THE SHELTER ONLINE : MY TOUGH TIME IN THE SHELTER IN THE USA.

Despite winter season freezing temperatures, the measure aimed at reducing energy and water bills in some of atlanta/ Georgia's shelters by turning off heating and ventilation systems in frequently crowded shelters has obliged many homeless people and shelter dwellers to bundle-up themselves in blankets, or in warmer clothes for many hours of the day as many may have neglected the daily basic hygienic requirements for cleaness often made possible in the early morning cold shower, or in the evening. Stale air and odor has continuously overwhelmed the fresh air in the shelter, due to poor ventilation system, or when windows and doors have been kept closed and locked through out the night and during day time because of winter season weather.
As a first time homeless shelter dweller in the USA, my first weeks in the shelter had been so rough and tough that I felt I would be suffocated by the stale air in the shelter and had often ran downstairs gasping for fresh air as aresult I have remained downstairs since then and have neither slept on a bed for the period of about one year, nor have taken my usual cup of tea every morning.

Written by Godfrey Ohia.