Hope in sight for homeless people

In a recent KvF interview, two homeless men spoke of how they dread every night because they struggle to find a place to sleep.

There has also been a story about homeless people fighting over a limited number of beds at a temporary homeless shelter in Tórshavn.

This has rekindled the longstanding debate over homelessness in the otherwise prosperous Faroes.

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The government’s action plan on homelessness is well underway, says social affairs minister Sirið Stenberg.

Key focus points in this plan include offering more support services for elderly homeless people, expanding access to substance abuse treatment programmes, improving housing issues along with general refinements in social policy and prevention.

“Homeless people tend to have complex problems,” says the minister.

“These problems span numerous sectors in our society, so it is important that we all work together to help solve this issue."

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Volunteer organisations have long received funding from central and local authorities to support homeless people.

Stenberg says her ministry is in constant talks with various authorities and organisations about how to strengthen collaborative efforts to solve the country’s homelessness problems.

Sirið Stenberg

Caption: 

Sirið Stenberg, the Minister of Social Affairs and Culture

This is the essence of the minister’s reply to an enquiry from MP Sólvit Nolsø about the government’s plans to combat homelessness. The full reply is available here (in Faroese).

Caring blankets

When Miriam Høj watched the news story about the two homeless men mentioned above, she had an idea.

She wanted to knit warm blankets that can withstand rain and give them to homeless people.

Miriam Høj

Caption: 

Caring knitter: Miriam Høj

”I felt a pain in my heart hearing those men describing their situation. I cannot offer them a place to stay, but I love knitting,” she explains.

She wrote a quick post on a local Facebook knitting club page to see if others were willing to chip in.

So far, about 30 people have joined Miriam’s ‘Tankateppi’ (‘Care blanket’) mission.

Read the Faroese versions of this article here, here, here and here.

English version by prosa.fo.

More Faroese News in English.