One of the comman sites in Delhi is a small child on a crossing asking for a rupee or two, it really touches me and i wonder what could be the possible solution to this long lasting social problem in India. But i have never been able to think of a solution for this. Although i strongly feel that we should not promote this and fight out this evil, but then are we prepeared find out an alternative job/work/school option for these minor children. I dont think we are. We cant just blame the Govt. also as they also have their own limitations and the worst part is even if the primary education is given to these children will that be enough for them to find a respectful job/standing in the society, in todays competative world where finding a job for an MBA is also difficult how can these poor children with almost no social/family/society backing can struggle out after the primary education. Higher education or professional education is not free and can also be not made free, because of the huge cost invloved in doing it, for which we are niether capable nor equipped with.
Then what can be done, i really dont have an answer ??? need your suggestions and views on this topic.
What i always try (i mean try) is to give them whatever is possible from my side money/eatable/cloth i mean anything which can bring SMILE on their face. I would anyday avoid giving money bu then ??? if i am in a mrket i will try and buy them some food (but i also have my limitations at time in terms of money that i am carrying or the money i can actually afford) U guys would understand what i mean… I think we should always contribute in one way or the other for this social problem. Just imagine how helpless these children are … the way they look at us and the condition they are in… on one of us would like this to happen to anyone we know.
Remember an old urdu saying …..
ghar se masjid hai bahut door, chalo ye kar lein,
ek roote hue bache ko hansaya jai….
Pls contribute for a better tommorow … for all of us
Shiv
Smile
Posted in Poverty.
– September 25, 2006
25 Responses
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i think should each one teach one. money doesnt help, you”ll have to make them sustain themselves. we can all start from our own localities, teach them not only to read and write but also small means of livelihood to contribute to their family earnings instead of begging.
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hi shiv, i disagree with you. I never give money to these children. I think that by giving money, we only promote begging. Their parents just ask their children to stand on traffic intersections and beg. In the evening, they take away all the money and spend money on cheap liquor. The rcih are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer in India. There is no economic growth for them. I also do not know of any solution yet but giving money and promoting beggary is definitely not a solution.
hym,h
ykjm
It’’s like you have written my feelings out there.
I dont know what can be done and what cant be done,but i made it a habit to give something when asked for,whether it’’s street children or beggars.Instead of thinking high without acting it’’s better to give some thing which we can do right NOW.
sum timz dees kids aint innocent… the oder day… 1 of such kids snachd da wallet frm a car fella whu waz tryin to giv dat kid sm moni… at exacli the moment it was green(signal)…wht cud b done??? he cudnt stop the car nor cud he run behind dat kid… reeli its hard to identifi whuz whu…
if you wanna give sumthing to the child begging then dont give him/ her money but a meal is definitely a better donation…we are all so caught up in this vicious circle we give money but that money rarely helps them…so the best next step is food and a pat on the cheek…try to suggest school to them as most of them crave for that space wher innocence is still relatively alive…i agree with ramesh here i myself work for a school for the under preveliged and it does get respite to the little ones..in the end a child wants love security and warmth the most…
Are we doing the right thing by giving them arms? I mean, please dont misunderstand me..but what I mean to say is that are we not furthering their actions by doing so? Instead is it not possible that we look into how these kids on streets can be lured into spending some quality time in schools? There are a lot of NGO doing wonderful work in bringing some sunshine into the lives of these kids.
Even here I always think the same but even I dont get a complete solution but as much as I can I try a bit to do something for these small childrens. But I too really feel that there should be some good way to help them as they are our future too……. But the childrens are inspired so much my their parents and community that even if you give them an opportunity to have free education they ask for money.
Really good thoughts are flowing in this column, but this has to be activated in the real time situation. I think money alone cannot change their life and probably it makes them worse further. But this kind situation we can follow below things
1) To arrange food for their hungry
2) Slowly make them to understand need of education
3) like that to motivate better life
So guys you can add more points along with this…
We all know that these children are helpless.. not their fault. What e ccud possibly do is try and educate them, teach them, take weekend classes and take the responsibilty of their education. that will take their mind off begging on streets, and wil look forward to a brighter future. Its easier said than done, but an effort needs to be taken somewhere, alongwith the whol and sole responisbilty of one child. Each One Teach One. There are many org suporitng this casue. We cud join them. Pls lemme know wat u think. Thanks!
Its true that society also needs to work for the street children as they are the future… but as its there in many comments most of the time money given to them is misused.. I got some experience of educating these kids for shortwhile.. and realised that inspite of free primary education they were not interested… main reason is lack of motivation from families as for the family its sheer waste of time , they think that inspite their kids can go & earn rather than getting educated because this education is not going to help them in earning their bread….
Nice thoughts well expressed. Hope it inspires one among your many readers to really do something to improve thingsd around and add smiles to desolate faces. Regarding on whether people deserve charity, if We got only what we deserved a lot of us (me included) would be much worse off than we are. So let us go out and help the best we can
i do agree with wat u”ve written in ur post……..but i do pitty on their conditions but yaar they people r dramitic n most of the time they r just faking us……once one of my aunt asked a girl who was in her late teens that came with me i”ll provide u food n shelter n give u some money if u work in the near by school…..she said”aap jo doge usase jyada to hum 2din mai kama lenge woh bhi free main” they dnt want to work……….wat to say? i really dnt know who’’s in genuine prob these days?the only solution i found is to go to a local orphanage n spend few hrs there with the kids…..help them in doing their home works n gift them on their b”days…….give them wat ever u want or wats in ur pocket……….so there is no need to be frustrated atleast we can bring smile on few faces n belive me it give happiness n content………………………………..we cant change the world but atleast to our surroundings…………….
i feel the same way too,and also do the same..prefer to give food over money,etc..but i really wonder abt what will really happen to them,will they ever get the help they so rightfully deserve?with all the ngos in mumbai,the problem is the same.they say that the parents of theses kids pull them out of the shelters,force them to beg..sometimes i am terrified at the thought :will we become immune to their very existence in our society?
I feel it is because people give these children what they want that they continue asking from people. If you give them money, do you think they will not misuse it? There should be some other solution to this problem. I know child labour is illegal but I feel that it is better than begging. If they are not exploited then there should be no harm in that. I know it is difficult to check that but if some mechanism is found out it would help these children in a better way. I feel it is not possible to eliminate child labour completely. There are some children who are the sole earning members of their family. What would happen to their family if they stop earning altogether? Anyways, giving money to a street child is surely not the option.
Over population is the only reason, which is growing like a big virus. One day it will eat up our society, its values and ethics. I think the only solution is that government should make very stringent rules, to control this ever increasing crowd. And as far as the street children are concerned, I too pity their condition.
ur post “smile” is too good and true.
Perfactly right whatever said and feel, actually when we see these poor children on footpath or stree we want to do something for that but we can do within our limitation only as u said also. But we should do stng.for them whatever we can.
Rightly said.We need to help them in whatever way we can.God has blessed us with many things,why don”t we give little bit from that.
d same feelings over here
thanx bcoz uve motivated me to do something. really this is so sad that people dont think abt poor children .carry on wid d good wrk. gud nite
ek rote hue bacche ko hasaya jaaye… how true! I like what you”ve posted here… I”ve often seen these kids just loitering in the dust near red lights. They run to the cars as soon as the signal turns red… Have you seen how the money never rests with them for long? Smackie looking parents/siblings take each rupee after each signal. So my husband has kept lose glucose biscuits in my car which he hands out to these kids 2 at a time. That way they quickly gobble em before the heartless elders snatch em away.
Nicely xpressd ur feelings 4 helpless poor children; thrs sum place in bihar…whr li”l children horribly toil 4 10-12 hrs. jus” 4 jus” 2 Rs. a day(heavy child-labour) ! but u”ve mentioned all d ”reasons”, all v can do is help them to an xtent thats possible 4 our pockets ”n time…rest 2 accept as a bitter truth , ”n pray 4 dem!