Do we call them the little survivors or the little victims? I leave you to judge.
The Little Survivors?
She seemed to be only ten years old and begging outside the shop we went in to. There was a little boy begging too. They approached us and José gave them a few coins each. The boy went away happily.
The little girl walked along with us. She began to ask me for ten rupees promising me that she would use it to buy a plate of धाल चावल (rice and dhaal) as she was hungry. I refused, as I’m always reluctant to give money to children who are begging, because more often than not they’re just being used by adults. She didn’t give up though, and instead as we walked along, she came up with a unique solution. She pointed out to the ‘vada pav‘ shop and told me to buy her one, which I was happy to do. Off she went eating her bun, but not before saying, “Thank you, Aunty.”
The image of this little survivor is still in my mind…..
I was in too much of a hurry to ask her name. She’s smart, she’s polite and should be in school like other children, where I’m sure she’ll do well.
The cars on our roads are getting bigger, the mobiles in our pockets are getting more sophisticated, the malls are getting fancier, but there are still children begging on our streets…….. Where’s the justice in this?
In October, I started writing a series called 31 Days about Living A Principle Driven Life. Since I wasn’t able to complete it then, I’m doing so now. You can follow my posts here.
Such heartbreak here. 🙁 I don’t know the answers to fix this, but I know we can’t look away until we do. No child should have to live this way. Thank you for sharing this.
I also refrain from giving money to kids who beg on the roads, but like you, I would happily buy food for them instead.
Btw, interesting concept for this 31-day series, Corinne. Loved the principles you listed. I have combined all of them together into the category called ‘Sunny Vibes’ on my new blog, where I now blog as ‘Kay’. Will PM you on FB.
Cheers!
Kay recently posted..Reflections 2022: The Year That Was
Thank you for telling the stories of these children. I agree that we need to keep looking for answers until we find justice for these children.
The plight of these children is so heartbreaking. Perhaps if we each do the little bit that we can, we can make a difference together.
Kym @ A Fresh Cup of Coffee recently posted..How Can You Ignore Something So Fascinating?
Heartbreaking! But it makes me think of the biblical story of the woman who told Jesus even puppies are given crumbs from the Master’s table. This little girl did not give up!
Jerralea Winn Miller recently posted..Transformation: The Most Fascinating Place
Wow, what a touching and thought-provoking story, Corinne. It’s heartbreaking to see children struggling and surviving on the streets instead of going to school and receiving a proper education. Your encounter with the little girl is a reminder of the ongoing struggles and injustices in our society. I hope that one day, every child has access to basic needs and opportunities for a better future.