The picture on Haveeru yesterday shows a line of people, who assemble in Male' for the month of Ramadan hoping to increase their begging income. This is a very sensitive issue. Most of them are elderly persons. Regardless of whether one agrees with their behaviour or not, they deserve sympathy. That is the goodness in human decency. Most of them may have raised families and contributed to society. In their sunset years, this is a very sad state for them.
While their individual difficulties are not known, nothing suggests that they do it do to sustain a serious drug habit- a deadly addiction widespread in our country. Also it appears that the social welfare monthly payment of rf 2000 for seniors above 65 may not be adequate to sustain a decent living.
Their families, the community and the government will have to step up to help these people in a more effective manner. Government can develop various skills programmes, just like the 'second chance programme' recently introduced, to help these people take up meaningful work that can pay them adequate compensation. That increases their self esteem and gives a sense of pride in belonging to a community. Stronger family bonds will need to be maintained to avoid people having to resort to begging as a means for survival or as a profession to earn money.
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2 comments:
To tell you the truth I was thinking of posting an article about these people but did not because I have no clue why some of them prefer to be beggars... like the lady who lives nearby, she has a two story house in which more than four rooms are given out on rent. She doesn't have any children to spend money on and in addition to that her husband is a very hard working man.
Is this greed or addiction... I don't know. All I know is that if she chooses she is most capable of living a well off life.
Hi xyns
Assuming that the lady who has rented out 4 rooms is receiving regular rental income, for her sit out on the street begging is a less than dignified living choice. For people like her, their families will need to be traced and get them to take advice from counsellors and the welfare dept- urge them to make better choices. This is a sensitive process because a change of behaviour is involved.
Some countries have banned begging and some people demonise them, yet the problems exists.
Unless they are serial beggers, most of them will accept help- get training to take up useful jobs and make different living choices rather than sitting on the road and beg. For this to happen govt has to take the initiative. Govt can provide adequate state welfare, free skills training also get the community groups and volunteer services to reach out to this group of people with the support of the families.
In the relentless pursuit of ecomomic advancement, the less fortunate who need more help get overlooked by policy makers.
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