Joshua Coombes é um cabeleireiro que tem verdadeira paixão pelo que faz, sai mundo afora criando novos penteados nas pessoas, entretanto, seus clientes não são ‘muito comuns’, afinal, não pagam pelo serviço.

Na verdade, Joshua é cabeleireiro de moradores de rua, onde dá uma nova aparência para que essas pessoas consigam criar uma autoestima, afinal, uma mudança externa pode contribuir para que a mudança interior também aconteça.

Veja algumas transformações que ele já fez:

01. Tod, Santa Mônica

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This is Tod, 37 years old, from North Carolina. I sat down next to Tod near Santa Monica pier and we got talking. His journey across the country has landed him here on the west coast, arriving a few months ago. He sleeps on the street not far away. I asked him why he left his home – “Do you ever feel disillusioned with everything? That feeling hit me really hard a while back. Everything began losing it’s meaning. My job was paying me just enough to cover rent and food each month with little to spare, then it’s starts all over again. It felt like I was living someone else’s life. I took anything I had saved and got on a greyhound bus. The road has been tougher than expected but the kindness of strangers helps a lot. I think I’m ready to head back to Carolina soon. I’m unsure of what I’ll do when I get back, but I needed to get away from it all for a while.” That disconnection Tod feels and the struggle of everyday life is something most of us can relate too. It’s hard to combat that. What do you do when you feel this way? I was racing against the light to cut Tod’s hair but I finished up in time to watch the sun go down together and talk some more. #DoSomethingForNothing

Uma publicação compartilhada por Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) em 3 de Out, 2017 às 1:50 PDT

02. Benjamin, Los Angeles

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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

Uma publicação compartilhada por Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) em 1 de Abr, 2018 às 1:29 PDT

03. Joshua, Califórnia

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This is Joshua, 24 years old. We met a few days ago on Venice Beach Boardwalk, CA. Joshua saw me cutting hair for someone else near the beach and walked over shyly to ask if he could be next. When I began cutting, Joshua spoke softly and slowly. His whole demeanour was introverted. He’d seldom look me in the eyes. I didn’t push for conversation. I just listened to what he wanted to say – “I’ve been wanting to get rid of this beard for the last couple weeks. It’s hard to find the chance to shave out here and it’s been so hot here recently. I was sleeping in a tent for a few months until it was removed in a ‘routine clean up.’ Before Venice I was staying in Torrance, near Redondo Beach. I had a room and was getting some help to pay for that. I was born in Louisiana but I left home early on. I didn’t have it all that easy growing up. But, I don’t like to talk about it all that much. You don’t have a choice where you land in this world…” As Joshua left, We hugged and I caught his eyes. We didn’t have all that much conversation, or get to know a huge amount about one another, but we shared something. I felt someone that had conceded more pain than he’d inflicted. He was so humble throughout. #DoSomethingForNothing

Uma publicação compartilhada por Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) em 3 de Set, 2018 às 2:44 PDT

04. Сedric, Paris

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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.

Uma publicação compartilhada por Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) em 18 de Mai, 2017 às 1:12 PDT

05. David, Londres

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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

Uma publicação compartilhada por Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) em 29 de Jul, 2018 às 3:07 PDT

06. Zach, Londres

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This is Zack, 33 years old. Zack is such character, it’s hard to explain without actually meeting him, but this guy is awesome. He has a huge heart and plays a big role in the homeless community down at Charing Cross. I’ve met Zack plenty of times now, but today was the first time I’ve given him a haircut. He grew up on London near Upton Park and fell upon hard times a long time ago. Zack didn’t wanna speak to me about family but said he hasn’t got anybody to rely on here anymore. He’s been homeless for years but wants a fresh start and to enjoy some of the things most of us have the opportunity to each day. I want to follow Zack’s story and help him along. He hadn’t had his haircut properly in ages so it was great to give him a makeover, I could see he was brimming with confidence afterwards. Giving someone back there dignity, even for a short while, makes it all worth it for me. #DoSomethingForNothing

Uma publicação compartilhada por Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) em 15 de Jul, 2016 às 1:07 PDT

07. Phil, Londres

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This is Phil, 34 years old. Phil is best mates with Lee (previous post) They’re both from Maidstone in Kent, south east of the U.K. I asked Phil what work he looked for when he first came to London – ‘I’m a painter and decorator by trade and I’m a good at it. I really miss it to be honest. There just wasn’t any steady work for me here. I tried to apply for other jobs to get by but this is the situation we’re in now’. These guys stick together and have best friends for nearly twenty years, the last two of those spent sleeping rough in London. When I stopped to approach them both, they couldn’t have been more welcoming. We sat down and chatted for about twenty minutes before I even mentioned I was a hairdresser and told them about @dosomethingfornothing || When I mentioned about getting their hair they were really excited but then expressions changed and Phil said ‘We haven’t had a shower in a few days though mate, our hair is dirty’ That’s the perfect time for a tidy up ??✂️. #DoSomethingForNothing

Uma publicação compartilhada por Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) em 5 de Jun, 2016 às 6:34 PDT

08. Aman, Londres

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This is Aman. He has been homeless in London for the last four months. Aman didn’t have any requests for how he wanted his hair apart from saying ‘Tidy me up!’ – so I got to work. It was amazing to spend time with him and to learn about his life. He was very open with me, saying alcohol played a big part in him becoming homeless. ‘Drink is the problem, it got to the point where I knew I was relying on it and that’s not good.’ He told me how it effected the people around him and his life in general. He talked about London being a tough place since living on the street and now realising he took for granted some of the amenities most of us have access to every day. It was great to give him a transformation, making him feel like his old self again for a while. ✂️ Every time I do this I learn, whatever the reasons contributing to someone being in a bad situation in their life, we have to treat them with love. It’s the only way people. #DoSomethingForNothing

Uma publicação compartilhada por Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) em 3 de Ago, 2016 às 11:30 PDT

09. Spider, Miami

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This is Spider. 52 years old. He walked over and came and sat quietly in line for his haircut. “I used to have it all, man. The fast car, the apartment, the girls. The limits of Miami never stopped for me, I just kept going faster and faster. Cocaine was always by my side. Right there whenever I needed it. On my coffee table. In my bathroom cabinet. Inside the glove box of my car. All I had to do was reach out and I’d be back where I needed to be. I don’t know how it took me so long to realise that Cocaine didn’t love me back. I got pulled over by the cops one day. I had a large amount with me. I spent the next eight years in Jail… Life sure is different now. I had nothing when I got out. All those nights out. All the drinks. All the drugs. All the conversations. None of that leaves you with people you can truly call your friends.” I was brushing sand from Spider’s hair whilst cutting it – “I usually sleep out by Miami Beach. I’m always searching for a quiet spot so that I don’t have to worry about being messed around with too much. Yeah, life has certainly changed. I guess I’ve changed also. Perhaps this is it. Perhaps this is just another chapter…” #DoSomethingForNothing

Uma publicação compartilhada por Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) em 5 de Jul, 2018 às 2:40 PDT

10. Callum, Manchester

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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

Uma publicação compartilhada por Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) em 18 de Fev, 2019 às 1:51 PST

11. Travis, Alasca

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This is Travis, 21 years old. He was born in Point Hope, a small village in northern Alaska. At two years old, he moved south, to Anchorage, with his grandfather – “My grandfather told me later that he didn’t want me to live the village life so we moved us here. I still have lots of family up in the north but I don’t get to see them much anymore. I don’t know what my life would have been like if I stayed. I’m only 21 now so maybe I’ll move back one day.” We met Travis on the first night I arrived in town. It was about -10 degrees Celsius, he was huddled with a few others, all of similar age. It’s staggering how many young people there are on the street or staying in encampments in the surrounding woods around Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city. We got talking to the group and let them know where we would be for the next few days. Travis had a quiet way about him and always a smile. As if he was away somewhere deep in thought. At the end of the haircut He took a long look in the mirror before a big smile appeared – “Yeh man! I dig this!” #DoSomethingForNothing

Uma publicação compartilhada por Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) em 12 de Fev, 2018 às 1:39 PST

12. Michael, Londres

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This is Michael. I met him today on a side street, between two busy areas of East London. I sat down next to him for a minute and he began speaking with me – “Mate, do you have the time? Thanks. I have to go to the hospital later today. My foot is killing me. It’s been that way for over a month. I know it’s an infection but I’ve been scared to check it out. Some days the pain is so much I can hardly walk.” Michael grew up in Liverpool before moving to Kent, then London at twelve years old. I asked him about childhood memories – “Oh in a mansion. Of course…” he laughed. “I lived on a council estate with my mum and my sister. Well, my dad was around until I was six, before he left. I’ve never seen him again since… I’ve thought about that lot… I still don’t know the reason why. My mum took care of us though, she did what she could to bring us up. I saw it.” Michael has been sleeping on the streets for seven months. He was living in South London before – “I had a flat in West Norwood and was working at a butchers nearby. That’s something I always done since being a teenager. I’ve had other jobs but that was what I did after leaving school. I remember those early mornings. They took some getting used too, but I enjoyed it.” I saw how little weight Michael had on his body. I knew there was something else that was eating away at him – “I’ve been on a prescription of Methadone for two years… I can remember the first time that someone offered my heroin. I pretended everything was ok for a while and got on with living ‘a normal life’. It was only ever a matter of time before it caught up with me. I got clean, at least that’s something. But there’s still a way to go…” #DoSomethingForNothing

Uma publicação compartilhada por Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) em 22 de Jul, 2018 às 2:06 PDT

13. Terry, Nova York

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This is Terry 27 years old. Boyfriend of Eveylon in last post. Definite restyle for this gent, he said it was time. Somebody tried to steal from Terry a week before. You can see the remains of a black eye and bruising on his head from this incident. Together, Eveylon and Terry have been sleeping on the streets together for six months. Last year, they shared a room in Brooklyn but as their drug habit picked up, things stared to slide financially. They were both open and honest about their addiction, as they were about their past. Neither one of them had the easiest of upbringings. Eveylon spoke of her last relationship before meeting Terry – “Looking back to my ex, I can’t see how I let someone treat me that way. It was so unhealthy. I was feeling vulnerable already and just wanted love. That can blind you sometimes. He did some horrible things to me that I don’t like to talk about much. It couldn’t be more different with Terry. We respect each other. It’s a love that I’ve never felt before. Someone walked past us on the street recently and said ‘You can’t be homeless because you’re too happy’ We haven’t got much at the moment but we have each other and that’s amazing.” – I believed everything she said, I could feel it between them. They had this deep care for each other that felt unbreakable. It was if it didn’t matter what the world has thrown at them, nobody can what they have together. Eveylon and Terry are on a methadone script now trying to work a programme towards abstinence. #DoSomethingForNothing

Uma publicação compartilhada por Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) em 13 de Set, 2017 às 1:28 PDT

14. Brian, Nova York

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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

Uma publicação compartilhada por Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) em 18 de Fev, 2017 às 2:45 PST

15. Laurent, Paris

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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

Uma publicação compartilhada por Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) em 11 de Ago, 2017 às 1:16 PDT

16. Petru, Londres. Originário da Romênia

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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

Uma publicação compartilhada por Joshua Coombes (@joshuacoombes) em 18 de Ago, 2017 às 1:25 PDT