Homeless men employed as porters

A group of seven men, most of whom were homeless, have been given work as porters at Bratislava's main railway station, the Pravda daily reported on Tuesday. The porters, who wear distinctive blue uniforms with caps, have begun carrying passengers' luggage free of charge three days per week. The project was the idea of a reader of Nota Bene magazine, which is sold on the streets by the homeless. It has been organised by civil association Against the Flow. "I like doing it, and people have shown great interest in the two hours that I've already worked, especially the older people. There aren't any escalators here, and so they were very pleased that someone would help them with their heavy bags", said Dodo, who is one of the new porters. The daily also noted that some passengers gave the porters a wide berth. It may take some time before trust is built up, but the special uniforms should help to speed up the process.