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Karina Granado
(photo), a
Spiritist by
birth, is a
volunteer who
works with
people sleeping
rough in the
streets of São
Carlos – an
initiative from
the Spiritist
Society Obreiros
do Bem. She is a
lawyer and a
university
lecturer. In
this interview,
she talks about
the assistance
to the homeless,
carried out
every Sunday,
and how the
group came about
the idea.
Tell us about
your work with
the homeless on
Sunday
mornings.
We call it
Street Stand
Eurípedes
Barsanulfo,
after a pioneer
of Spiritism in
Brazil. It is a
job carried out
by volunteers
since May 2002.
We gather
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every Sunday on
a the Paulino
Botelho square,
in the city
centre, at 8 in
the morning and
normally attend
from 50 to 70
people who sleep
rough in the
streets. Before
every session,
we, the
volunteers, have
a half-an-hour
chat about the
main issues and
problems faced
by the homeless,
we exchange
experiences etc.
We then offer
them coffee as
they gather for
a brief talk on
issues related
to their
routine: work,
family,
addictions,
hygiene etc. We
then set up the
‘hygiene stand’,
where we provide
services like
hair trimming,
shaving, nail
cutting; we also
treat minor
injuries and
give them
clothes, shoes
and items for
personal
hygiene. In the
meantime, we are
preparing a
nutritious soup,
fruit salad and,
whenever we get
the donations
needed, we offer
an additional
menu, with
spaghetti or
chicken. Our
main goal is not
to hand out the
items I’ve just
mentioned. That
is just a means
of achieving
what we really
aim to: the
opportunity for
fraternal
conversation, to
hear the demands
of each and
every one, to
establish a
friendship and
boost their
self-esteem, so
they can see
that that street
situation is
temporary. |
What was the
initial
motivation and
inspiration for
this
initiative?
The initial
motivation came
when we realise
that the number
of homeless in
Brazil was
increasing at a
fast pace and
that there was
no government
scheme available
to deal with it,
to provide aid
and assistance.
The inspiration
for our Street
Stand came from
a similar
project that was
underway in the
Vale do
Anhangabaú, one
of the main
postcards of the
city of São
Paulo.
How many people
take part? Do
they come from
different
Spiritist
Groups?
We have a team
of 15 permanent
volunteers, and
many others come
regularly, when
they are
available. It is
interesting
indeed that the
volunteers come
from many
Spiritist Groups
and come
together every
Sunday with the
drive to help
those who are
not lucky enough
to have their
own home, a job,
family, good
health, who lack
dignity and the
respect from
others. The
presence of each
volunteer is
very important
to us. We
realise after a
while that we,
the volunteers,
are benefitting
more than anyone
else as we are
exposed to so
many rich life
stories.
What lesson have
you learnt from
your work as a
volunteer with
the homeless for
so many years?
Once you begin
working at the
Street Stand,
with the
homeless, you
begin to value
every single
thing you have:
turning a tap
and finding
water, having a
blanket to put
on during the
winter, getting
food when you
get hungry. They
are all things
we take for
granted as we
rush about in
our daily lives.
We also learn to
value tolerance,
patience,
friendship and
charity.
What personal
stories have had
a bigger impact
on you?
We have the
cases of men who
had proper jobs
in metal works
and lost their
families in car
accidents. In
the face of the
tragedy, they
leave everything
behind and begin
wandering
through the
streets. The
absence of
friends, of
family or the
lack of faith in
something bigger
often makes it
impossible for
people to face
the challenges
life throws at
them.
What are the
biggest
challenges you
face in your
volunteer work?
Our biggest
challenge is the
prejudice from
many against the
homeless. In our
Sunday
gatherings, we
see men and
women just like
us, with fears,
problems and
addictions. But
unfortunately
many people see
only the
negative side.
They can’t see
the qualities,
dreams, smiles
and all the
qualities from
the unfortunate
people who
happen to live
in the streets.
In our Street
Stand we are
lucky enough to
be able to
recognise others
as human beings
and respect them
like brothers
and sisters. We
are equals. They
just happen to
be going through
a bad patch, and
our job is to
help in
whichever manner
we can.
What resources
do you need to
do your job?
We rely totally
on donations. We
ask for
donations of
clothes, shoes,
shaving blades
and blankets.
Those are the
items we need
the most.
And who are the
people who make
the donations?
They are people
who get touched
by our appeals
and are willing
to help those
who have
nothing.
How do the
people in the
city of São
Carlos react to
your charity
work? I imagine
your work must
be fairly well
known in the
city after so
many years.
All I can say is
that it used to
be tougher. But
many people in
the city still
can’t accept the
fact that we are
“wasting time”
with the
homeless. They
think our effort
is not worth it,
as the homeless
are lazy and
it’s their own
fault if they
are in this
situation. But
that’s not what
happens.
Unemployment,
the lack of
opportunities
and social
humiliation make
it very
difficult for
people to “brush
it off and make
a comeback.” The
lack of respect
from others and
pre-conceived
ideas are still
the big
villains, they
get in the way
of social
reintegration.
To illustrate
that, I’ll tell
you that once a
very wealthy
person in the
city asked us,
as we ran about
in the rain on a
Sunday morning:
“Are you not
worried about
catching head
lice?”
What else would
you like to
add?
We do need help
and donations.
If you need more
information,
please get in
touch with me
through the
emails
Karina_grandao@yahoo.com.br
or
divulgacao@obreirosdobem.com.br.
Our website will
be on air very
soon with more
information on
the Street Stand
Eurípedes
Barsanulfo
project.
Author’s note:
To find out more
about the Street
Stand Eurípedes
Barsanulfo and
other services
provided by the
Spiritist Group,
visit the
website
www.obreirosdobem.com.br.
