Life in "dog cages" in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is ranked among the richest cities in China. For example, the number of Louis Vuitton boutiques in this city exceeds that in Paris. However, the life of tens of thousands of poor people is sad: many exist like rabbits, sleeping in cages measuring 180 by 60 centimeters. British photographer Brian Cassey has documented the life of the Hong Kong grassroots.
The owners of apartment houses profit from poor migrant workers from the inner provinces of China, the poor, the elderly and other people who cannot afford to pay for expensive rental housing in the former British colony.
The owners of the property came up with the idea of putting up to 20 metal cages in the room, which they rent to this contingent.
The most expensive cage costs about $ 200, the cheapest - about $ 130-150 per month.
Thus, from one large room of 40-45 square meters, the landlord has up to 3-4 thousand dollars of income per month.
The cages, of course, are placed in three tiers to save space.
The most expensive ones are on the first tier.
The shower and toilet in such a hostel are shared, there are no kitchens in apartment buildings.
According to Brian Cassie, living in such conditions is monstrous, but the only alternative is free vegetating on the street.
Activists of human rights organizations have been fighting against "dog cages" for many years, as such hostels are called in Hong Kong, but so far without success.
The most notable organization is the SoCo - Society for Community Organization, which is trying to establish targeted assistance and rehousing of the poor, relocating them to more decent dormitories and flophouses.
According to their data, the number of inhabitants of "dog cages" in Hong Kong can reach up to 250-350 thousand people – this is about 5-7% of the permanent population of this city.