103 people, including 61 children and 13 babies, are at risk of ending up on the streets of Brussels as an emergency shelter in Schaerbeek prepares to close at the end of March.
An emergency homeless shelter in the Train Hostel, Schaerbeek, has been providing shelter, meals, social and medical support for homeless people in Brussels since November. The federally subsidised initiative is activated every year during the winter months.
Now that the end of winter is approaching, the 103 people benefitting from the scheme are in danger of being left on the streets again.
Shelter operators Doctors of the World (Médecins du Monde) and the French-speaking Red Cross are seriously concerned about the impending closure. Doctors of the World provided 140 medical and 84 mental consultations at the Train Hostel between December and March.
"This follow-up ensured that the homeless people's health was stabilised and integrated into the care system. All of this will soon be gone," the organisations stated.
'Lack of structural solutions'
They added that the closure of the Train Hostel once again demonstrates "the chronic lack of structural solutions for homeless families in Brussels."
Outgoing Brussels Minister for Health Social Action Alain Maron (Ecolo) had previously called on the former Federal Minister for Social Integration and Poverty Reduction Karine Lalieux (PS) to extend emergency shelter to across the entire year.
"Unfortunately, this request was refused, which we deeply regret," said Maron. He reiterated his call for the establishment of federally subsidised emergency shelters that stay open year-round.
