News

Nearly 50,000 people are currently homeless in Belgium. Behind this staggering number lie thousands of broken paths, suspended lives, families, men, women, and children living in extreme precariousness. In 2024, all three regions of the country updated their counts: the findings are alarming, and time is running out.

2024 will have been a year of learning, but in spite of ourselves: the life of our association is not always smooth sailing, and mistakes are a source of learning.

It is with deep sadness, but also with pride and affection, that we pay tribute today to our dear colleague, Dr Pierre Ryckmans. A devoted doctor, passionate humanist and indispensable force within the non-profit organisation Street Nurses, his passing leaves a great void, not only among us, his colleagues and friends, but also among the many homeless people for whom he worked tirelessly.

The idea that homeless people choose to live on the streets is deeply rooted in public opinion. However, this simplistic view hides a much more complex reality. At Street Nurses, we see the exact opposite every day: no one truly wants to live on the streets. Homelessness is a vicious cycle that is extremely difficult to break free from.

20 February is the International Day of Social Justice. It's a significant day, given the rise of extremism and anti-social policies around the world.

Building more social housing is often presented as the obvious solution to address homelessness. Yet this approach, while important, is not enough to solve the problem of homeless people.

At Street Nurses, we often notice that a refusal of help by homeless people is often misunderstood. One might perceive it as a lack of willingness to leave the street. But this refusal often hides much more complex reasons. As Pierre Ryckmans, the coordinating physician of our team, explains: "It’s not a rejection of the hand offered, but a response to difficult experiences or inadequate solutions." Understanding these refusals allows us to provide more appropriate and respectful support.

Join our team for the Brussels 20km on 25th May 2025, and run or walk to show your commitment to ending homelessness!

Here we are: 21 December, the first day of winter. It's cold, people are still sleeping rough. And every winter, it's the same story: the time has come for thermometer politics.

Wallonia has activated its extreme cold weather plan, running from November to the end of March, but this has not solved the problem of homelessness, leaving many people still sleeping rough. In Brussels, they are keeping an eye on the thermometer to launch services that risk saturation. These plans are only temporary measures. You'd think misery would be less of a problem in the sunshine.

Social housing in Brussels is in crisis: too few homes, interminable waiting lists, dilapidated buildings, and sometimes chaotic management... As budget cuts threaten, a collective of associations is calling for this essential solution to guarantee decent and affordable housing for all not to be abandoned.

Read this opinion co-written and signed by several associations in the sector. 

Launch winter campaign 2024: "Donation after donation, let's build a future for homeless people". As the year draws to a close, Street Nurses invites you to join a movement to change the lives of homeless people. Your support can make all the difference: every donation you make is another contribution to a better future.

Wounds and chronic diseases, such as diabetes or hypertension, are common health problems among homeless people. Precarious living conditions, limited access to care, and recurrent comorbidities significantly complicate the management of these diseases.