‘Nothing more humiliating’: The Australians turning to begging

Couple Cheryl and Troy lived on the streets of Melbourne for more than a decade as they battled heroin addictions. Now they have a home, they say they have found their ‘little piece of Australia’, even if it took a while to get used to sleeping in a bed.

Melbourne, Australia – On any given day or night in inner-city Melbourne, thousands of pedestrians pass by people “coal biting” on the sidewalks.

Some may be rough sleepers, others might be hoping to raise some money before heading back to temporary, overcrowded housing. Some have cardboard signs, some sit staring at the concrete, while others are vocal.

All of them have a story.