The more kindness to street children, the more they are pushed out onto the streets?

Hai em nhỏ từ Long An đi xe buýt lên TP.HCM bán vé số - Ảnh: VŨ THỦY — Two children from Long An take the bus to Ho Chi Minh City to sell lottery tickets - Photo: VU THUY

Stop giving money and buying goods from street children

At a survey by the International Labor Organization (ILO) on the current situation of street children in Ho Chi Minh City with the participation of reporters and child workers, most opinions said that the practice of children wandering the streets begging, selling lottery tickets, blowing fire, etc. to make a living has been rampant in Ho Chi Minh City for many years, especially during peak holidays and Tet.

Among them, apart from a few children of city residents, most of them come from other provinces and cities with their parents to the city to make a living. Their accommodation is unstable, so it is very difficult for the locality to manage them.

Ms. Tran Thi Kim Thanh - Head of the Department of Child Care, Protection and Gender Equality, who has worked for many years in the field of child care and protection in Ho Chi Minh City - said that giving money to beggars, including children, has long been a controversial issue due to the traditional culture of "helping each other" of the Vietnamese people.

At the same time, there are currently no regulations to prevent or properly propagate so that people understand the consequences of giving money to beggars, as well as spontaneous charity work.

"Giving help and money in the wrong way will make the recipient dependent. It is difficult for local authorities to solve this problem because the law does not prohibit it.

This has led to an increasing number of cases of exploitation of children for money, relying on the compassion of the people. When we give money, food, gifts or buy anything from children who are begging, we are encouraging them to continue this work.

Relatives and families of the children also do not want to receive assistance or cooperate with organizations to send them to school. Thus, the children will not be able to go to school and continue to be stuck in the vicious cycle of poverty," Ms. Thanh added.

When families do not care about their children's future

In reality, many relatives of street children avoid the approach and support of organizations. Due to difficult family circumstances, lack of education or job, they need to rely on their children to make a living. They sacrifice their children's future.

Mr. Pham Dinh Nghinh - Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Association for the Protection of Children's Rights - said that regardless of conditions and circumstances, children must always receive special care and protection.

"Many big cities in the world still have homeless people and beggars, but very few or almost no children. Meanwhile, in Ho Chi Minh City, besides the elderly, children are the majority group," Mr. Nghinh said.

According to Ms. Tran Thi Kim Thanh, not giving money or buying street goods from children will help reduce the situation of street children being groomed and exploited.

"In cases where children are really in difficulty and their families and relatives want to seek help so that they can study, they should be referred to state services.

Currently, the State has policies to support children in especially difficult circumstances; social protection facilities are caring for, nurturing, educating, and training children; organizations and philanthropists are accompanying and taking care of children; support and intervention services for children at schools, wards, communes, and towns," Ms. Thanh said.

Do you often give money or buy lottery tickets from street vendors? Do you think we should continue to show love in this way? Please send your opinions to [email protected]. Tuoi Tre Online thanks you.

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