Meanwhile, there are an estimated 4.1 million homeless people in the European Union.

While these figures are startling to say the least, one Italian charity isn’t intimidated by them.

Neapolitan non-profit Napoli 2035 is tackling the issue of homelessness one cardboard tent at a time.

Napoli 2035 was born in 2017 out of a combination of factors, including five friends’ desire to stamp out hostility towards the most vulnerable members of society and shed light on the problems associated with homelessness.

“We wanted to create a world in which the invisible members of society become visible,” a spokesperson for the organisation said.

“We also sought to provide shelter to homeless people, while going against common yet questionable solutions to ‘urban decorum’.”

Napoli 2035 recently made international headlines when its prototype for a foldable cardboard tent for the homeless went viral online.

The disposable shelters are called Scorz’​, the Neapolitan word for “skin”, and were invented by 30-year-old Giuseppe D’Alessandro during his design studies in 2017.

They’re made out of recyclable cardboard and plastic and fold like an accordion into portable backpacks.

D’Alessandro has only built a few dozen models that have been distributed to homeless people around Naples and other Italian cities such as Milan.

However, the tents are expected to hit streets all over Italy – and eventually Europe – very soon.

“We’re waiting to start mass production,” the spokesperson said.

“Then we’ll begin distributing nationally.”

The initiative went viral this month after Napoli 2035 posted a video on Facebook addressed to the deputy mayor of Trieste, Paolo Polidori, who caused widespread outrage by bragging about throwing away a homeless man’s “rags”.

Polidori, a member of the far-right League, had boasted online about getting rid of the man’s possessions to send a message of “zero tolerance” against decay in the northern Italian city.

“In Trieste, the deputy mayor throws a homeless man’s blankets in the bin. Here in Naples we are trying to write a different story,” Napoli 2035 wrote on January 6, sharing a video of activists handing out the very first tent to be distributed, to a man named Gino.

The video has since been viewed around 103,000 times and shared by more than 1000 people.

From Japan to Germany and Ireland, hundreds of organisations have expressed their interest in the innovative shelter.

Meanwhile, Napoli 2035 has received positive feedback from the people who matter most: those using the tents.

“The shelters were very well received by the homeless people we’ve been in contact with,” the spokesperson said.

“Before we began the design process, we asked them directly if the shelters would be a welcome gift.”

While the initiative has experienced resounding success, Napoli 2035 stresses that it’s not the long-term answer to homelessness.

In fact, the tents are emblazoned with the slogan: “This is a temporary shelter. We need a real solution.”

Photo: Facebook/Napoli 2035

The shelters are made with recyclable and biodegradable materials, not just for the obvious reason of being eco-friendly, but also to ensure they’re always considered as a short-term home.

The tent’s temporary nature provides homeless people some safety, warmth and privacy, while motivating them to seek more permanent accommodation and turn their lives around.

“The real solution is to create a community of workers, in which everyone can demonstrate and use their skills,” the spokesperson said.

“We also need to recover abandoned buildings and offer business consulting services.

“More generally, we should not leave anyone in their solitude.”

Napoli 2035 is fighting for a future in which no one is forced to live on the streets by involving entire communities, including  homeless people, artists, designers, businesses and volunteers.

“The goal is to give everyone the ability to imagine a better future for themselves, where paradoxical social disparities no longer exist.”