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.