The chilly winter months that include the Lunar New Year holidays can prove extra challenging for Taipei's homeless community, who often band together in the absence of their own families. We join one formerly homeless man to experience Taiwan's capital through the eyes of people who sleep on its streets.
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00:00Always dressed to impress, the super-slick Uncle Liang serenades his customers in a park
00:17in Taipei's historic Wanhua District, after leading them on a tour of the streets he used
00:23to call home.
00:30Liang spent much of his adult life homeless, getting by with odd jobs and the help of local
00:36charities. But now, at 70 years old, Liang works as a tour guide, earning enough money
00:42to rent his own place.
00:44But if you join one of Liang's tours, don't expect to visit famous sites like Taipei 101.
00:50Instead, he'll show you the city as experienced by its homeless community, and share his own
00:55stories of the difficulties of life on the streets.
01:07During the 90-minute walking tour, Liang shows us some key locations for the homeless community,
01:13including clothes markets, social gathering spots, and some of his personal favourite
01:18cheap eats. These tours do more than simply provide Liang with a stable source of income.
01:24With the help of a local NGO, they're designed to educate the public about homelessness.
01:45And for those who join the tour, it can also help them see the city in a new light.
02:02Official estimates put Taipei's homeless community at around 600-700 people, though NGOs think
02:09the true figure is likely higher.
02:26And when the winter months roll around, that community support is more necessary than ever.
02:31Not only to survive the elements, but also to provide social comfort, as families across
02:36the country gather to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
03:00Every year, partnering with a local restaurant, the Homeless Taiwan Association puts on a
03:05New Year banquet, a welcome treat for a community who are seldom afforded such luxuries.
03:19While Taiwan's total homeless population may be small compared to most countries, they
03:24remain a misunderstood and even sometimes feared group of individuals, and many of them
03:30struggle with physical or mental difficulties.
03:33Through their unique city tours, Uncle Liang and the Homeless Taiwan Association invite
03:38the public to take a more compassionate view, particularly at a time of year that's all
03:44about togetherness.
03:45Karma Hsu and Rhys Ayres for Taiwan Plus.