June 10th, 2011 Part1 @Poznan, Poland
One of the vendors of Gazeta Uliczna, Jacek told me that he really enjoys talking with his customers. “Some of them comes to me with loneliness. All I can do is to be all ears,” he said. “They buy the magazines to support my life, I also want to do something for them!”
He got to know his partner, Renata, at a computer workshop here. Their chatting with a big smile under a tree seems to be so “happily-ever-after" thing to me.
Lech Bor sold this magazine deligently for a long time and currently works as a leader. As a musician, his life was always close to alcohol. The former 12 therapies for alcohol addicts brought him back to the spirit again, however, after the 13th one, he visited Barka community. It really worked well and he never went back to alcohol. “I don’t want to get back to dirty alcoholic. My dream is to be sober to the very last day.”

June 9th, 2011 @Poznan, Poland
As soon as the train got to the platform, I spotted Magda and Zanetta, staff of street magazine Gazeta Uliczna, sold here in Poznan.
This street magazine is one of the projects by Barka foundation. The history of this organization unfolded 20 years ago. In 1989, problems were piled up in this country since the political tide had changed drastically. One of the problems was housing. There was no law existed to help out who had kicked out their flats because they couldn’t afford to it any more. And there was the only way left for those people, sleeing on the street.
The first chapter of Barka foundation unfolded Barbara and Tomasz Sadowski started to live in a ruined school with those homeless people. They growed vegetables and livestock for living together.
Twenty years later, the organization has network all over Poland, and even to the other European countries with EU subsidies.
At their office in Poznan, a dozen of job-training workshops for long-term unemployed were held. One of them, at a sewing class, Beata told me that she had been unemployed for three years and social welfare center introduced her to this workshop. “Sitting at home without doing anything is the hardest life. Here, I have peers who I can share my challenges in my life. I think these workshops will help me to get a job and spend a stable life,” she said.
Members of cooking workshop prepare lunch for staff and participants. “My hubby was delighted when I served him special sandwiches,” one of the members, Irna told me. The vegetable soup they served was with a bunch of flavor of love.

June 3rd, 2011 Part 3 @ Munich, Germany
From street to grave---Godfathers made this BISS method possible. Their donation will be salary of employed vendors. For example, the Godfather of Martin Berrasoh is Rolf and Annegret Huffer and BISS has 36 of them.
The peaceful face of Martin is so persuading that one can be so relaxing if he or she gets “home.”
Hildegard has been putting vendors first for 17 years and this culture of BISS are really in full bloom in this beautiful city, Munich.

June 3rd, 2011 Part 2 @ Munich, Germany
Second pillar of BISS concept is how to treat the death of the vendors. In fact this Munich street magazine sent seven of them to heaven and has a grave for them too. Hildegard took me to the place where flowers were planted tidydily in the woods.
When BISS faced to a death of a vendor, they wrote a column on it, asking the readers how to treat this. One of the quick response was from Rudolph Moshammer, who was successful fashion designer whose father used to be a homeless. He decided to write on a will he would donate 500,000 euros and its interests to BISS. This huge donation made BISS decided to get ‘home’ to the deceased.
“When one of the vendors got serious ill, I tried to talk about afterwards. But it made him mad, saying why you are talking about this now. We had arguments with shouts again and again. He, however, at last, said to me ’I decided to be in BISS grave. Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me, Hildegard.’” In the woods, Hildegard was sobbing and so was I. “I’m sorry, whenever I talk about him, it brought me to tears. He was one of my best friends…,” when her face was up to the sky, there was no more tears in her eyes.

June 3rd, 2011 Part1 @ Munich, Germany
BISS is Hildegard and Hildegard is BISS. Without knowing her, you can’t get a membership of International Network of Street Paper. I always look for her hug whenever I join INSP annual conference.
As I expected, she welcomed me into the office of BISS with a big smile and THE hug!
You could say that BISS is the most stable street magazine in the world. I always wanted to ask her what was the secret. As soon as I popped up the question, she answered, “The reason is that I always put vendors first, not the organization nor profits.” At first, her answer sounded too idealistic, but a day spent with her made me think that idealistic idea was the most realistic and practical.
Concept of BISS consists of three pillars; firstly, there are employed vendors. After working for them one year, a vendor can choose to be a part-time employed one, who needs to sell 400 magazines monthly. Once he or she gets self-confidence to sell 400 copies above monthly, a vendor could choose to be a full-timer with the salary of 1150 euros, who needs to sell 800 magazines monthly. According to BISS, none of the employed vendors failed to sell those amounts of magazines.
“Full-timers pay tax too, and I suppose they are the only people who are delighted to do that,” Hildegard smiled. They seem to be proud of contributing to the society. 46-year-old, Martin Berrasoh is one of the full-timers, who lives in a flat with his companion dog, Maya. He has been selling BISS magazines for 13 years, and got hired nine years ago. “I have just bought a used guitar. Listening to my favorite music at home, it’s such a blessing time to me.”

June 1st, 2011 @Salzburg, Austria---Munich, Germany
Fine rain welcomed me in Munich, Germany, where the street magazine BISS has been sold. It was given birth in 1993 by thirty social-workers and volunteers. The first 10,000 copies sold like pancakes and 50,000 more got reprinted. Currently BISS publishes 37,000 copies monthly in this beautiful town with 1.5 million people.
100 vendors are consisted of 26 percent of 40-49 years old, 42 percent of 50-59 years old, and 21 percent of 60-75 years old. The sellers below 39 years old are just 11 percent.
The reason why is that BISS introduces youngsters to job skill training. One of them is called Dynamo. In this social enterprise, long-time unemployed people can learn how to be a bike mechanic.
Witnessing 11 people were earnestly polishing parts of bikes there, when I visited. Those bikes used to be trash, however, bike-mechanic-to-be make them into treasure here. One of the participant, Petra Haug is going to get a certificate in the end of this year. “I really enjoy working here. Time flies when I’m working on bikes,” she smiled. “My dream is to be independent as a mechanic, and eventually design a wheelchair for my best friend.”
The director of the organization, Karin Lohr said “We need contacts with society, income and self-esteem in order to get long-time unemployed people included in the society. Witnessing blooming peoples’ potential is such a great joy to me!”

May 31st, 2011 @ Salzburg, Austria
Michaela has been working for the street magazine Apropos for twelve years. “I was delighted to get an award for a journalist here, but the most joyful moment is always coming from our vendors,” she said. “Witnessing vendors’ helping out each other is making my day all the time.”
Apropos published a book titled “What does home mean to you?” recently. Fifteen vendors are answering the question by essay, fiction, and interview. Some say “I feel home when I’m on a back of a horse.” Some say “I’ve never met my mother and always been looking for one.”
“What does home mean to you?” I asked Michaela. “Well…I share an answer with one of the vendors. Home is always in my heart. The loved ones are always my home.”

May 30th, 2011 @ Salzburg, Austria
Apropos, a street magazine sold in this historical town, got launched in 1997, as a project of NPO Sozialen Arbeit GmbH, whose aim is to give long-time unemployed and homeless people opportunities for jobs. The ground floor of the Apropos office is a restaurant where long-time unemployed people are working.
For fourteen years, Apropos has gradually drawn peoples’ attention in Salzburg where 150,000 live, and been selling 10,000 copies monthly. I asked a college girl sitting next to me at the bus stop, and a bookshop owner, “Do you know Apropos?” and their answers were “Of course! I’ve bought the street magazine before.”
One of the vendors, Andrea has been living on the hill with rich knowledge about wild herbs. “Dost makes your blood circulation better and Johanniskraut sooths your nerve. Brennessel cleans your body. I often drink these teas,” she said. She is good at teaching and no wonder she used to work as a teacher.
Georg and Evelyne got to know each other on the street of Salzburg and celebrated their 4th anniversary this April. Alcoholic, rough-sleeping, crime, and imprisonment made their life hard, however, they live through their lives. Even if you lose something, you can regain it gradually. Even if you get something broken, you can pile that up little by little. Witnessing their lives is really encouraging to me.
Georg and Evelyne recently began learning how to produce alternative radio program. Monthly, their voices are on the air. “See, Evelyne is speaking!” Michaela shouted excitedly, listening to their program downloaded on her computer.

May 27th, 2011 @ Paris
Ten-minute walk from St-Sebastian Froissart station of Metro number 8. There is an office of one of the biggest NGO in his country, Secours populaire français, where is the distribution point of Macadam too.
As I visited there with Caroline, a university student intern, Clement was busy with handling vendor’s buying magazines. No wonder today’s the day the latest issue is coming out! Its cover is a slammer, Grand Corp Malade.
Most of the vendors of this magazine are not homeless but suffering poverty. 44-year-old vendor, Phiippe Muyard has been selling this magazine for almost a year and half. With a wife and two kids, “I want to sell at least thirty magazines daily,” he said. “I really enjoy the article of Macadam. I often think I’m nothing, however, this magazine with bunch of positive message, makes me think even I can do something for the society.”

May 26th, 2011 Part2 @ Paris
　　The French street magazine, Macadam used to have their own office and sold a million copies in France, however, stopped publishing in 2006 once. It took more than one year for re-start.
“I happened to meet one of the former vendors, Gabriel, and he asked me to republish the magazine,” its editor-in-chief, François said. In 2007, Macadam got appeared on the street of Paris again.
He interviewed Carla Bruni, but the issue wasn’t sold well partly because of her husband’s policy. François told the fact quite outspokenly to the first lady and she decided to get launched a foundation and support Macadam financially. The quick response simply moved my heart.
“What is the most touching memory during your Macadam era?” I asked to the editor-in-chief. “One of the vendors got a job as a librarian at a university and invited my family to dinner at his house. It was the most heart-warming dinner I’ve ever had,” with a smile, François replied.

May 26th, 2011 Part1　@ Paris
While Sarah Vaughan sang “April in Paris,” I got to here in May, which shouldn’t be so bad. The meeting point is Opera Bastille in the twelfth district of Paris. I was able to meet with Caroline who was one of the editors and writers of the street magazine Macadam.
This street magazine is made by an editor-in-chief, François and Caroline. Yes, just two of them! And 10,000 copies are sold by 15 vendors in Paris monthly. Most of the covers are celebrities, such as Carla Bruni and Eric Cantona.
Interviewer of the Cantona’s was Caroline. “Since being big fan of him, I was so tensed during the interview…,” Caroline revealed. “I asked ‘What’s the relationship with fans?’ to him and his response was like ‘Femme?’” she laughed.
Both of François and Caroline have other jobs and they are just volunteering for Macadam. Macadam doesn’t have their own office and distribution points are the ones of other NPOs.
However, Caroline doesn’t seem to worry about its future that much and seems enjoying Macadam. I got to like this relaxing Parisienne.

May 23rd, 2011 @ Amsterdam, Netherlands
The street magazine “Z!” has been sold here in Amsterdam since 1995. Jerome who has benn in charge of distribution said, “We were trying to make homelessness visible for the first five years.” In the beginning, most of the vendors were Netherlanders, however, current ones have 35 nationalities, such as Poland, Chez, former Soviet countries and so on. Their stylish portrait book of vendors published in 2002 reflects its diversity. “Since we don’t receive any governmental money, we don’t care if the person is illegal or legal. The only thing we need to know is that if he is homeless or not,” Jerome said.
He has been spending time with vendors for more than ten years. During the time, what was the hardest moment and what was the most joyful one, I asked. “The most joyful moment is this: one day freshly printed magazine reached to the office and I ran to the truck. As soon as getting to the car, I realized the driver was a former vendor. He got the job after ‘graduating’ from us!”
“The hardest moment was that I needed to attend a funeral of a vendor. She was 49 years old and heroin addicts. I still remember how sad the sound of accordion was.”

May 20th, 2011 Part 2 @ Utrecht, Netherlands
The editor-in-chief of StraatNieuws, Frank had been working for the street magazine for 16 years. “If working just for helping homeless people out, I don’t think I could continue,” he said. “I just have been doing anything fun.”
The most memorable feature is “Social-Exclusion” issue, he says. Vendors hold the cover filled with a big-fonted letters, “Do you see me?” Frank talked that some kids had approached to vendors, saying “Do you see me? Of course, I can see you.” In a subtle way, the issue let people know about the homelessness.
Every Tuesday, StraatNieuws organizes writing club for vendors. One of the members, a Moroccan guy Hakim is Frank’s favorite. “His poem is so original, such as ‘My heart is big as a stadium/Who will come and play with me,’” he says. Hakim’s poetry sometimes appears on the magazine and readers are looking forward to the next one.

May 20th, 2011 Part 1 @ Utrecht, Netherlands
“StraatNieuws” is the street magazine sold in Utrecht, Netherlands which is famous for the religious role and cute bunny Miffy.
On the way from Utrecht station to its office, its editor-in-chief Frank and I ran across three vendors. One of them is Bert who had been struggling from drag-addicts and rough-sleeping at this station. “That’s funny that I work where I used to sleep,” he laughed. “I don’t have any family contacts, but readers give me much love. Some visit me every day to just hug me. I feel like I have 20 mothers and 40 granmas.”

May 17th, 2011 @ Neumünster , Germany
A director and only paid staff of the street magazine “Die Jerusalemmer,” Andreas began working here in the fall of 2001. So many responsibilities, from editing the magazine to management of the café, are on his shoulders. He even doesn’t have enough time to sit down. The smile of people gathering here, however, seems satisfy him.
One of his dreams is having a group home for homeless people. “It would be perfect if people living there feel ‘This is my home.’” As soon as he finished saying, running to next meeting.

May 16th, 2011 @ Neumünster, Germany
A small town in northern Germany, Neumünster with the population of 80,000 also has a street magazine, “Die Jerusalemmer.”
In 1987, it was just a tea party with a couple who was trying to have communication with people suffering poverty, alcoholic and so on. The circle got larger and “Die Jerusalemmer” and a café where anyone could get free yummy food and hot coffee got launched in 1994. This café feeds 50 through 140 people daily, supported by 30 volunteers these days.
When I peeked at the kitchen, Paul who began volunteering here just two days ago was cooking. I volunteered tasting the soup he cooked and it was so heart-and-body -warming one.
At café, Michael was relaxing over a coffee. “I come here every day for 12 years. Sometimes talking with friends, sometimes reading a book. This seat is the second home to me.”

May 13th, 2011 @ Copenhagen, Denmark
Simon, an editor-in-chief of Hus Forbi, welcomed me warmly. This graphic-savvy street magazine got launched in August, 1996, one year after UN social forum was held in Copenhagen.
“Hus Forbi” means “none of my business” and “Hus” does “home” in Danish. Nobody can live without thinking about home but you still keep ignoring this issue? This double-meaning title keeps asking us this question with a spice of Danish humor.
Simon joined Hus Forbi four years ago. The journalist with a master’s degree of development says, “Whether it is in Mozambique or in Copenhagen, poverty brings you the same desperation.”
Having a bond with vendors is joy and sorrow at the same time, he says. “I get along well with a vendor, however my sorrow deepen when I hear that he was trying to commit suicide.”
Roskilde Festival will be added as a pitch this summer and not only Simon but also all the staff and 600 vendors all over Denmark are excited about this news.

May 10th, 2011 @ Oslo, Norway
Nils has been selling the street magazine, Erlik Oslo since the first issue. Various people come across at his pitch and greet to him with a smile. “This magazine makes people gravitate to me and enjoy communicating each other. This is huge change, comparing when I was a beggar and people just ignored me.”
The words of Nils reminded me of what Per Kristian had said. Most of the vendors of Erlik Oslo still have drug problems. Once you become drug addicts, it is so hard to be clean. Since knowing it, Erlik Oslo allows people to sell the magazine even before quitting drugs. “We make them be included into the society first. And after retrieving their self-esteem, they can face the problem of drug addiction,” Kristian says.
The glowing face of Nils is the proof of this method. Acceptance brings a big change into a man’s life. His peaceful smile is like result of magic wand. It’s almost a miracle. Not only him but also everybody needs a wave of magic wand, I thought.

May 9th, 2011 @ Oslo, Norway
Fifteen-minute tram trip from the Youth Hostel I stayed, took me to the office of “Erlik Oslo.” Keeping asking “where I am?” to anybody around me, I finally got there. As soon as entering the office, I spotted Per Kristian, who coincidentally visited St. Petersburg at the same time as me.
Per Kristian began unfolding the story of the birth of Erlik Oslo. The street magazine started when a graphic designer, Vibeke found out about The Big Issue UK. Through mutual friends, Per Kristian, Stien and Vibeke got together for starting up the magazine in this beautiful city.
Stylish and loaded with high-qualified pictures--- bunch of ideas for the magazine but less money…it made them decided to write letters to their government, asking for subsidies---but no response.
The stagnant response, however, encouraged Kristian to get on a road with a video camera. Interviewing beggars and he finished a movie with lines by them, such as “This is the worst type of life. Nobody pays attention to me and maybe I am no more human beings.” This film moved the government finally and Erlik Oslo got some subsidies for the first issue which came out June 2005.
“We printed out 10,000 copies and sold out within 10 days,” he says. The legendary first issue was sold 90,000 copies in three months.
Erlic Oslo permeates in this town well and has a great relationship with the royal family too. A movie, “Vendor 329” has just come out which features a vendor Johannesen. “I’m a big fan of royal family. If king and queen come over to see this film, I feel really honored,” he said to a reporter and this remarks brought the royal family to the theater! Sounds like a fairy tale!
Kristian is planning to a homeless film festival in Oslo in September. The community Erlic Oslo started is getting be larger and larger.

May 6th, 2011 @ St. Petersburg, Russia
There is a night-shelter at the ten-minute bus trip from the office of “Put Domoi.” The shelter is the distribution point of the magazine too.
As soon as Arkady opened the door, pictures of gently-colored flowers caught my eyes. He told me that all those beautiful pictures were drawn by one of the vendors, Lena. Those subtle colors tell me that she must be having a sensitive and fragile heart. I crave for meeting her without knowing it would happen within a few minutes.
Frist, however, a street poet, Michel, appeared at the distribution point. Arkady asked him to read out his poet for us.

Open up the borders!
Mix up the people!
We are men! We are birds!
We are Mother Nature’s children!
As though we are sitting in tanks, we don’t see one another,
Trapped now in the confines of threat and fear.

His shout from the bottom of his soul was really moved our hearts. After the silence, Arkady just said “Brilliant” and so did I.
As enjoying tea together, a long black-haired lady came into the room. She herself was an artist who had drawn the wall pictures. I couldn’t help saying to Lena, “As soon as I saw your work, I imagined the drawer was warm—hearted,” and her cheeks blushed shyly.
After a few minutes’ absence, Lena came back to the room with a paper in her hand---it was her work with her message and signature. “Wow…,” without knowing I was whispering. How many times did I say to her, the only Russian word I know, “Spasiba (Thank you).”? I got my life-long treasure here in St. Petersburg.

May 5th, 2011 @ St. Petersburg, Russia
Arkady says that there are 4 million invisible men in Russia. “I myself was once invisible for 11 years,” the editor-in-chief of Russian street magazine, “Put Domoi” said.
In Russia, you need to register your stay if it’s more than 90 days. If you don’t, you lose your registration there and it would be so hard to get a job, rent a house, and receive medical treatment, education, and most of the services from the country.
They say the system of Propiska(registration) has just gone since 1995, but situation itself hasn’t changed that much.
Arkady interviewed with 77 invisibles men from October 2008 through February 2009 and made invisible visible. He also made short film on it.
Once you lose the registration, the only way to get it back is to get married or to become an owner of a house, which is very hard in this country.

May 2nd, 2011 @ St. Petersburg, Russia
I can see my breath! Sweated a lot in Taipei, however, here in St. Petersburg where the temperature is twenty degrees lower than there, you can’t go out without gloves and scarf.
Arkady took Kristian and me to Georgian restaurant for a lunch. “Do you trust my order?”, Arkady asked us, and both of us just answered “Of course!”
As soon as a lady carried the food, couldn’t help shouting “Awww…!”, because what they served was so similar to what I ate in Taiwan. It was just much huger than one in the Asian country.
Arkady showed us the way to eat these dumplings. He said traditionally you ate these by hands. Three grown-ups ate up the steaming dumplings just saying “Auch!” and “Yum!”
“Have you ever imagined some day you would have Georgian food with Russian, Norwegian and Japanese together?”, Arkady said. No, never. And I never imagined Georgian dumpings are so that tasty either.

May 1st, 2011 @Taipei, Taiwan---St. Petersburg, Russia

I’ve been shivering and having goose bumps for a few days…Finally the day has come…It’s the day when I get into Russia.
It was troublesome to even get a traveling visa, but Arkady with a street magazine there “Put Domoi” helped me out. Yes, I have legal documents to visit this country. Even so, some information on the internet about the immigration control of this country scares me a lot.
Fifteen hours after leaving Taipei, I was at the airport in St. Petersburg with my passport and visa in hand. The previous Korean guy just passed the immigration gate. “I envy you!” speaking myself. My heart is pounding and hands are all sweat. The only Russian words I know is “Spasiba”…so hopeless and desperate…IT’S MY TURN! My right hand and right leg just come out together, almost falling down.
As soon as I turned in my passport to the guy at the gate, however, he just let me in. Finished?...Sorry Russia, I was too suspicious…
At the exit, Arkady, former erlik Oslo staff, Kristian who is a film buddy of Arkady and Maya who’s my host were waiting for me.

April 29th, 2011 Part2 @Taipei, Taiwan

Twenty-four-year-old Kira and Annie are both in charge of sales and distribution of TBI Taiwan. “It’s so fun to talk with vendors, because their replies are always so unpredictable!” Annie says. She found out about TBI Taiwan one month later its start. “TBI Taiwan is the first street magazine here, right? So I would love to take a shot to make sure how far we can go. Now my friends just wonder what is TBI and if it’s possible for you to work with homeless people, but I bet the idea of street magazine will eventually permeates into the society."
Kira, on the other hand, used to work for IKEA as a sales person. “When I work for the furniture company, I just said to the customer ‘Hi!’ and ‘Bye!,’ but here you can have a connection with other poeples’ lives. It’s so worth doing!”
They both are dreaming about selling this magazine, not only Taipei but also other cities in this country. Three weeks ago they explained about TBI Taiwan to the homeless people in Taichung, however, didn’t work out well. “We are going to have the explanation meeting again next month. I’m so sure that this time will be the time!” and they burst into laughter.

April 29th, 2011 Part1 @Taipei, Taiwan
I finally had an opportunity to interview Fines, a founder and an editor-in-chief TBI Taiwan. “The first encounter with TBI was an article about it. As soon as reading it, I got intrigued by that idea." Two months later, in September 2009, he flew to England to see John Bird, the founder of TBI, UK. The pilot version of TBI Taiwan Fines brought really delighted Mr. Bird and Fines got allowed to use the name “TBI” immediately.
After half-year preparation, TBI Taiwan was born in April, 2010. Since Fines had been working on web magazine “Roodo” for about ten years, lots of writers and photographers helped him out for the start. One of them is Aaron Nieh who has been in charge of cover design since the first issue.
The feature stories for the first issue was “Stupid Generation.” One and only editor for the magazine, Sharon revealed its purpose. “The target of TBI Taiwan is from 20 through 35 years old who aren’t afraid of failure and beginning their own business, like Steve Jobs. We wanted to express this message to our readers.”
Fines pours into his own money to get launched TBI Taiwan. “I get encouraged every time I see vendors recovering their self-esteem through this job,” he says with a peaceful smile. Sharon continues, “Since you spend most of your life at work, I wanted to do something fun as a job.”
The eyes of those “Stupid Generation” people glowed with pleasure.

April 28th, 2011 @Taipei, Taiwan
All of the event-savvy youngster know about Huashan1914 in Taipei. Built in 1914 as wine factories and in high gear through 20’s, however, the place had been abandoned for a long time. Thanks to some artists’ gravitation toward these historical buildings, Huashan1914 revived as concert hall, gallery, bookstore and distribution point of TBI Taiwan! Huashan1914allows TBI Taiwan to use this place and office itself for free.
When I visited the distribution point, one of the volunteers, Yen Hui Chu was chatting with a vendor there. 20 volunteers are helping out the distribution of TBI Taiwan. Yen told me that she really enjoyed talking with those vendors.

April 27th, 2011 Part2 @Taipei, Taiwan
Visited one of the vendors of The Big Issue Taiwan, Jia Shi Ya, whose pitch was in front of SOGO department store at Zhongxiao Fuxing station. At any time, there are so many people enjoying shopping.
Before a vendor of TBI Taiwan, he worked as cleaning guy. Handicap in his legs, however, didn’t allow him to keep the job. As volunteering at a shelter, a notice let him know that TBI Taiwan had just got launched.
“TBI Taiwan is not only a means to make money but also an opportunity to have a connection with people,” Jia Shi Ya says. Jokingly continuing, “That’s why, I don’t want this company to get bankrupt!”

April 27th, 2011 Part1 @Taipei, Taiwan
Flew from Manila to Taipei yesterday. On the way, I couldn’t help wishing a luck for a Jeepney magazine and Reah.
Although it’s my first time to visit Taipei, those Chinese characters make me feel that I'm familiar to this town.
5-minute subway trip to line 4, Shandao Temple station and a bit of walk took me to an office of The Big Issue Taiwan（http://www.bigissue.tw/）. Their stylish design and varieties of the advertisements from Benetton to banks draw the attention of TBI Japan and Korea. Some of TBI Korea staffs told me to "steal" some skills from them!
An editor Sharon and editor-in-chief, Fines answered my door-knocking. To my surprise, just two of them are in charge of editing the high-quality magazine. I dropped my chin and got speechless…The secret of this magical team will be gradually revealed during my stay.

April 25th, 2011 @Manila
Jeepey is at the crossroad. An American missionary couple left for their country and former social worker, Reah works as a director of this street magazine now, with a marketing director Cecile and Joselito in charge of distribution.
“I once declined the offer to be a director,” Reah revealed. “It seemed too much burden for me.” She, however, undertook the responsibility and has been trying to make this magazine sustainable.
One of the problems Jeepney has is that selling anything on the street is illegal in this Asian country. You may say that you have seen many stallkeepers on the street of Manila. All of them take risks even though they know they might be in prison, if policemen are on a whim.
That is the reason why Jeepney vendors are not selling the magazine on the street, but instead of it, going onto malls, international schools and anywhere they asked. Jeepney is published 3000 copies per an issue which is sold by 100 peso(50 percent of it is vendor’s profit).
Reah often visits the 11 vendors, listens to their complaining and sheds tears together. On a special occasion, she takes some of the vendors to a beach. In this way she has been spending her time with them and building up relationships with them.
“I had been working as a social worker, however, always struggling with a dilemma, which homeless people had limited opportunities to get a job. I think Jeepny could be one of the solutions for this.”

April 24th, 2011 @Manila
“Jeepney” applied for grants of Staubucks and got 5000 US dollars for its street soccer program (SSP). Their SSP is some of the former Homeless World Cup players teach street childen how to play soccer (http://www.homelessworldcup.org/). 200 kids from 10 to 16 years old get together for the practice, twice a week.
Since Team Jeepney will join the Homeless World Cup in Paris this August, they have been held try-outs all over Philippines. Decision will be made in May 21st and 8 players are honored to join this world event.
On the Easter, there was a PR event of Jeepney at a stylish mall in Eastwood. One of the players, Hammid joined last year’s Homeless World Cup in Rio De Janeiro. “Among 11 games, we only lost 3 games, which were versus Brazil, Chile, and Italy,” boasted his experience. Before selling Jeepney, he had been working as tricycle drivers in his home town, Laguna. “After I began playing futsal, I have a dream, which is becoming a professional football player!”