Stories

In Liège, we tend to favour soft mobility over cars. And yet, we have to admit that in our daily work, cars are often indispensable.

Mr. M. is in his fifties and has been living on the streets for more than 10 years. He is in good physical shape. At the last blood test, his doctor only noted a small vitamin D deficiency, which is not surprising in Belgium.

Mr. T. lives in a park in Liège. We have been following him since 2021. He has transformed his tent camp, located in the middle of a small wooded area, into a true defensive post. Branches and pieces of wood protect him and his camp from intruders.

At Street Nurses, the car is much more than a simple means of transport. Each day begins with a list of crucial medical appointments and administrative procedures.

A week ago I started work at Street Nurses. And today I meet a patient for the first time. I am excited, enthusiastic, but of course also a bit worried: will Mr. M. want to meet me, how will he respond to this contact? Many questions are spinning through my mind.

On a Thursday in October, I went to the burial of a person we had accompanied, Mr. B.

When I tell my family that my job sometimes involves spending an afternoon in a café or playing a game of pétanque in the morning, they often smile. They probably think I have a very easygoing job. But behind this seemingly relaxed approach lies a profound mission: guidance and reconstruction.

In this report by Cathobel, we follow an outreach with Margaux and Aymeric and end in Willy's apartment with Pauline.

My name is Cloé and I have been a nurse for 6 years. From the beginning of my career, I was attracted to social work, which automatically brought me to work for the homeless. For two years now I have been part of the non-profit organization Street Nurses, dedicated to accompanying this vulnerable group of people. 

In our institution we regularly form mixed teams. Then we exchange colleagues from different departments to immerse ourselves together in field work. Today it’s my turn to spend a morning in the field with a colleague from the street team.

When we meet her, we sometimes catch a glimpse of one of her blue eyes, but her face remains hidden. She protects herself by concealing it as much as possible.

Mr. R. has been followed by Street nurses for over 1 year. His attending physician tells us he’s worrying about him, because already 4 years ago he lost his home and is going back and forth between the street and his mother.