AUTHOR: MARIA CHRONOPOULOU | PHOTOGRAPHY: VASILIS KOUROUPIS
– First of all, let me ask you: what exactly is Shedia?
– Shedia is a street magazine. And what sets it apart from other magazines is that, as a street magazine, it is not sold at kiosks or newsagents; it is sold exclusively on the streets of the biggest cities in the world and, from the selling price of the magazine in Greece, which is €3, €1.5 is kept by the vendor. The vendors are our fellow citizens who are experiencing the negative effects of the current financial crisis in the cruelest way. They are the homeless, the long-term unemployed, many of whom, in any case, find themselves on the verge of homelessness and those with little or no income that live below the poverty line. In essence, the street magazine Shedia and all the other ‘street’ magazines around the world are firstly, social projects and secondly, publications.
– What does this type of magazine do?
– What these types of street magazines do and what Shedia does is twofold: firstly, it gives the opportunity to some of our fellow citizens to earn, with dignity, a minimum income per day through the selling of the magazine so as to provide them with their basic needs and secondly, through this process they regain the feeling and belief that they belong in society, something which is equally if not more important than the first. They remain active, wake up early in the morning and have somewhere to go. They are vital members of our society; they are not invisible (these are their words). They gain self-confidence, self-esteem and faith in themselves. They have the ability and can succeed.
– How did the idea of Shedia begin?
– Eight years ago we decided to create a football team—the Greek National Homeless Team. So, we started in 2007 where we had our first training session and that same year we participated for the first time in the Homeless World Cup in Copenhagen. It was there that we had our first meeting with a representative of the International Network of Street Papers at the end of July 2007 because the Homeless World Cup started with an idea in ‘street’ magazines. They explained to us exactly how this type of model works and how such a process can have a profound and direct effect on some of our fellow Greeks.
– How many years does this date back to? How long has it been in existence abroad?
– Since summer of 2007. In other countries, however, the first street magazine, “Street News” was published in 1989 in New York and “The Big Issue”, the British version which is considered to be one of the most significant ‘street’ magazines came out in 1991, reaching a sales figure of 350,000 copies per issue. Shedia is one of the newest members of the International Network of Street Papers, and is the 122nd in 41 countries. At this time we are in our second year of operation and we have about 170 vendors. We published our first issue of the magazine on 27 February 2013, a Wednesday, at 15 sales points and now we have over 80 and are looking for other selling points, as people have embraced us. We see people who come just to say ‘good morning’ and then go on happily to do something, to sell Shedia. This is the core of Shedia, its people.
– So, it was created during the crisis, right?
– On a theoretical and planning level, it all began before the crisis. We started because we saw from that time that there was a need. There was a series of incidents that caused a chain reaction which led us to create the team and the magazine. One of these events happened at the magazine Galera where I worked at the corner of Themistokleous Street and Eressou Street in the Exarchia area of Athens. Every morning at around 11:00 I saw across from my window, a small window opening from an abandoned building just opposite and three men from the inside to close the window, put a brick to cover it, sort of like a key, and to leave. They were three homeless fellow Athenians in 2005. Therefore, this was a problem back then, but now with the crisis the homeless problem has taken on dramatic dimensions and we have realized that the poor person and the homeless person is not just someone who is near to us. Now, this person is even in our own midst.
– What is it that differentiates Shedia from other social projects?
– One thing that sets Shedia, as well as the homeless football team, apart from other worthwhile projects is that it has a powerful, positive reaction to things. Now, the person, the homeless person, is not a passive recipient of acts of solidarity. He is an active part of the process. They come here, take their magazines, go out and do a difficult job; to sell the magazine on the streets. One of the things that we emphasize on a daily basis is that “we are not doing you any favors. You are selling the magazine and earning your own living!” This is quite clear and this makes them enjoy it even more.
– How exactly does the Shedia network operate?
– The network of vendors for Shedia works like this: First of all, it is aimed at the homeless, the unemployed and people with little or no income. The only thing that we ask from these people is that they co-sign the internal regulations which outline some common sense things. For example, they have to issue a receipt. They have to always wear their vest, they have to have their identification card with their name on it, and they have to stand at the agreed-upon place. Another part of this is that they should not work drunk, for example. They should not have aggressive behaviour and they should not enter metro stations and shops where they do not have permission. Some very simple things, really common sense, about which we are unwavering. In any event, all of them agree when talking about the obvious.
And when we agree on these, they take 10 magazines at first, which is their start-up capital, i.e. 30 euro. They will sell these magazines and after can keep the 22.50 euro to ease their financial worries. With the remaining 7.50 euro they will pre-pay 5 magazines, i.e. 5 x 1.5 and not 5 x 3. If, however, they do not wish to continue and they believe that they cannot be supported by this process, they can keep the entire 30 euro; they only have to return the red vest and they are free to leave. Shedia is there for whoever believes that can be supported by it, for the length of time each person wishes. They buy the magazines for 1.5 euro and sell them for 3 euro. This is the way that the ‘street’ magazine model works. So, the critical factor is that you put them in a position of responsibility. They must manage their sales and their income. It is an entire procedure.
– What we can understand is that Shedia gives them a strong motive and does not treat the person as someone who is a charity case.
– Exactly. We put him in the position of having to support himself through the platform which we have created. And, of course, we hope and are pleased when people find work, especially during this difficult period. We have had quite a few of these occasions. When one of our people announces to us that he is leaving Shedia because he found a job, it is like a small celebration in our premises. All of us are thrilled and we celebrate, sometimes with tears in our eyes. Anyway, it is clear that our aim is not to create an army of people selling ‘street’ magazine. Quite the opposite. Our vision is that one day Shedia will close and all the people to find their way and live in a just society. Until that happens, however, we will be present and continue to struggle, all together, for people and for the whole of society.
– Why did you call it Shedia?
– Firstly, all of the collocations that have to do with the word Shedia (life raft) are positive. Let’s say that the image one has of a life raft (Shedia) is connected to a shipwreck, but, it contains an element of optimism as it is connected with finding a foothold, a safe place, in order to reach the island and that all of us are in it together, as the life raft (Shedia) has these qualities. That all of us are on the life raft together and that we must co-operate in order to reach our destination. It contains meanings which fit into the profile of the Shedia project. We got on the Shedia and set off. We have a destination and a hope for reaching the island.
– Well, then, it fits perfectly with the Greek crisis, given that we can make comparisons to a shipwreck where the Shedia (life raft) is the essential means for one who finds himself in the unfortunate position in the sea and does not know where to go – to the island, which could be a job or a house.
– That’s right. That is our Shedia. We believe that all people have the right to shelter and this is one of the values that we try with all our might to share and to serve.
