The Invisible | ...they had dreams too.

Dreaming of a better life, Bangkok 2012

The idea for my project "The Invisible" came up 2 years ago. During that time I was traveling a lot and have been on the road for more than 7 months. Wherever I was, Asia, USA or Europe. I noticed an immense increase of homeless people. 

A mother of three who slept at a bus station with her small children in Bangkok, a men in Paris who made his home in a telephone Box just to have a little space for his own and to escape the cold temperature of winter. In San Francisco I was shocked about the numbers of homeless people, many of them in a really bad constitution. 

2005 the United Nations put the number of homeless people at 100 million. I am sure 9 years later the number is much higher.

We never should forget that these people used to have dreams… they grew up, had visions about their future… dreams about a good and satisfied life - till something happened and they ended up in the streets… homeless, no income and just with their bits and pieces…

Nobody was there to prevent them… Nobody seemed to be their to help them… I asked myself where were their families and friends? Where was the help they needed to get back on track? 

Nobody should end up like this… Homeless people are becoming the invisibles of our time. 
People are walking by without looking at their misery. In San Francisco there were a few people who were screaming loud to get attention, just to get heard but people looked away. I am sure, not because they didn't  care - but they didn't  know what to do or how to behave. 

Market Street, San Francisco 2012

We shouldn't look away, we should open our eyes and do something. We can’t avoid poverty in the world, but we can be human and care… Everyone can help - if it’s with a little something, a conversation or just a smile … 

….don’t look away, always think they had dreams too!