Well, the organizations who work in this field say definitely do not give them cash. The more profitable begging is for the adults who are exploiting these kids, the more kids who will have to go do it. Do not give them anything useful. Some of them know that this your objection and will directly ask you to buy them food from a street vendor ... Well, that's not terrible, getting him a plate of noodles or whatever, but that's one less meal their exploiter has to feed them as well ...diamond lady wrote:I know it sucks to be seen as and treated like a cash cow...I have experienced this before in parts of SEA.
But more often that not, I've also had some really cool kids show me round, warn me about dangerous swimming beaches, happily eat the fruit I;ve given them and help me with my bags when getting off a truck, and three little girls once gave me a gift in return (shell necklace) and wouldn't let me pay for it. Plus the smile on their faces when they get choccy is always heart warming. Obviously I wouldn'tdo this when there are hordes of kids around - that would just be mean!
I don't give them anything. I live on Riverside. I don't need a crowd of kids chasing me down the road every time I walk by like I'm the Pied Piper of Phnom Penh ... So, no, after the first day or two, that was pretty much done with. If you're on vacation here maybe it doesn't matter, but if you're here indefinitely or long term, you can't be Daddy Warbucks to every Little Orphan Ary you meet.
On a similar note (and I may have stolen this from Matt ... )
The White Savior Industrial Complex :
http://www.theatlantic.com/internationa ... /254843/1/
(PS: As a woman it's probably not a big concern, but for guys, I'd just stay away from unknown kids period, even if you're a certified Saint ... I was sitting on the grass near the palace waiting for somebody once and this like 7 or 8 year old kid comes up and tries to crawl into my lap and is kissing my hand and calling me daddy and stuff, and I was so seriously creeped out I almost hit the little bastard for slobbering all over my hand. That's about the last sort of behavior I'm going to reward with money. Even if I was his Dad. ESPECIALLY if I was his Dad. But everybody nearby immediately had raised eyebrows. I was pissed.)