"This is a rough-and-tumble place and it's nice to come back to two people who care about me, who care about my success, who care about the difficulties I might be having either at work or at home and just to have two friends who are a sounding board."
Small dealers in Bogota say Mr Carranza and his associates have been holding backrough emeralds, pushing up the price and forcing them out of business.
He said that by offering "individually tailored support" the charity can help rough sleepers to get back on their feet and ultimately to live independent lives.