As in many cities around the world, in Santiago, Chile, the cold winter months are a trying and dangerous time for the homeless.
Alejandro Rustom, a contributor at the citizen photojournalism website Demotix, exposes the reality of the homeless in the Chilean capital and highlights how a group of citizens are trying to help.
Alejandro writes [1]:
In the Franklin District in Santiago de Chile, there are groups of people living on the streets that don't have the chance to live under a decent roof. They make their way on the edges of society.
A group of Teachers, Students and Parents of Teresian College, has organized groups to visit these people, to deliver food and clothing. Nestor Chavez Guerra Professor and leader of the school's pastoral thinks the most important thing is to listen to their problems and needs in order to provide more help at every visit.
Rustom shows how some of Santiago's homeless try to make a living:
He also photographs their sleeping arrangements and their efforts to shelter from the cold:
Finally, Rustom captures how a group of citizens are trying to make a difference in the lives of Santiago's homeless:
You can see more photos in Rustom's two-part series about the homeless in Santiago: Chilean homeless make their way on the street – Santiago [1], and In pictures: Homeless Chileans get by during the night [8]