Four years ago, Thomas Salmi was drinking to forget. He was homeless and living on the streets of Finlands capital city Helsinki.

He had a rough start in life. He wasnt able to live at home because his father had problems with aggression. He ended up going to nine different childrens homes, before falling through the cracks of the system in his late teens. By 21 he was homeless. I lost the sense of a normal life. I became depressed, aggressive, angry and I abused alcohol a lot. He would drink up to half a gallon a day and then get into trouble. I thought why would I care if I go to jail? I dont have to be out there in snow and cold.

Salmi was sleeping in Helsinki train station when a social worker found him and told him he could help. He was put in touch with Helsinki Deaconess Institute (HDI), a Finnish nonprofit that provides social services. A year later he moved into Aurora-Tola, a 125-unit house run by HDI.

Now 25 years old, he lives in his own studio apartment, works as a janitor and life is getting back on track. I know that if I am in my house nobody is coming to get me out or telling me what to do, he said, If I want to dance in my home, I can.