Down and out in Athens

Published June 11, 2013
Adrian, a 51-year-old from Romania, extracts copper from a cable in central Athens.
Adrian, a 51-year-old from Romania, extracts copper from a cable in central Athens.
Marialena, a 42-year-old homeless Aids sufferer and former drug addict who is on a methadone rehabilitation program, washes after waking up under a bridge in central Athens.
Marialena, a 42-year-old homeless Aids sufferer and former drug addict who is on a methadone rehabilitation program, washes after waking up under a bridge in central Athens.
Andy, a 53-year-old unemployed German immigrant from Dusseldorf, sits by his makeshift home at a deserted harbour storage building in the port of Piraeus, near Athens.
Andy, a 53-year-old unemployed German immigrant from Dusseldorf, sits by his makeshift home at a deserted harbour storage building in the port of Piraeus, near Athens.
Boris Potev, a 56-year-old Bulgarian immigrant, lies on a mattress amid garbage in an Athens suburb.
Boris Potev, a 56-year-old Bulgarian immigrant, lies on a mattress amid garbage in an Athens suburb.
Marialena, a 42-year-old homeless Aids sufferer and former drug addict who is on a methadone rehabilitation program, drinks coffee after waking up next to her boyfriend Dimitrios in central Athens
Marialena, a 42-year-old homeless Aids sufferer and former drug addict who is on a methadone rehabilitation program, drinks coffee after waking up next to her boyfriend Dimitrios in central Athens
Alexis, a 43-year-old former cycling champion, begs as he sits on his mattress in central Athens.
Alexis, a 43-year-old former cycling champion, begs as he sits on his mattress in central Athens.
Romanian truck driver Adrian, a 51-year-old who lost his job in 2010 when the lorry company he was working for closed down, looks inside a a cardboard box in Athens.
Romanian truck driver Adrian, a 51-year-old who lost his job in 2010 when the lorry company he was working for closed down, looks inside a a cardboard box in Athens.
Ethiopian immigrant Maximos, a 43-year-old who lost his job in 2010, stands by the makeshift tent where he lives in a park in central Athens.
Ethiopian immigrant Maximos, a 43-year-old who lost his job in 2010, stands by the makeshift tent where he lives in a park in central Athens.
Matheos, 58, stands next to the makeshift shelter where he has lived since late 2011, on a hill in central Athens.
Matheos, 58, stands next to the makeshift shelter where he has lived since late 2011, on a hill in central Athens.
A Greek Orthodox monk walks past two homeless men sleeping outside a hospital in central Athens.
A Greek Orthodox monk walks past two homeless men sleeping outside a hospital in central Athens.
Michael, 36-year-old and unemployed, begs outside a church in central Athens.
Michael, 36-year-old and unemployed, begs outside a church in central Athens.
Savas, a 34-year-old who became homeless in 2009 after losing his job, sleeps in a tent at an open air photographic exhibition of homeless people organised by a charity called Klimaka.
Savas, a 34-year-old who became homeless in 2009 after losing his job, sleeps in a tent at an open air photographic exhibition of homeless people organised by a charity called Klimaka.

Since the debt crisis erupted in 2009, hundreds of thousands of Greeks have lost their jobs and the unemployment rate in the country reached 26.8 per cent in March, new figures show.

According to Praxis, a non-governmental organisation, the number of homeless in Greece has nearly doubled to over 20,000 from 11,000 in 2009. Picture taken May 26, 2013.

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