Joshua Coombes es un peluquero del Reino Unido y hace lo mismo que miles de sus colegas en todo el mundo: hace cortes y peinados, afeita las barbas. Es cierto que los clientes de Joshua no son muy comunes, no tienen hogar y no pagan por sus servicios. Según Joshua, él quiere darles a las personas infortunadas una segunda oportunidad de llevar una vida normal, porque los cambios externos para bien pueden contribuir a los cambios internos.
A continuación verás las transformaciones más increíbles de personas de diferentes ciudades del mundo de la mano de este profesional.
1. Benjamin, Los Angeles
View this post on Instagram
This is Benjamin, 38 years old. Currently, he’s sleeping near Nuestra Señora Reina de Los Angeles Church, near Union Station. I asked him what brought him here – “Before, I was sleeping by a bridge beneath a highway in the Valley. There’s a tent encampment there but it was a toxic place for me. I was hooked on crystal meth and doing anything I could to survive. When you have nothing, everyday is a struggle to keep things moving towards the next. I had to get away from that. One night, when I was in a really dark place in my mind, I tuned in to a deeper voice that was talking to me. I feel like that voice was God telling me to change my life. I haven’t been clean for very long, but I’m trying. I’m going to work. I want a job where I can work as much as I can and start to change things. I want a family.” As I was cutting Benjamin’s hair, he opened up some more – “I knew I was gay from an early age. It wasn’t easy growing up so I suppressed those feelings for a long time until I was out on the streets. Now I feel like I should resist those feelings again to live a good life. I know the church wants that. I don’t know. I want to be better…I want to be happy.” #DoSomethingForNothing
A post shared by Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) on Apr 1, 2018 at 1:29pm PDT
2. Tod, Santa Mónica
3. Сedric, París
View this post on Instagram
This is Cedric, 42 years old. I met Cedric in Paris a few days ago on Boulevard Monmarte. He has been homeless for three years now. At first, I noticed the sign he'd made, which read – ‘Vote for me in 2022.’ When I said hello, I was given a big greeting in return, we started talking. I asked him where he had learnt – “I used to live in London for some years with my friends. I remember the carnivals so well, I loved my time there.” – It turns out Cedric and I have lived on the same street in Brixton, what are the chances! I do feel we connected almost immediately, so it was really nice to hear Cedric open up some more about his life recently – " I was holding down a job at a library near here. It didn’t pay all that much but I enjoyed my work. One day we found out the library was to be down sized considerably, so many of us lost our jobs. The drinking increased and so did rent on my apartment at the time. I guess I stopped caring. It wasn’t long before I became homeless.” Next to Cedric was his pal Dada. I could tell these guys were close and that they really helped each other out on the street – “I saw Dada looking at me one day. After staring at me for a moment, he broke into a big smile, we’ve been friends ever since. It’s important to have that when you’re homeless. I used to have an amazing friend that looked out for me, I suppose she was my step mother almost…” At this point, tears appeared in Cedric’s eyes, but he continued – “She owned a music venue in the 9th Arrondissement, it was the best place for music. Whenever I visited her she would feed me, talk to me and give me hope. I never had to paid. Always food and water, she would never give me alcohol. One week, I visited and she was no longer there. I found out she had died. It really broke me. I still think about her everyday.” When it came to showing Cedric he mirror at the end, his reaction said it all.
A post shared by Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) on May 18, 2017 at 1:12pm PDT
4. Joshua, California
5. Zach, Londres
6. David, Londres
View this post on Instagram
This is David, 54 years old. We met recently near London Bridge. It was rush hour and David was sat on the ground, not far away from the train station. As I walked by, he looked up and gave me smile and nodded. I sat down next to him and we began talking – “See over there.” David said, pointing down the street – “That’s Guys Hospital, I was born in there. I’ve always been a Londoner. I grew up here and worked in and around this city for my entire life. This is one chapter that I couldn’t have foreseen… I had my own business. We cleaned up the big buildings and sprayed them down like new before they were refurbished. There were some big contracts for a while. I had a loving family also. My children have all grown up have their own lives now… my wife and I drifted apart recently. It all changed after that day, a couple years back. The day of the accident. It hasn’t been the same since…I was driving one night. We’d been visiting family outside of London and my daughter and her children were in the car also. We had a collision on a fast road. It all happened so fast. I won’t go into all of it… it hurts.” I could feel the pain in David begin to bubble to the surface. But also there was an honesty and a clarity in the way he was speaking – “l’ve confronted some feelings while I’ve been out here. I’m not happy I’m on streets. There’s no way I could’ve seen myself sitting out here. No way. But you know I’m what… It sounds stupid, but maybe I’m where I’m supposed to be right now. It’s shown me a different part of life. It’s opened up a different part inside of me.” When I finished cutting David’s hair, he insisted on walking me to my train platform. We hugged and David smiled and said – “You know what Josh, I think we brought back the art of conversation just then.” #DoSomethingForNothing
A post shared by Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) on Jul 29, 2018 at 3:07pm PDT
7. Aman, Londres
8. Phil, Londres
9. Callum, Manchester
View this post on Instagram
I met Callum in Manchester recently. I’d just arrived in town with @gotvitaminc and we’d only been walking for a few minutes when we saw someone bundled up in their sleeping bag. I often talk about isolation. For a guy like Callum, it’s as real as it gets. . “I’ve been sleeping on the streets for a long time now…It’s hard to keep track. I always keep myself to myself. I find it difficult to trust anyone really…I’ve felt that way since I was I kid. I didn’t have any family as such. I was raised in care, so I was moved around a lot.” . Whilst I was cutting his hair, Callum pulled out a joint of spice (K2 in USA) I’ve ran into this countless times in the past. Once marketed as a Synthetic Marijuana, Spice is cheap, easily accessible, potent and highly addictive. A few years ago, it got a hold on some people I got close with, who slept on the streets in London. Two of those people aren't with us anymore. I asked Callum how it makes him feel. . “It just numbs you, you know..? I don’t know how else to describe it…It makes you feel numb to everything. It gets you to sleep. It knocks you out. It makes time fly and sometimes you need that out here.” . Through all Callum has been through, he had this smile that makes you want to smile with him. It only appeared from time to time, but when it did, I saw another side of him. A warmth that I wouldn’t have had the chance to see whilst walking past him on the street. #DoSomethingForNothing
A post shared by Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) on Feb 18, 2019 at 1:51pm PST
10. Spider, Miami
11. Michael, Londres
12. Travis, Alaska
13. Brian, Nueva York
View this post on Instagram
This Brian, 42 years old. Brian has been homeless for over two years now. He suffered a series of deaths in the family a few years ago. His mother, father and sister all died within the same year – "Its hard to come back from that, I started drinking and smoking more. Some days I find peace, but others it still hits me incredibly hard." Brian is so charismatic and great fun to be with, but I could tell there was a pain underneath that he trying to deal with. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, Brian has always travelled. When I told him I was from London, he told me many stories of years he spent there, along with many other countries throughout Europe. – "I've always been a people person, meeting people is what I love, being out here on your own isn't easy sometimes." I got the sense that Brian has but hit a fork in the road and he'll bounce back. It had been ages since his last trip to the barbers – "Man, I was just thinking, I really need a haircut! It was totally on my to do list." We met Brian in a busy Penn Station, with the hustle and bustle of rush hour going on around us, I loved cutting Brian's hair and getting to know him. #DoSomethingForNothing
A post shared by Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) on Feb 18, 2017 at 2:45pm PST
14. Terry, Nueva York
15. Petru, Londres. Vino de Rumania
View this post on Instagram
This is Petru, originally from Romania, living in the U.K. for the last eight years. He is currently sleeping on the street each night in Shoreditch, east London. Having held down many different jobs since arriving in the country, his last period in employment didn't end well. He spoke to me about this as I started cutting his hair – "I was working not so far from here, at a car wash. It didn't take me long to realise that the staff were not the priority at this place. I spoke to many co workers that were under paid and the company often didn't pay the money on time. Basically, they exploit people that need quick work. It's all in the favour of the bosses. I grew to hate it. One day I'd had enough and I left." I asked Petru if there is anything for him back in Romania – "I lost my mother ten years ago. My father died when I was a young boy. The reason I came here was because there is nothing for me in Romania anymore. I grew up and lived in a small town, there weren't many opportunities to grow. I needed a new start and to change my surroundings. I was happy for some years when I first arrived here, I guess I didn't realise how difficult it would be to live in London. One thing is for sure, there's no life for me back there now. I wouldn't know where to begin." I cut Petru's hair in an alley, away from the bustling high street where I had first met him. He said he'd prefer that. We did a lot of talking, I felt we really connected. The importance of giving someone their smile back, even for a moment, should never be overlooked. That stuff ripples. I don't know where I'd be without the people who make me smile each week. #DoSomethingForNothing
A post shared by Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) on Aug 18, 2017 at 1:25pm PDT
16. Laurent, París
View this post on Instagram
This is Laurent, 42 years old, born in a small town in Brittany, northern France. He was next up in the chair after Cedric. They've been friends for a while now and look out for each other each day. It's over a year since Laurent's last haircut. Initially he was reluctant, Cedric kindly translated for him – "Laurent would like for you to do it, but he's worried about the condition of his head and that his hair is too dirty." This isn't uncommon on the street and I get asked about this subject a lot. Personally it's not something that would ever bother me but when working with hair in general, it's always good practise to check the head in front of you before getting started. I make sure I never run out of dry shampoo. As there were no open sores, this worked perfectly to make Laurent feel more comfortable for me to begin. During our time Cedric spoke more about Laurent – "He worked many jobs in Paris and had his own delivery business for a while. Like many others his rent was very high to live in this city. You can build a life but it's hard to maintain it. Any family that Laurent has are in the north of France but he doesn't feel like he can connect with them at present. For a while, he still managed to work while he was homeless but it is very difficult to keep this going." Like Cedric, Laurent doesn't seem to run out of smiles. Considering their current living conditions, I think that's pretty amazing. Such a joy to spend the day with these guys. #DoSomethingForNothing
A post shared by Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) on Aug 11, 2017 at 1:16pm PDT
17. Charlie, Londres
View this post on Instagram
This is Charlie, 20 years old. I met Charlie last week on Regent street. I stood and watched for five minutes before I approached him. In a such a busy area, it's easy to see how isolated you could feel sitting out here all day without much in the way of acknowledgment from busy shoppers passing by. I met Charlie before a few months ago in a different area, I asked him why he chose to sit here – "With all the money around this place I suppose you think it would be a good option, but that can vary. To be honest, keeping in a good headspace isn't even about how much money you get out here. When someone has time to stop, you remember it." Charlie has some temporary accommodation to stay in at the moment with other young men of a similar age – "We're all looking for work of some kind, but most people spend their time on the street. I was sleeping rough before this and you learn how to survive." Charlie spoke to me a bit about his mother – "She's always suffered with drug addiction and it got a lot worse a few years ago. It's complicated. We don't see each other any more. If I had somewhere else to turn, I would." Charlie has this magic in his soul, you can feel it when you talk to him and see it in his eyes. There's bags of potential energy there. I asked him what he'd like to do to get a new chapter started in his life – "I've been thinking about working in the food industry, I don't know exactly what to do yet but I'd like to try that." Since meeting Charlie I've been in conversation some really helpful people about trying to get him some work and speaking to him on the phone also. #DoSomethingForNothing
A post shared by Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) on Jul 14, 2017 at 12:10pm PDT
18. Darren, Londres
View this post on Instagram
This is Darren, 34 years old. Darren is from Liverpool, he's been homeless for two years now, spending one year on the streets there before heading down to London. He sleeps outside Peckham Rye train station with his pal Steve. I've got to know Darren pretty well recently, seeing him most weeks. I first asked him if he'd like haircut a long time ago, but for one reason or another he wasn't ready. I've heard that reluctancy before. When you don't have much in the way of direct contact with others, it becomes really difficult to let people in and there can be a lot of insecurities. Darren was born on a council estate in Liverpool. I asked him what it was like growing up there – "It was a rough place, I saw a lot from a young age, drugs were common. I think I must have only been twelve the first time I tried something." He used to sleep in central London when he first arrived in the city – "I moved down to Peckham because it was crazy in central London. It seemed that everywhere I went people tried to move me on. I wasn't allowed to sleep in certain places, or even sit down sometimes because there would be complaints. But here it's a bit better, I feel more community. It's really nice when people actually say hello to you each day." Just imagine for a moment how that must feel. Whatever the reasons that lead to someone being homeless, surely nobody deserves to be treated like mess that needs clearing up? I mean, we're talking about another human being here. It's easy to forget that. It's always difficult to describe someone like Darren in the just the words I put down here. But trust me, this guy is warm, gentle and has a big heart. He knows better than anybody what his failings are, so any judgement piled on top of that really hurts. Just spending some time with Darren lifted his spirits and lifted me in the process. You can't put a price on that. #DoSomethingForNothing
A post shared by Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) on Apr 16, 2017 at 1:40pm PDT
19. Joey, Nueva York
View this post on Instagram
This is Joey, 24 years old. I literally just met Joey, outside Penn station, 7th ave in Manhattan. I'm sat in a cafe writing this, minutes after we parted ways. Joey has been homeless for six months. Originally from Long Island, he served in the Air Force for a four year period, which finished a couple years ago. He was stationed in Florida then Turkey – "I enjoyed my time in the Air Force but after four years I was done. Many people I know struggle to know what to do with themselves when they leave the military. I guess I was the same." Joey started talking to me honestly about his youth – "My father had addiction problems. Well, I think he still does… I remember finding different bags of powder when I was a teenager. I was exposed to that pretty early." While I was cutting hair, a few people stopped and gave Joey a few bucks. I asked him what he needs it for – "You know, there are so many people on the street, but it's a lonely place to be. It's hard to find community out here. I'll be honest, I'm using right now. I wanna face the music and stop but I don't see how at the moment…" Addiction. One of the most misunderstood subjects in my opinion. None of the users I meet out here are having good time. There's a fundamental difference between recreation and dependancy. As soon as you shame someone for using, it only makes the problem worse. I believe love and compassion are the best approach. To quote a book I'm reading by Johann Hari – 'The opposite of addiction isn't sobriety, it's connection.' – I truly believe that. The loneliness Joey was speaking of is what so many people face, trying to fill this void with substances. Re-connection and community are key. Joey had a great energy, with positive thoughts about the future. I know he'll get back on his feet, I can feel it ?? #DoSomethingForNothing
A post shared by Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) on Mar 7, 2017 at 12:00pm PST
20. Guillermo, Barcelona
21. Malcome, Londres
View this post on Instagram
This is Malcome, 59, born in Toronto, Canada. I met him at his afternoon during a busy day out cutting hair in London. Malcome has been homeless for two years now – sleeping in doorways, parks and anywhere else that looks safe enough to spend the night. I asked whether he has been in this situation before – "No, I never imagined I'd be here either. But, oh well, here I am. I'm still alive and that's something. I was living in Russia for a while with the women I was going to marry. I came to the U.K because I was trying to sort out a permanent visa to travel back there and live with her. I thought I had enough money to get the visa and maintain myself here in London until it came through, but it didn't last. So, I ended up out here." Malcome showed me some photos of him as a young man, telling me he used to be in the Canadian military – "I've always worked in different places. When I got out of the military, I followed my dreams and trained to be a scuba diving instructor. I got my licence and began travelling to different countries to teach. It was an amazing journey, I met so many lovely people along the way. I can speak three languages now." Malcome seems stuck at the moment but I hope this is just another chapter for him. He is charismatic beyond words and a true optimist. He's the kind of guy that must lift so many others that are on the street also, just with his presence. It was so good to give him a makeover. He was chuffed – "Today just got a hell of a lot better!" #DoSomethingForNothing
A post shared by Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) on Apr 30, 2017 at 11:59am PDT
22. Stefan, Dublín
View this post on Instagram
This is Stefan, 31 years old. Stefan is Slovakian, growing up in a little town near Bratislava. He was raised by his mother, as his father died when he was four years old. When Stefan was nineteen, his mother fell terminally ill and died within a year. It was after this point, Stefan told me he needed to leave – 'When I lost my mother it was tough, I knew I needed a change in my life. I stuck around and worked for a few years, but I had to get out and experience something else' – After travelling slowly through Europe, Stefan stopped in the Netherlands, where he managed to find some steady employment. He came to Dublin a year ago now, after the company he worked for went bankrupt. I asked him why he came here – 'When I lost my job in The Netherlands, I knew people who said they had friends that could employ me here. It was in in a bar, I would've been happy to do anything for a new start.' You might have guessed that when arrived, this promise never came through. With the money Stefan had, he stayed in a hostel, looking for work over the next couple months, to no avail. He spent his first nights on the street, where he's been for the last ten months. Stefan still has a positive outlook on the future – 'I'm young and strong and I want to work. I want opportunities. I think my situation will change, this is just where I am right now.' It was great to see a transformation in Stefan during the haircut, he got a a lot of compliments from people passing by. I asked him what he feel he needs everyday to help him – 'Life is so short, but we all have time to smile' #DoSomethingForNothing #Dublin
A post shared by Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) on Oct 9, 2016 at 3:02am PDT
Y aquí está el propio peluquero — Joshua Coombes
Anteriormente, Joshua era un músico de rock, y hace seis años se convirtió en peluquero. Al principio, solo salía a la calle con las herramientas necesarias después de trabajar en el salón, hablaba con las personas sin hogar y ofrecía un corte de cabello gratis. Hoy en día, el británico viaja alrededor del mundo, se encuentra con los mismos entusiastas y ayuda a las personas en situaciones difíciles de la vida, sin pedir nada a cambio.
Un peluquero del Reino Unido corta el pelo de las personas sin hogar de forma gratuita y les da la esperanza de una nueva vida
Los activistas tienen su propio hashtag #DoSomethingForNothing (“Haz algo gratis”) y comenzaron a difundir su idea. Según Joshua, ahora recibe mensajes de Europa, Estados Unidos, Canadá, Sudáfrica, Indonesia y Corea. Alguien enseña a bailar gratis, otro hace cortes de pelo a la gente en la calle, el tercero ayuda a encontrar trabajo. La idea básica del nuevo movimiento es: “Si cada persona en cada ciudad del mundo hace una buena acción sin pedir nada a cambio, el mundo cambiará para bien”. Al mismo tiempo, no es necesario dedicar toda tu vida a esto, solo puedes dedicar una vez un poco de tu tiempo a una persona que necesita ayuda, y quizás esto se convierta en un hábito.
¿Y tú qué estás dispuesto a ofrecer a los demás?
