At the end of this November morning, Gaëtan Rohart is preparing for another lean day. In the silver container placed in front of him, only a few copper-colored coins, pennies. “We won’t get far with this”, he blurted out to his dog feeding her babies. Squatting on a blue tarpaulin in front of the Carrefour Express on rue de Valmy, in Lille, Gaëtan Rohart keeps smiling, despite the circumstances.
Aged 50, the homeless man lives in a tent, on an abandoned plot of land in the south of the capital of Flanders, with two companions in misfortune. To meet their needs, all three beg in different parts of the city. “At the end of the day, we put everything togetherexplains the fifty-year-old, while patting his down jacket to combat the cold. We had the intelligence to show solidarity, otherwise we wouldn’t get through it. »
On the street for seven years, Gaëtan Rohart has seen generosity crumble. Over the years, the amounts collected are reduced, and donors become increasingly rare. “People no longer have change on them. It’s getting more and more difficult. Today, I manage to collect between 30 and 40 euros per day, compared to 150 euros a few years ago. Before, I could afford a hotel room from time to time and sleep warmly. »
A little further away, near the Place de la République, Julien Digaud endures refusals or indifference from busy passers-by. Blonde with blue eyes and a backpack on his shoulders, this 37-year-old man, homeless since his adolescence and the death of his mother, is looking for change to pay for a night in a bed. “I manage to get 50 euros per day compared to 80 some time ago. The amount of donations is decreasing. Passers-by could give me a 5 or 10 euro note whereas today they barely have a few coins on them, it’s a reality. »
Relieving the guilt of the passerby
If cash still represents the majority of payments, the Banque de France indicates in his latest study from April 2023 as their use declines over the years. At the same time, bank card payments are increasing, reaching 43% of transactions. To explain this phenomenon, Gaëtan Rohart points with his chin to the new automatic checkouts at Carrefour Express. “They installed them two weeks ago. This is the sign of the new era in our means of payment: no more need for cash. Even Ticket Restaurants have been dematerialized. I am given about two per month compared to several per day before. »
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