World Homeless Day - issues of homelessness in Taipei should go beyond poverty

世界無家可歸日─台北無家可歸問題應該超越貧困

Hidden Taipei founder Cyndi Tseng speaks to Taiwan News about how we can help homeless people in the city


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) - October 10 marks Taiwan's 107th anniversary of its founding, while the World Homeless Day is observed on the exact same day each year, and in Taiwan, it will be accompanied by a month of events ranging from films, exhibits, lectures, to night tours that are set to change your view towards homelessness in the country.

Homeless and poverty can go generations, accompanied by issues of labor exploitation, housing and distributive injustice, health and education inequality.

We can't talk about inequality without talking about homelessness.

Apart from the National Day celebrations, there are some people in Taipei trying to raise awareness about people experiencing homelessness on World Homeless Day, which is designed to draw attention to the homeless and the disadvantaged, to make a difference.

The initiative, dubbed "The Poor's Taipei," kicked off on October 4 jointly by several local human rights groups, and is trying to put viewers in the shoes of a homeless person, who has long been isolated and ignored. The initiative comes to its second year, with the purpose of ending discrimination against homeless people.

Read More: Films, exhibits, tours to put spotlight on homeless in Taipei this October

Among the key players combating discrimination against homelessness and helping them get back on their feet, Homeless Taiwan (芒草心協會) is well organized and has developed several side projects, including Hidden Taipei, which facilitates conversations with the homeless through several interesting activities, such as a walking tour, human library, and the homeless version of "Survival Games".

"You might be surprised to learn that a Taiwanese study shows 80 percent of homeless people have a job, while only 8 percent of homelessness ever begged on the streets," said Cyndi Tseng, founder of Hidden Taipei.

"Most of them are not lazy and unlawful," she added in an interview with Taiwan News.

What Hidden Taipei is doing

The Hidden Taipei was founded in 2013, and started by recruiting volunteers and providing training to qualify homeless people to become walking tour guides. Today, it has two full-time staff members and works with 30 homeless guides.

Inspired by the Unseen Tour in London, the Hidden Taipei provides walking tours in the oldest towns of Taipei City guided by homeless people who underwent months-long training before hitting the road, and the guides are usually accompanied by a volunteered worker. A walking tour map is also provided to tour participants.

Training and preparation are necessary to create a good tour experience. To make sure of their commitment to the training, the organization provides NT$200 to each recruited homeless guide every time they come to a training session, Tseng said.

"The cost of months-long training and administration is so high; to make the project sustainable, we decide 45 percent of the tour income goes to the homeless guides, and the rest goes to the cost of insurance, training and administration."

The organization later developed "Human Library" delivered by qualified homeless people in speech form, and homeless version of "Survival Games" to add versatility to their activities, which Tseng believes can effectively help participants see challenges from the perspectives of homeless people.

"There are shelters and assistance provided to the people on the streets, but they need more than that, they need to be understood," said Tseng.

There are also several key issues behind homelessness, including generational injustice and high property prices, in which the children of disadvantaged families have far less opportunities and resources to flip their life around. A comprehensive set of policies should be in place to solve the problem, Tseng added in an interview with Taiwan News.

She also shared a story that a software engineer ended up on the streets in his 50s after decades-long nursing for his ill parents. He collapsed after his parents passed away and out of work at his 50s while running out of his savings for expensive medical bills. The story also reflects the lack of the country's affordable long-term nursing services and facilities.

Many on the streets have their own stories and difficulties, and they are hoping to be accepted, instead of being discriminated, and one day to get back on their feet. Your understanding as well as your support can make a difference not only on the homeless, but also on the government decision-makers to care and take actions on the issues.

https://tnimage.taiwannews.com.tw/photos/shares/5bbdaf3135707.jpg