The homeless support charity Stëmm vun der Strooss (“Voice of the Street”) has welcomed the government’s new national action plan against poverty, expressing hope that its announced measures will be implemented swiftly.
Presented by the CSV-DP government approximately two weeks ago, the plan outlines 106 specific measures. These include streamlining applications for various social benefits, automating several administrative procedures, and increasing child benefit by €45 per child starting in 2027.
In an interview with RTL, the charity’s director, Alexandra Oxacelay, expressed overall satisfaction with the strategy. “I don’t think it contains everything that could have been included”, she noted, while also stressing that it still contains “a great many things” that she welcomes. Oxacelay emphasised the importance of rapid implementation, adding, “I hope these aren’t just empty promises.”
The charity’s call for urgent action comes against a backdrop of sharply increasing need. In 2024, Stëmm vun der Strooss served 243,000 meals across its three social restaurants in Hollerich, Esch-sur-Alzette, and Ettelbruck – a 23% increase from the previous year. Oxacelay does not anticipate demand decreasing this year and warned that the charity’s facilities are struggling to keep pace. “We can no longer keep up with meeting people’s needs,” she stated.
