By Alan Nemirovski
On Monday, 27 November, a student-run vigil outside of Shaw Cafe in CKK, attended by both students and staff, sought to commemorate an individual rough sleeping in the same location who recently passed away.
The individual who passed away in the location in which he had slept could not be identified by students or staff who attended the vigil. Organisers Cici Manwa and Danielle Esohe Onaiwu shared they had attempted to contact the police but were not given details due to GDPR compliance regulations.
Nonetheless, Manwa was troubled by the way in which the death of the individual was handled. In a eulogy presented at the vigil, she said, “In death, his presence [was] erased within 60 minutes, the place that he made his home left with no trace of life.”
An Instagram post inviting the LSE community to the vigil shared by some of the LSESU sabbatical officers wrote, “This tragedy highlights the urgent need for us to address the complex issue of homelessness on our campus. In times like these, it becomes even more crucial for us to unite, support one another, and actively work towards creating a safer and more compassionate environment for everyone.”
Sarah Onifade, the LSESU Welfare and Liberation Officer, was in attendance and helped organise the vigil. “The group of students and I wanted to make sure that the vigil was not merely symbolic but instrumental to act as a catalyst for us as a community to do more to combat homelessness.”
Sheila Mutua, a third-year student at LSE, attended the vigil because she “felt it was [her] duty to his life.” Although she acknowledged she didn’t know much about the man, to her, he was “someone who played a part in [her] life – although it was small, he was a part nonetheless.”
“I think it was nice to see a group of people who felt the same way but, more importantly, recognise that he was part of LSE’s community too. Even though I do my best to give when I can, I think the vigil was a call to action for me.”
A spokesperson from LSE commented on the School’s efforts to tackle homelessness on campus effectively, “LSE works through the LSE Homeless Initiative to bring together students and staff from across the School to raise awareness about rough sleeping, provide information and organise volunteering and fundraising opportunities.
As part of the initiative, all LSE Security staff complete Homeless Wise training, which trains them to spot signs that someone might be homeless or rough sleeping and how best they can offer support, including by connecting people sleeping rough to local services via StreetLink referral services.”
At the end of her eulogy, Manwa wanted to remind staff and students that everyone can help those who are rough sleeping, “The act of giving does not have to be monetary. In fact, the profound acts of kindness cost no money at all. A smile, a glance, a nod of recognition, can make a world of difference.”
Photograph by Alan Nemirovski
