Big Issue Lagos vendor's story proves a hit in Europe and USA

Daniel Light Ezekiel, a vendor of The Big Issue Lagos in Nigeria, was featured in our Vendor Spotlight section in February. His story has proved popular with several street papers around the world, and has been republished by Surprise magazine in Switzerland and the American street paper Real Change News.

Daniel's story in Suprise magazine

To avoid working in an ethnic militia force in the Niger Delta creeks, Daniel journeyed to Lagos, where he now sells The Big Issue at the Stadium in Surulere. While he dreams of being a musician, the enthusiastic vendor says selling The Big Issue has helped to keep him motivated: "Now I can talk to people with renewed confidence. Also I now know I can do some other things I have not done before … I'm proud to be a vendor."

Daniel Light Ezekiel, der den Big Issue Lagos in Nigeria verkauft, war der Star der Februar-Ausgabe unserer Reihe "Verkäufer im Rampenlicht". Seine Geschichte war bei mehreren Straßenzeitungen in den verschiedensten Ländern sehr beliebt. Sie wurde vom Magazin Surprise aus der Schweiz und der amerikanischen Straßenzeitung Real Change News gedruckt.

Um dem Dienst in einer Miliz in den Flüssen des Niger Delta zu entgehen, reiste Daniel nach Lagos, wo er heute den Big Issue am Stadion in Surulere verkauft. Während er davon träumt, als Musiker zu arbeiten, erzählt der enthusiastische Verkäufer, dass diese Arbeit ihm dabei geholfen hat, seine Motivation nicht zu verlieren: "Jetzt kann ich mit neuem Selbstbewusstsein mit den Leuten reden. Außerdem weiß ich jetzt, dass ich Dinge tun kann, die ich vorher noch nie getan habe...Ich bin stolz darauf, ein Straßenzeitungsverkäufer zu sein!"

The Big Issue Australia celebrates 16th birthday with UK republication

Sir David Attenborough starred on the cover of The Big Issue Australia this month. The street paper ran the interview in its 16th Birthday issue. The Big Issue Australia was hoping to get an interview with Britain's greatest natural history broadcaster to publish ahead of his visit to Australia in August. Through the INSP News Service, they were able to access the content produced by The Big Issue UK earlier this year.

In the interview, 86-year-old Attenborough reflects upon his extraordinary life, a 60 year career at the BBC (including recent hit series Frozen Planet), the future of wildlife documentaries and why there is "an infinite amount of pleasure to be got from the natural world".

Sir David Attenborough war diesen Monat der Star auf dem Titelblatt des Big Issue Australia. Die Straßenzeitung brachte das Interview mit Attenborough in der Ausgabe zu ihrem 16. Geburtstag. The Big Issue Australia hatte gehofft, ein Interview mit der berühmtesten Stimme von Natursendungen zu bekommen und vor dessen Besuch in Australien im August veröffentlichen zu können. Dank des INSP News-Service war es der Redaktion möglich, auf die Inhalte zuzugreifen, die The Big Issue UK vor einiger Zeit produziert hatte.

In dem Interview spricht der 86-jährige Attenborough über sein außergewöhnliches Leben, seine schon 60 Jahre dauernde Karriere bei der BBC (einschließlich der neuen Hitreihe "Frozen Planet"), die Zukunft von Naturdokumentationen und warum "die Natur uns unendlich viel Freude bereiten kann".

Brazilian author of The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho, supports INSP

The International Network of Street Papers (INSP) announced today that world-renowned Brazilian author Paulo Coelho has become its Patron. Coelho joins the organisation’s esteemed figureheads, including Jon Snow, Channel 4 News; and David Schlesinger, Chairman of Thomson Reuters China and former Editor-in-Chief of Reuters News.

Author and new INSP Patron Paulo Coelho.

INSP supports 122 street papers sold by homeless people in 40 countries. The umbrella organisation works with well-known individuals in Scotland and abroad to raise the profile of homelessness and poverty and bring about lasting change.

Speaking of the new appointment, Coelho said, “I am delighted to accept the position of Patron of INSP. By providing dignified employment and by providing a voice for those who otherwise would be voiceless, the INSP street paper movement offers a positive solution to homelessness and poverty, including in Brazil, my country of birth. The INSP is a network of vibrant papers that publishes real, valuable and independent content which educates and empowers. I am proud to be associated with INSP, and look forward to supporting the organisation’s work in whatever way I can.”

INSP’s Executive Director Lisa Maclean said: "Having the endorsement of a highly respected writer such as Paulo Coelho is a massive boost to our work supporting street papers and their homeless vendors all over the world. We are delighted that he supports the street paper concept and we look forward to working closely with him to inspire positive social change."

Coelho’s endorsement follows a successful month for the charity. INSP’s latest innovation, the digital street paper, got support through an international crowd funding campaign and its news service for street papers was nominated for the Online Media Awards 2012, category ‘Best Specialist Site For Journalism’.

Monthly news pack INSPires the world

Our monthly News Pack 'INSPiring the World' is indeed, well… inspiring the world! Since the pack was launched in March, each edition was republished by at least 10 street papers. The package has been used by street papers to create international pages, ranging from a selection of short highlights and pictures to one main article and a sidebar with additional short pieces.

To get inspired by the many ways you can use INSP News Service material, have a look at some of the printed 'INSPiring the World' packs below.

L'Itineraire in Canada chose their three favourite short pieces from the March pack and ran them on a page.

Homeward Street Journal in the USA used the April pack in its entirety to fill a great page.

And Megafon in Norway picks one of the selected stories to run in full each month, and combines that with a sidebar of selected short stories from the pack, like this one in April.

Norway's Megafon picks one story from
each news pack to run in full.

Portugal's street paper CAIS made use of the News Pack's mulitple photos and stories to create an eye-catching layout.

Straßenkreuzer in Germany each month picks their two favourite short articles from the News Pack and publishes them on their international page. See the June edition here.

Norwegian street paper Sorgenfri each month picks their favourite stories and pictures and uses them on a double page. The May edition of 'INSPiring the World' looked like this.

There are many ways in which the monthly News Pack can be used and the INSP News Service team is happy to advise you on this. The pack is available in 10 languages each first Monday of the month, and all other languages upon request.

WE NEED YOUR CLIPPINGS! If you have also republished the 'INSPiring the World' news pack, please send us an example in PDF format to sns@street-papers.org as soon as possible. Your clipping will inspire colleagues around the world!

Unser monatliches News-Paket "INSPiriere die Welt" hat es tatsächlich geschafft, die Welt - nun ja -zu inspirieren! Seit dem Start im März wurde jede Ausgabe von mindestens zehn Straßenzeitungen gedruckt. Das Paket wird vor allem genutzt, um Seiten mit internationalen Themen zu kreieren - von einer Auswahl kurzer Highlights und Fotos bis zu einem Hauptartikel und einer Seitenleiste mit zusätzlichen kurzen Stücken.

Lassen Sie sich durch die vielen verschiedenen Arten, wie man das Material des INSP News-Service nutzen kann, inspirieren! Hier sehen Sie einige der gedruckten "INSPiriere die Welt"-Pakete:. L'Itineraire aus Kanada wählte die drei kurzen Artikel aus der März-Ausgabe aus, die ihnen am besten gefielen, und brachte sie auf einer Seite wie dieser. Das Homeward Street Journal aus den USA füllte mit dem ganzen April-Paket eine großartige Seite. Und Megafon aus Norwegen wählt jeden Monat eine der Stories aus, um sie vollständig abzudrucken. Der entsprechende Artikel wird mit einer Seitenleiste kombiniert, die ebenfalls ausgewählte kurze Geschichten aus dem Paket enthält. Hier sehen Sie die April-Ausgabe. Und CAIS aus Portugal, Straßenkreuzer (Deutschland), Sorgenfri (Norwegen).

Das monatliche News-Paket kann auf viele verschiedene Arten genutzt werden. Das Team des INSP News-Service berät sie gerne über die verschiedenen Möglichkeiten. Das Paket ist jeden ersten Montag des Monats in zehn Sprachen erhältlich, auf Wunsch auch in weiteren Sprachen.

Vote for StreetWise on June 10th!

StreetWise (Chicago) has been selected as one of 500 finalists to participate in the Toyota 100 Cars for Good program.

You can vote for StreetWise at www.100carsforgood.com on the 10th June. The voting period begins at 10 a.m. ET and ends at 12 p.m. ET. Click here to read the full media release.

If you’re worried you’ll forget by then, simply click here and you can set a reminder for yourself. Simply click the pink “Remind Me” tab below the StreetWise icon. (Click here to what it looks like).

Highlights from our News Service: June

The World Press Photo winning report 'Afrikaner Blood' featured in street papers from Serbia to South Africa. The Big Issue South Africa decided to feature the important issue prominently, including a specifically illustrated cover. Read more

Award-winning production in The Big Issue South Africa.

Big name interviews continue to have a huge impact on street paper sales. An interview with Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, secured by The Big Issue UK, got translated and republished by street papers in 7 countries. Read more

To help readers improve their foreign language skills, Czech street paper Novy Prostor frequently prints a page of their paper solely in English. In their latest issue, it featured a story from British street paper The Big Issue in the North.The article 'Illuminating art exhibition gives voice to homeless'' reported on a unique art initiative in Wakefield, England which works with the city's homeless community. The story also got  republished by American street paper Homeward Street Journal. Read more

World Press Photo winning series in street papers

In The Big Issue South Africa

 The World Press Photo winning report 'Afrikaner Blood' featured in street papers from Serbia to South Africa.

The shocking series 'Survival of the whitest: inside an Afrikaner boot camp' exposed how at a right-wing training camp, young South Africans are being trained to fight for their Afrikaner heritage - and against Mandela's rainbow nation.

The Big Issue South Africa

Seven street papers in Ireland, Norway, Serbia, Germany and South Africa already ran the stunning photo series, which is still available for download by street paper members here.

The Big Issue South Africa decided to cover the important issue prominently as a cover story, including a specifically illustrated cover and the image series across 8 pages.

The Big Issue South Africa

Serbian street paper Liceulice also published the article plus pictures on their website.

Straßenzeitungen von Serbien bis Südafrika druckten die Reportage " Das Blut der Afrikaaner", die einen World Press Photo Award gewann.

Die schockierende Serie "Im Boot-Camp der Afrikaaner" deckt auf wie junge Südafrikaner in einem Trainingslager der extremen Rechten ausgebildet werden, um für ihr Erbe als Weiße - und gegen Mandelas Regenbogen-Nation - zu kämpfen. 

2 page photo spread in The Big Issue South Africa

Sieben Straßenzeitungen aus Irland, Norwegen, Serbien, Deutschland und Südafrika brachten die faszinierende Fotostrecke bereits, die unseren Mitgliedern hier immer noch zum Download zur Verfügung steht.

"The Big Issue South Africa" entschied sich, dieses wichtige Thema groß auf dem Titel zu bringen, einschließlich eines speziell illustrierten Titelbildes. Die Fotostrecke druckten sie auf acht Seiten.

The Big Issue South Africa's illustrated cover

Republished on Serbia's Liceulice website