In Reply to: That whole begging business...... posted by Paul on Sunday, 13. December 2009 at 10:41 Bali Time:
I work in a Northern region were the poorist of families live and I can tell you that the ones that beg are not part of a syndicate, there is one village that is running out of water and they have to carry a bucket of water for 2 kms to their home every day (the whole family will use the one bucket). The women make straw hats to try and sell at the markets, it is a 6 hours journey (change Bemo's 4 or 5 times) to get to Denpasar Market to sell the hats), when they are down they do also beg just to get enough money to buy some food for their families and the bemo fairs back, they sleep in the gardens around the airport and other places. They usually try to get as much as 100,000rp before they make the trip back and they do not enjoy this, they are very proud women and will only beg if there is no other way. They used to grow their own vegetables and be self sufficient, now in the dry season they have no water so cannot grow anything.
Giving to a begger is illegal so I am not encouraging them, just explaining some feel they have no choice and they will accept food gratefully, it is much better than getting money and then having to go any buy the stuff, these women are exhausted (oh, and they never bring their babies or children with them). They won't usually eat the food, saving it for their families.
I carry vitamin C packets in my handbag for all the kids at the traffic lights, they love them.