In manila, small, often orphaned children, beg passing cars for money, walking across the road and tapping the windows of passing drivers, asking for meager amounts of change. Alternatively they try to sell flowers or other such items. However, what many people who kindly and completely innocently give money to the children is that many of them are members of organized gangs, and are used by others to make money. The money you give them is often taken by the organizers of these 'cartels', and very little of it actually goes to the children, who remain starving.
This of course leads to a great moral dilemma, if you give money, you fund the use of these children and extend their suffering, but if you don't, you may deny children of the one source of food they have, no matter how meager.
My family has taken to giving food to the children. They can eat it immediately, and not have to give anything to the cartels.
Unfortunately, this solution isn't great either. Nothing permanent is done. However, even one apple is probably a large meal for these children, and they will get more out of it then from a small amount of spare change.
Feedback and ideas are very welcome!
You need to be a member of Urgent Evoke to add comments!
Join Urgent Evoke