This year, the 'Stëmm vun der Strooss' charity celebrated its 30th anniversary. In the last three decades, poverty has changed in Luxembourg, says Oxacelay, who has worked with the association for 28 years.
In the beginning there were relatively few shelters and associations working on the ground, "but the problem was much smaller and people could be hidden away, which cannot be done these days."
The charity now accommodates many more people belonging to the working poor. This wasn't the case in the past. "If someone had a job, they could afford to live decently."
They still get a lot of people, including young people, coming from abroad, as well as migrants without rights in Luxembourg. There are lots of different cultures represented. But the work has become more anonymous. In the past, the charity workers had time to approach more people, but now there are many more, and the aggressiveness on the ground has increased. Social workers have to undergo more training these days in order to prepare for aggressive behaviour.
Stëmm vun der Strooss began employing security agents in 2015. The director attributes the increase in aggressive behaviour to the fact that more people in Luxembourg are consuming "crack" [cocaine]. "It's new, that we're seeing this level of crack consumption. It makes people more aggressive."
The housing issue often comes up when people are asked why they are on the streets. Many of them simply can't afford the prices on the Luxembourg housing market. They also can't cross the border, because they would no longer have any rights and would no longer receive support from the state. "They have no choice to seek housing in Luxembourg, where there is none." Oxacelay adds that the path back into society is much more difficult than the descent into poverty.
Are the charity's resources enough when the numbers keep rising? You have to dance with the girls you have, says Oxacelay. "The social system is always a bottomless pit, it's never enough. We can't solve the misery of the whole world."
However, she warns against judging people who come to the Grand Duchy to start a better life. For those who are already here, it can be hard to find their feet again. "It's much faster to go downhill than back up."
Things such as a gap in the CV, no school qualifications, or language difficulties can make it hard to find new employment. "That's why you have the gap between rich and poor here, which I think is much more pronounced in this country."
The homeless don't just struggle in winter – heatwaves also present an additional challenge. The charity says the Findel 'Wanteraktioun' shelter should open punctually, but it's not enough to only open in the colder months. "We have plenty of shelters but they don't open long enough. I think we could make them more efficient." Oxacelay is calling to expand opening times and to decentralise shelters, particularly for the north.
For the Stëmm vun der Strooss, the budget is not the main problem at the moment, explains Oxacelay. The limitations are primarily found in the infrastructure. There is not enough space in the restaurant in Ettelbruck, so the charity needs to explore solutions with the municipal council. They would like a larger shelter in the north.
Cooperation with the municipalities is essential here. The charity prepares 750 meals every day for the three restaurants in the capital, in Esch-sur-Alzette and Ettelbruck, serving around 400 people in Luxembourg City alone.
Stëmm vun der Strooss doesn't just offer food. It also helps with jobs for people who can't find work, with around 250 roles available. It prepares food packages in cooperation with the food bank, distributing these to 10 other associations it works with.
At the end of July, the charity appointed a new president: Arno Bache. His predecessor André Dübbers had resigned after "major divergences" on the board. Oxacelay confirmed differences in management and the board of directors, but said they had been resolved internally. Now the charity is looking forward to making a new start under the new president.
Following the interview, the Stëmm vun der Strooss director made an appeal to the public to donate old crutches and wheelchairs to the charity. If anyone has spare devices at home they are welcome to drop them off at the charity's restaurants in Esch-sur-Alzette, Ettelbruck or the capital.
