THAILAND PHOTO SET HOMELESSNESS

'Hire Me': providing opportunities to Thailand's elderly, homeless population

epa11299232 A Thai Red Cross volunteer checks the blood pressure of Sombat Krajaechan, a 62-year-old homeless person, during a free medical check up for homeless people in Bangkok, Thailand, 01 March 2024 (issued 25 April 2024). Thai non-governmental organization The Mirror Foundation launched the Hire Me project 'focused on hiring homeless people and also assisting elderly people who have no income and have been left alone (without work or family support), which can lead them to homelessness,' project coordinator Benjamas Pangam tells EPA Images, adding that the project coordinates with Bangkok's district offices to provide jobs that help people earn money for basic necessities, so they no longer have to rely on free food handouts, and can eventually be able to pay rent and get off the streets. The Hire Me project currently supports 240 homeless participants, 75 of whom have transitioned to rented homes through their earnings with the initiative. The project was set up in 2020, during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, which hit Thailand ? a country that is heavily reliant on international tourism ? particularly hard. According to survey data from the Mirror Foundation, approximately 2,500 people were living homeless in Bangkok in 2023, driven to the streets by family conflicts and economic struggles. EPA/RUNGROJ YONGRIT ATTENTION: This Image is part of a PHOTO SET

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