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De cirkel van armoede

Documentary, 2006, 80 min.

In 2006, around 642,000 Dutch families lived below the official poverty line. In the Bijlmer district of Amsterdam, this even applies to 25 percent of the population. In this south-eastern part of town many people, driven to despair by the official bureaucracy, are helped by John and Celine, two staff members of Foundation Service Platform Amsterdam.
John, a Caucasian middle-aged man, steers a straight course. He knows the pitfalls of the sluggish red tape and lets nobody play tricks on him. He has learned from bitter experience, unfortunately. 'I've seen all bailiffs in the Netherlands.' Celine - another stayer - is embarrassed that despite doing this work she is in the same 'shit'. 'I tell clients they must keep their accounts straight, but have a hard time doing it myself'. In the office, one client is quiet and helpless, another livid and desperate. Living off food aid for five months and eating bread with a thin layer of sugar leaves its mark on you.

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