About 200 people live on the streets of Jerusalem. Neither the city, nor any other institution, knows the identity of about 50 of them who spend all their time on the streets and don’t receive any organized services. Now the municipality is putting into action the initiative of a young Jerusalem resident that could change the lives of the homeless, and maybe even help them break out of the vicious cycle.
The program – storage lockers – is inspired by a model that succeeded in Lisbon. It’s based on the premise that the lack of storage space for property and the fear of having it stolen are the main
problems of the homeless. Moreover, research has shown that providing homeless people with personal space resurrects their sense of having a safe space and belonging. Five years after the project was launched in Lisbon, 67 percent of participants were rehabilitated and left the streets – and 90 percent said their lives had improved significantly since they received the locker.
