Jerusa

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TRANSCRIPT

“I used to live in Rio de Janeiro. I had never lived on the streets, because there I rented a place. But I had to come here, to Brasília, and here I ended up in a situation of homelessness. I’ve been in Brasília for seven years now. Then Salu—when the restroom opened—he was there for a while, and he invited me to work there.

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This year I came back to working at the restroom again—it’s been on and off. When you’re on the streets and someone gives you an opportunity, you feel important, your self-esteem goes up, and you’re able to rent a small place and live with dignity. People often see us as if we were criminals, as if we stole or did those kinds of things, you know?

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I’m living in Itapuã now, sharing a place with a friend. With the money I earn working at the restroom, I help pay the rent and I send money to my daughters—I support them in Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo. And with the restroom here in the Setor Comercial Sul, it’s used not only by people experiencing homelessness, but also by relatives and patients from the Base Hospital, who come to shower and use the facilities. For people living on the streets, it’s a real help—they can bathe and get themselves together. On the streets, there are people struggling with addiction—alcohol and drugs. I know how to deal with them. I’m patient, I talk to them. One woman managed to get a job as a caregiving nurse—she comes to the restroom to shower before going to work. The restroom is very important.

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Another way to move forward is, first, treatment to break free from alcohol and drug addiction, and then employment. Like me—I have my little job, and I value it. Some people work selling candy, others sell phone cables, some young guys sell cleaning cloths. They watch cars, manage parking. When they can’t find a formal job, they work for themselves. So valuing work is also important for getting off the streets. Because many girls want to leave the streets, but don’t have the opportunity because they don’t have a job.”