Vagrants’ group helping out
Volunteers with the Barbados Vagrants & Homeless Society listening to some of the requests of street people. (Picture by Nigel Browne)
Sun, August 15, 2010 - 12:00 AM
It isn’t often that “street people” get a free, stylish haircut and shave or a pair of classy-looking new shoes.
But yesterday this is what they got – in addition to shirts, trousers, snacks and a warm meal.
Scores of people living on the street turned up in Independence Square to get help from a relatively new charity group, the Barbados Vagrant & Homeless Society.
“Approximately 100 vagrant and homeless people have turned up so far to get help,” vice-chairman of the society, Lemar Saffrey, said during a midday interview.
“The first turnout was a pretty heavy turnout and people are still coming in gradually.”
Men vastly outnumbered women, but some women sought additional clothing for children, Saffrey pointed out.
“Most people turned up for the shoes,” he reported. “We found that a lot of these people had some foot problems, including cuts.”
Saffrey told the Sunday Sun that during the day-long project the society was expected to distribute between 800 and 1 000 shirts, about 200 pairs of trousers and 300 pairs of shoes.
He said a number of businesses had made donations to help the vagrants and homeless in the society’s first big aid project.
These included the Line & Length barber shop, which offered free haircuts and shaves.
According to Saffrey, some of the street people who came forward yesterday had mental, speech and physical health problems.
“One gentleman couldn’t talk. His mouth couldn’t open at all,” he remarked.
“But the major problem I see is mental issues. In terms of what [street people] come for, they know what they want, in terms of the pants size, in terms of the shoes.
“Some want a brighter shirt. Some say they prefer white because it keeps them cool and black keeps them too hot.”
The society is headed by Saffrey’s twin brother Kemar. The group was launched last year. Its office is on Harbour Road, St Michael. (TY)
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Why do yo have to call people “Vagrants”. It seems a bit degrading people because they may be down and out. Cant they just call it the Homeless Person Assistance society?
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Comment LinkThis is really distressing to read that over 100 homeless people turned up for assistance at this “Help Desk” in Independence Square. That is too many homeless people and vagrants. There must be a marriage of Government and NGOs to provide not only sporadic assistance, but a long term assistance plan. These are people too and some of them can be productive citizens of Barbados. Just one observation or comment. Cant there be a different name for this organization instead of the Barbados Vagrant and Homeless Society? The name vagrant should be replaced with something else. These people already have a stigma attached and that word vagrant conjures up some unwanted biases. Just a thought.
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Comment LinkTotally agree with you,Free
Thinker.It’s also good that
this group has let these homeless folks know that someone cares about them.
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Comment LinkTo know that there are so many people; in this boat is important because these problems sometimes remain hidden in a flourishing society under the achievements of its more fortunate able-minded hard-working majority of economic classes that do help these people. We don’t know about either of these situations that do come together to solve the problem. This is the kind of continued working together that the Bajans, “in and out” of Barbados operated in for generations past and present. Families abroad sending barrels; dollars to aid homeland family; friends caring for their own children staying there. Our prosperity is evidently a blessing from God, on our obedience as a nation. We see via media. So well done, Barbados. The name Vagrant and Homeless Society, strikes a pain; until we have no more people in that situation, the name should stay, that we can continue to feel the pain; hurt enough to keep working at getting rid of the situation rather than just the word “Vagrants.”
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