A new initiative by street magazine “Schedia” aims to raise awareness on homelessness in Greece and help integrate those sleeping on the streets by having homeless citizens provide guided tours of Athens. Following the example of similar magazines in other European countries, Schedia’s “Unseen Routes” tours will include stops at the capital’s soup kitchens, hostels, rehabilitation centers and day centers. The tour guides, current and former homeless people, who have been on the streets for various reasons, will guide the participants and provide details regarding the facilities as well as insights into their own experience on the streets, even in spots that are “unknown” to many Athenians. The three guides, Yiannis, Lambros and Christos, have been taking narration lessons by author Vasilis Alexakis. This way, “Schedia” provides a job opportunity to tour guides, to help themselves and inform fellow citizens of the city’s “secrets.” Tours will run every Saturday, starting September 20. The cost of participation in a tour will be 6 euros, with a reduced fee of 3 euros for students, and no charge for unemployed citizens and pensioners. Their duration will be approximately two hours. “Schedia” is a monthly independent magazine sold on the streets of Athens and Thessaloniki, offering the homeless, unemployed, and poor the opportunity to earn a decent living and motive to restore their lives. The magazine sells for 3 euros and half of it goes directly to the vendor. As is the case with all street magazines across the world, Schedia is sold exclusively by accredited vendors at central points in the city. They wear red vests and have a special ID card, so that anyone who buys the magazine knows that his money goes to a good cause.
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