In 2011, according to the « Estudio de Niños Callejeros » – an official study on children living in the streets- More than 10 000 young people live in the streets of Mexico city. The streets are permanent homes for all these young people mostly aged between 15 and 25 years old. After suffering from different maltreatments and violence at home, these people have relocated themselves to the sidewalks as a new living environment. There, they eat, bathe, sleep, work, dream and take drugs. Due to lack of resources and government support, the streets remain the one immediate alternative to escape family problems. The Juarez group is constituted of approximately 45 young people living on an arterial road near Mexico City’s historical center. Their lives revolve around survival and about 95% of these young people are addicted to huffing solvent. The squalor of the area disgusts pedestrians and they would be tempted to believe that violence governs the place. However, at the heart of this group, generosity, friendship and loyalty dominate. These values are essential to the survival of the group and are often used as acceptance norms for new comers.
Philippe Ruel / Stigmat Photo
