Author: Hammal Zahid (Kolahoo)
Most of the beggars are homeless and haven’t been able to find jobs.
Instead of them, children are also busy in traffic signals and other places in big cities in Pakistan. It is often a heartrending sight and we impulsively succumb to their plea for money. In reality, the money we give is not so much for the children as it is for the pleasure of seeing the young beggars’ smile, or self-pride at our charitable act to fulfil our sense of religious duty or to combat our own feeling of helplessness at the child’s situation. Studies in Pakistan have shown an association between begging and developing an inferiority complex, lack of self-confidence, loss of self-respect, and poor social skills. These children remain in a cycle of poverty. Their future is bleak. They develop mental health problems, become drug addicts and keep poor health. In short, the money we give them only pulls them deeper into the abyss.
I request to you that next time before giving money to a child beggar, please consider whether you are really helping them or pushing them deeper into misery.
Published in Daily Makran Times
Daily Makran Times 