23-year old Alexis has to study and work to make ends meet

Alexis is a 23-year-old student studying quantum physics. His master’s degree is the one that produces the most Nobel Prize winners in the world. But despite his prestigious studies, he has to work on the side to make a living. Ever since he began his studies, Alexis has always managed to get by. His parents […]
Bakary Boudou: a chef running a restaurant from his social residence

Bakary Boudou arrived in France some fifteen years ago. In his home country, Mauritania, he lived with his mother, who ran a restaurant and taught him how to cook. Since his arrival to France, he worked in several restaurants but was laid off before Covid. Today, in his 9m2 room, which he shares with his […]
In Guadeloupe, locals are losing their homes to the climate crisis

Lucien Yemcama has seen his neighbourhood being eaten away by the sea. Now retired, he grew up in the Poirier district of Capesterre-Belle-Eau, in the French territory of Guadeloupe. With climate change, the erosion, partly natural, is greatly accentuated by cyclones, the death of coral reefs and seagrass beds, the installation of dykes that modify […]
From Parisian suburbs to teaching an elite sport

Djibril grew up in the Pablo Picasso housing estate in Nanterre, a Parisian. At summer camp, aged 13, he rode a horse for the first time. It was love at first sight. On the way home, he told his parents he wanted to take up horse riding, but they laughed at him. So he called […]
Sam’s Way: A French Man on a Mission to Save Farming

Samuel Michaud is a farmer who lives in the region of Auvergne in France. Since he was a child, he knew he would own and run his own farm. But over the past few years, he has been worried about the state of agriculture: from high suicide rates among farmers to unsustainable animal nutrition products. […]
From food insecurity to homelessness: students on the verge of poverty

Ariane, Alexis and Philomène are all student activists from Le Poing Levé, a leftist student union studying the well-being of university students across France and fighting for better conditions. Their recent survey demonstrated horrifying results: thousands of young people across the country struggle with food insecurity, homelessness and having to juggle full-time studies with a […]
Inside La Rocafonda, home of young football star Lamine Yamal and a target for the far right

He was the face of Spain’s victory at Euro 2024. 16-year-old Lamine Yamal is the present and the future of la Roja, the Spanish football team. Every time he scores he shows the number 304 with his hands. It’s the postal code of La Rocafonda, where he grew up. La Rocafonda is a working-class and […]
The real Life of Tidiane, after 42 surgeries

In 2018, Tidiane was hit by a car in his neighbourhood in Nanterre. He spent 4 years in hospital, undergoing 42 operations. After years of rehabilitation and home care, he has now scheduled a surgery to have part of his leg amputated. Here’s his story. @streetpress is a Sphera Network member and this story is […]
The Real Life of a Virtual Sex Worker

Vera Flynn is a virtual sex worker. She debunks the myth of easy money: for her, online sex work is precarious despite popular beliefs. From heavy taxation to commissions imposed by agencies, some months she struggles to make ends meet. The job also comes with endless negative comments and risks that someone might steal your […]
Abandoned by the authorities, this apartment block in Marseille only houses 12 people

La Renaude is one of Marseille’s northern districts. It has a reputation for being underprivileged and difficult. For several years, La Renaude has been neglected by the authorities, recently the new owner decided to demolish the apartment buildings. Tenants have been offered alternative accommodation. However, 12 people have not accepted these offers and continue to […]