Tim za socijalno uključivanje i smanjenje siromaštva

Author: LiceUlice (Social Inclusion Blog)

Miško was a man who gave a lot of selfless help to people living in the streets. He probably understood their problems and needs better than anyone. The reason lies partly in that he was one of them. Miško was, in fact, a homeless person and one of the key associates of the Liceulice magazine.

We met often, at drives for collecting and sharing aid, but we also spoke by phone when someone would call us, because they had food left over from an event that they did not wish to throw away. As someone who had spent so long in the streets, Miško always knew where and to whom the remaining catering should best be delivered. Everyone knew him. In every squat, shelter, all across town. And everyone trusted and respected him. He was always willing to work with youth (most of whom grew up on the street), to teach them to read and write, to work through (alternative) textbooks with them for hours, much like when he used to be a professor of history. He always organized alternative shelters for his older friends, found them jobs whether they deserved it or not. And if one was to ask him what he needed, he only requested new books.

Together, we organized drives to gather aid for those most in need, he sometimes wrote for Liceulice, participated on a public debate in a park where he talked about his experiences from the streets, cooked his special beans at the opening of this year’s Vreva, organized with us the first alternative tourist walk “one the other side of Savamala”, initiated a drive with several renowned restaurants to jointly distribute leftover food every day to those most in need, he was always willing to speak to journalists regarding the issue of homelessness in Serbia, he wanted to stop it being a taboo, to direct everyone’s attention to this increasing problem.

He never complained of anything. Not even when he became gravely ill. (…)

The text in its entirety can be found on the Social Inclusion Blog.