunately most of the homeless are surviving from one day to another and gave up the hope to find an appropriate job and reintegrate to the society.
This year a new business opportunity appeared on the horizon. Selling Blood Plasma is an option for making a little money in a relatively short time. Homeless people can get quick cash. Is a two-three hour long process which can be done twice a week for HUF 1400 (US$7) a visit. Many of the homeless people, who are living in the wagon, have been doing it frequently. There are also tours companies already specialized for blood plasma tourism. They take the homeless people from Budapest to Vienna (Austria), where donors get paid around Euro 20 per each time. The payment will increase at Xmas for about Euro 50. The tours companies figured it out, the MLM System (network marketing) will increase the company net profit, so they pay extra commissions for those are bringing a new member.
The official retirement age in Hungary at present for women is 60, for men 65 (from 60 and 55 respectively) with at least 20 years of service. Many of the Hungarian people working without an employment contract, so are not eligible for public pension. The Hungarian government last year approved a set of measures to force Hungarians back into the state’s pension scheme and make life more difficult for any surviving private pension funds.
The shelter is respectably only for European men with the minimum age of 18. The youngest man was 22, when I was there and the oldest more than 70. A few have had their first experienced homeless. Most of the men are middle-aged. Many of them divorced at least once and have one or two children. Usually the ex-wives have been living in the property with the children and sometimes with her boyfriend or new husband. The ex-wives are eligible the social benefit, are designed to fund necessities so the children may finish high school.
The Wagon shelter provides toiletries, towels and blankets, plus free dinners every day. Special day is the Wednesday, when the food arrives from the luxurious 5 star Hotel Kempinsky. After dinner, there is time for relaxation: listening radio, reading a book or news paper, playing cards or chess, chatting, and of course just watching the trains through the windows. They are allowed to watch TV only on weekends until 10pm. There is no ban on smoking, but only allowed out of the wagon.
This assignment was made possible by the permission of Mr. Balazs Kenesey, the director of Wagon Night Shelter, which operates by The Hungarian Maltese Charity Service. The Hungarian Maltese Charity Service is the Hungarian Relief organization of 900 years old, sovereign Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem. This organization currently is the largest social service provider in Hungary. They are available for the help of the neediest on as much as 350 sites of the country.
This afternoon, The City is for All group has organized a peaceful event in front of the Parlament in Budapest, to the protection of homeless people's rights, advocate for their interest. The group is founded by homeless, and formerly homeless activists and their allies who fight for a society based on equality and justice. The government regulation targeting the homeless people living in Budapest and imposes a fine up to $250 if one is conducting lifestyle like behavior in public.
