Our vendors: Horacio - Hecho En Buenos Aires, Argentina

Argentinian street paper Hecho En Buenos Aires (HBA) provided a lifeline to Horacio.

Horacio has been selling HBA for more than three years, ever since he was encouraged to find out more about the street paper by a friend "who was having some problems and who had been encouraged to take part in HBA’s art workshops". 

Hecho En Buenos Aires (HBA) vednor Horacio.

He says: "I didn’t know about the magazine but they asked if I wanted to sign up, and I had been out of work with health problems for such a long time.”

Prior to selling HBA, Horacio worked in a factory job in Buenos Aires, sitting all day at a sewing machine, which proved to be back-breaking work. Now, he says, he feels brilliant: “I like it because the street has its charms, people always come up and chat to me at my pitch. I don’t make readers feel obliged to buy the magazine – I like to show them that I work with dignity.”

Some people, he explains, complain about the 15-peso price, despite this only giving him enough for two bottles of milk, but Horacio has regular customers who buy from him as soon as the magazine comes out.

“And then there’s the guy that passes by for the first time and you win him over because he likes you,” he adds.

“I think there are some people who buy it simply because you are homeless, but there are lots of people who are really interested in whatever the subject matter of the magazine is – the content is good quality.”

Horacio says his life has changed since selling HBA. He now manages his own money and is enjoying the freedom and possibilities that offers.

“I would like to have my own place, a place where I can relax, rest my head at the end of the day,” he says.

“I would like to have a family eventually but everything will happen in time. With faith, I will be able to do this. To my readers – I need them so much, just as they need me. Let’s keep the machine going.”

Did you know INSP works with over 114 street papers around the world? You can help celebrate thousands of vendors, like Horacio, by joining our Thunderclap social media campaign during #VendorWeek 2015. Sign up here.

How street papers are celebrating #VendorWeek2015

In the first week in February, street papers around the world will take part in #VendorWeek, a huge celebration of street paper vendors that also challenges perceptions of poverty and homelessness.

#VendorWeek 2015 takes place 2-8 February with an international programme of events, activities and social media action planned by street papers in the UK, America, Canada, Europe and Australia.

Guest vendor events

The #VendorWeek Big Sell is INSP's flagship fundraising event during February. It sees
high profile people take on the challenge of selling a street paper, mentored by one of the paper's hardworking regular vendors.

In partnership with INSP, The Big Issue UK and The Big Issue in the North will hold #VendorWeek Big Sell fundraising events in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Manchester.

The Big Issue Australia will once again run their CEO Selling campaign, in which 100 business leaders and politicians take up the street paper selling challenge.

Similar #VendorWeek Big Sell events are also being planned by Greece's first street paper Shedia in Athens, Hus Forbi in Denmark, Washington DC's Street Sense, One step Away in Philadelphia and Swiss publication Surprise in Basel, Bern and Zurich.

One Warm Winter

German street paper Strassenfeger will once again run their 'One Warm Winter' campaign to coincide with #VendorWeek. The fundraising drive asks the public to donate money to supply warm winter clothes for the Berlin's street paper vendors and culminates in a party for vendors.

Vendor events

Many vendor-focused events are also being organised to mark #VendorWeek. Austrian street paper Kupfermuckn will hold a portrait painting workshop exclusively for vendors to help them unleash their creativity. Afterwards, they will be treated to a party with music, food and drink.

Post by Kupfermuckn - Die Oberösterreichische Straßenzeitung.

To reward their vendors for all their hard work, American paper Homeward Street Journal are giving each of their vendors a free bundle of papers, which they would usually pay for at a discounted rate, to sell during #VendorWeek so they can earn more money.

A special Skype call to connect vendors in America and Canada is also being planned by Street Roots in Portland, Oregon and Vancouver street paper Megaphone.

Vendors and staff of Quebec street paper L’Itinéraire are planning a special promotional event during which they will read the magazine out loud in Montreal's subway cars. Vendors will also denounce austerity measures taken by the Quebec government with silent protests in different subway stations.

Social Media

INSP is leading the way to promote the event on Twitter and Facebook using #VendorWeek. This includes a mass tweet to celebrate street paper vendors around the world on 2 February, using crowdspeaking network Thunderclap. Everyone can join in here.

Join our online flash mob to celebrate #VendorWeek! Read how here: http://t.co/NHtTAIncfy pic.twitter.com/lP5LubiDlL
— INSP (@_INSP) December 21, 2014

Many of our member street papers also plan to harness the power of social media during #VendorWeek. Street Roots will tell the story of the street paper movement through Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by sharing images and quotes from street paper vendors worldwide.

Macedonian street paper Lice v lice will share stories about their most successful vendors on their website and via social media.

Zeitschrift der Straße, a street paper based in the German city of Bremen, will use its blog and Facebook to share daily posts about international street paper magazines throughout #VendorWeek 2015.

#VendorWeek 2015 takes place takes place 2-8 February. Keep up to date by following @_INSP on Twitter and #VendorWeek.

Our Vendors: Pilar Ferreir - Ocas, São Paulo, Brazil

Since Pilar Ferreir started selling Brazilian street paper Ocas in São Paulo, she has gone from cleaning mansions to writing novels and performing poetry and can now provide for her family.

"I was eight years old when I started to get into writing,” recalls Pilar, who grew up working alongside her mother, cleaning properties in some of Brazil's wealthiest neighbourhoods.

“I read Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves and decided to write a story. My mother's boss came into my room, saw my papers on the floor and said that I was writing too much. 

"She tore everything up, said 'get to work, blackie, you're aiming too high'. This phrase has haunted me all my life. Today, every time I take part in a literary project, a recital, I remember this.  It was complete nonsense."

As Pilar landed her first paid cleaning job at 14, education was never an option for her. It wasn't until she enrolled in a basic education course for deprived adults that she got some college experience, but finding secure employment remained a battle. Money was always running out and she was eventually evicted from her home.

One day, after leaving yet another unsuccessful job interview, Pilar broke down in the doorway of the Museum of Art of São Paulo and cried. Suddenly, she spotted a man with a bundle of magazines under his arm.

"I saw him selling magazines so I went over and asked him how I could get a job like that," recalls the 44-year-old. "He told me about the street paper and I said to him, 'but I don't live on the streets'. He replied: 'But soon you will'. And he was right. I no longer had any money in my purse and I hadn't even realised it."

Together they went to the Ocas office, where Pilar received her orange vest and a pack of ten magazines. It was a Monday morning. On Wednesday she went back for more.

"There were periods where I didn't stop working until one in the morning,” says Pilar

“I had to make the most of the people coming out of the cinema and theatre. Selling the magazine, I meet artists, actors, singers and lots of very nice people. I show them my poems. They often give me free tickets for shows, invitations to plays. All of this keeps me going."

Writing has remained her greatest passion. Following the publication of her poems in Ocas, she published a book, Unacademic Words. "I didn't go to university, but living on the streets inspired me to write it," she says.

After eight years of selling Ocas, Pilar managed to rent the house that she lives in today, with her children. "Ocas has turned my life around," she says. "We have money to eat and pay the bills, which is the most important thing. I hope that one day I can buy my own place."

Did you know INSP works with over 120 street papers around the world? You can help celebrate thousands of vendors, like Pilar, by signing up to our Thunderclap social media campaign during #VendorWeek 2015. 

Spare Change News Files Brief in Supreme Court Case

Massachusetts street paper Spare Change News has joined the fight against a law that could see selling street papers made illegal in some areas of Worcester city, USA.

Though the ordinance explicitly prohibits “aggressive begging, soliciting and panhandling in public places,” it is so broadly worded that it could see vendors banned from selling street papers in many areas of the city.

Areas covered include anywhere that is within 20 feet of a bank of cash machine, public toilet, theatre, bus stop, outdoor cafe seating or even near a pay phone.

It also bans selling after dark - from half an hour before sunset to half an hour after sunrise. Which would obviously be extremely problematic in winter.

Spare Change News is working with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to attempt to have the ordinance declared unconstitutional.

For the full story, see the story on the Spare Change News website.

Our vendors: Beiene Berhane - Surprise, Switzerland

“It was only after coming here that I learnt the true meaning of neighbourly love,” says Beiene Berhane, who, at 75 years old, is the oldest of the Surprise street paper vendors in Zurich, Switzerland.

Beiene is also the first African to sell Surprise. A political refugee from Eritrea, he ended up homeless after fleeing his country but has found a new purpose, and family, selling street papers.

Beiene Berhane sells Surprise in Zurich.

“I come from Eritrea, and only poor people work on the streets there so it is not seen as a good thing,” he explains.

“But then I saw how hard the Swiss work, in whatever job they have, and that motivated me. Today I am very proud that I can sell Surprise.”

Even though his German is limited, Beiene has been able to form relationships with his regular customers, including one woman who has bought Surprise from him for the last ten years.

“I always try and chat to people, although I only speak a little German," says the vendor.

"Somehow, you always understand each other, even if sometimes you have to speak with your hands. A lot of people here also speak Italian. Eritrea was an Italian colony, so I can speak the language.

“In the evening when I have finished selling, I enjoy watching RSI, a Swiss TV channel in Italian. This means I can learn more about where I now live.”

Born in 1939,  Beiene experienced many political upheavals while living in Eritrea, including a 30-year war with neighbouring country Ethiopia.

“I cannot speak about the precise circumstances of my escape from Eritrea; I have painful memories of it,” he says.

“I have hardly any contact with my family any more. I am the second youngest of ten children; many of my siblings are dead. I have six children myself, but I only speak to one son now and then.”

But for Beiene, his new Swiss friends have become his second family.

“They celebrate my birthday with me, look after me when I am unwell, and when I had nowhere to live they took me in,” he says with a smile.

“The Swiss are so friendly. I am often given a coffee or a sandwich - by someone I don't know! That would never happen at home.

“Nevertheless, home is like your mother, you can never forget her. I hope that the situation in Eritrea will calm down and that the people there will take Switzerland as an example.”

Did you know INSP works with over 120 street papers around the world? You can help celebrate thousands of vendors, like Beiene, by signing up to our Thunderclap social media campaign during #VendorWeek 2015.