The pandemic has been difficult on all of us but there is a certain segment of society that seems to be hard-hit by it. It is the homeless individuals, and many of them are suffering greatly.
Of course, we realize that being homeless means that you are out on the street but they were also at higher risk for COVID as the pandemic was raging. In many cases, they didn’t have the protection that they needed in order to stay safe and that, coupled with the unsafe conditions and the weather really made for a difficult life.
Although this is a difficult situation, there is hope in at least one area of the world where they are doing something about it. In Germany, they are creating insulated sleeping pods and they offer homeless communities an opportunity to ride out the winter storms in comfort.
The pods were given a start in a small German city and a cluster of them was established. These pods have thermal insulation and the shape of the pod allows for up to two people to live in them. Of course, it isn’t a little home, it’s just a place to sleep and stay warm.
They created the pods out of wood and steel and added a solar panel to generate enough power so that the inside can be heated. If you have a pet or some luggage, you can also store it as well. Nothing has to be left out of the freezing cold overnight.
There were some delays along the way because of the pandemic but now they are being rolled out. They’re also being spread out so that social distancing is possible, even under such difficult conditions.
Along with having solar panels for power, they also use the wireless network in the local area to provide Internet. They are locked for safety and no cameras exist, although there are plenty of safety and privacy issues that are built into them.
This isn’t a new concept, the team that was responsible for building them has had the idea for a number of years. Now that they are a reality, they are seeing some things that people had never dreamed of before. It gives them the opportunity to see that their hard work is paying off and many are benefiting from it.