Helping the poor?

[triggywiggy]

I Dont Know If this is the correct place to post this but it seems to happen to mostely tourists so i will post it here.

When im in bali most of the time walking in the street in Kuta there are normally poor people with there hands out wanting money.

Now i dont know what i should do. Should i give them the money hope they use it for good things and not drugs, Give them a bar if Chocolate or something if i have one, or leave and ignore them.

I tend to also worry if they are just faking being poor to gain money.(didnt ment to sound mean) but i know it can happen

What would you do?

 

[mat]

I know what you mean. I find it difficult myself. If you give money [more than 5,000] you will get surrounded by more beggers, less [down to 1,000] maybe ok, but less [ a 500 or 200 coin] you get looks of disgust. I tend to check them out, do they look fit to work? Are they dressed in clean, good clothes? and make a judgement from there. Yes there are proffesional beggers who will earn more on the street than doing an honest days work and they can be annoyingly persistant. The best bet, if you really want to help and can be bothered to carry them is to buy a couple of bags of rice and hand out those to the beggers. If you get a look of disgust, you know you have given to the un-needy and [i would] ask for it back. Sadly after being here for a while one tends to ignore most of them and only give to the ones who obviously in dire need.

 

[triggywiggy]

Thanks for the reply what about carrying around some cheap cocolates or something

 

[Butch]

Don't know about cheap chocolate but I'm sure I read on another forum the best thing to hand out is your old underwear and left over soaps and shampoo from your hotel.

 

[triggywiggy]

Ok still sounds a bit kreepy but i take it gives the fakers a lesson in lieng when there are poor people with nothing and they have lots of things.

 

[Markit]

Um guys, I have heard that begging here on Bali is actually quite "honest".

What do I mean by that?

Well, the east of the island, between Ahmet and Amlapura is one of the poorest parts of the island with very little work. The people that live there are doing the best they can but under the circumstances they often just can't manage to scrape enough together to feed the family.

So the accepted solution to this problem is that the women and kids will jump a truck and take off for a few days to Ubud, Kuta, etc. to do some necessary begging until they have enough together to feed the family back in the east through the rest of the month.

Now they aint doing this because it's easier or fun cause they are just as proud as you or I am. The only real difference between us is - they really haven't got enough to eat.

When they have enough they head right back home to tend their own fields or nets or whatever.

Personally, I always hand out money even when it's only a 1000 Rupiah - it's only 9 cents!

So come on be generous and they will be glad to see you every time lol

 

[mat]

Thanks for the reply what about carrying around some cheap cocolates or something

You seen the price of chocolate here? Better just give the money.

 

[triggywiggy]

You seen the price of chocolate here? Better just give the money.

Yah probebly wright can you lot tell me if there is allot at the moment as if there is ill bring some chocolates from aus for them maybe some for you lot hahaha

 

[bolli]

Yah probebly wright can you lot tell me if there is allot at the moment as if there is ill bring some chocolates from aus for them maybe some for you lot hahaha

Why are you so fixed on giving them chocolate??
Give some money let them decide what to spend it on.

 

[triggywiggy]

Why are you so fixed on giving them chocolate??
Give some money let them decide what to spend it on.

Yeh good point but i am sure they would reither have someyhing then and there

 

[mat]

Thanks for the reply what about carrying around some cheap cocolates or something

Reminds me of somthing an old rich French girl said when she was told the poor did not have enough bread to eat, " let them eat cake"

 

[triggywiggy]

Reminds me of somthing an old rich French girl said when she was told the poor did not have enough bread to eat, " let them eat cake"

Atleast they get it at the time you give it to them insted of having to go in the shops or something

 

[calitobali]

Um guys, I have heard that begging here on Bali is actually quite "honest".

While I'm not saying that none of them are honest, I know that there are actual poor people begging in the streets, many of them are not. Many women that you see begging with a baby in their arms have rented the baby for the day. It is an awful underground operation in Bali that rents out babies for just that purpose, people are more likely to give money to a woman with a baby than a woman without one. Even more likely when the 5 year old little girl is holding the baby.

Personally I don't give money to anyone who is capable of a days work. I don't ever hand out money in Kuta, and begging is far less prevelant where I live in Denpasar, but if an old lady comes up to me and I have a small bill then I will give it. In my opinion giving money to a beggar is just encouraging them to keep begging and to never get a real job.

 

[hazman]

well, it's good to be a nice person, but sometimes we have to be smart, there are many institution places for them in bali, FYI, the beggars already a big problem for indonesia, even in jakarta, if you give something to the poor on the street, you could get some warning or fines, many stories about poor people, theres a village whose inhabitants are all beggars, even a beggar who can buy a car and built "the poor" management to maintain the other beggar to begging on some place...the problem is, they choose to live like that, they don't want to live under any institution eventhough they would get some food everyday..... so, if you give them some money, they just think that they could live with it, just by begging... and if you realize, they also only begging from foreigner... unless, they work in public places, not "holiday places".... so, it's your option, to give them some money or not... i'm not trying to discredit them, if you want to give, just give, with a pure heart of course...

 

[triggywiggy]

While I'm not saying that none of them are honest, I know that there are actual poor people begging in the streets, many of them are not. Many women that you see begging with a baby in their arms have rented the baby for the day. It is an awful underground operation in Bali that rents out babies for just that purpose, people are more likely to give money to a woman with a baby than a woman without one. Even more likely when the 5 year old little girl is holding the baby.

Personally I don't give money to anyone who is capable of a days work. I don't ever hand out money in Kuta, and begging is far less prevelant where I live in Denpasar, but if an old lady comes up to me and I have a small bill then I will give it. In my opinion giving money to a beggar is just encouraging them to keep begging and to never get a real job.

Good point caltobali i knew there was some fakes but did not realise it was a underground operation. Thanks for the info you too hazman. i will now think twice before giving money or food to a poor person. but i will help if they look realy sick. not the ones wich look like they can do a days work. like you said

 

[Jesse]

I remember one wealthy tourist who held a party for the poor in some part of the island. I think making them happy for a day would at least give them hope or something.

 

[triggywiggy]

I remember one wealthy tourist who held a party for the poor in some part of the island. I think making them happy for a day would at least give them hope or something.

Yah good idea i know some people on this forum that own hotels maybe we could try and get them to have a night were the poor can come and swim, eat, drink so on. Sure it would cost allot for them all but thats the point of charity.

 

[MiSO]

I don't give money to beggars, because it's a short term solution (and when I do, it's in a very weak emotional moment, because it makes -me- feel good)
I also know (in Asia in general) that beggars work in organised groups, sometimes violence is involved.
What I do give them is what I have on me that moment: soap, fruit (no candy though...bad teeth...) and sometimes I buy food from the warung. But most of the times I say : Maaf anak, maaf (I'm sorry child, I'm sorry)

If you want to support financially, seek for an organisation (charity). Or ask if the child is going to school and help out in that direction.
Gilbert can tell you everything about supporting a child individually with its education.
Also other members can give you a hint. Just post a question or PM.

You know, Indonesia is a 3rd world country, but Bali is the richest island of Indonesia. I see so many rich Indonesians/ Balinese. It is as one our members said (sorry forgot your name by the post about child abuse): Is it the tourist's responsability to change these matters? Is it even possible...

Have a nice stay and enjoy the beauty of the island!

Btw Markit,maybe I should go to Ahmed and region for awhile to see myself, but what I don't understand is, yes it's a poor area (I heard). But are there self supporting projects? E.g. Region Gianyar (UBud, Celuk etc) is full of crafting possibilities, it is -the- most active area of Bali in making and ordering. I don't see why people over there couldn't be trained to do the same. Is it the distance? Too far a way from airport, post offices and other facilities?

 

[triggywiggy]

I don't give money to beggars, because it's a short term solution (and when I do, it's in a very weak emotional moment, because it makes -me- feel good)
I also know (in Asia in general) that beggars work in organised groups, sometimes violence is involved.
What I do give them is what I have on me that moment: soap, fruit (no candy though...bad teeth...) and sometimes I buy food from the warung. But most of the times I say : Maaf anak, maaf (I'm sorry child, I'm sorry)

If you want to support financially, seek for an organisation (charity). Or ask if the child is going to school and help out in that direction.
Gilbert can tell you everything about supporting a child individually with its education.
Also other members can give you a hint. Just post a question or PM.

You know, Indonesia is a 3rd world country, but Bali is the richest island of Indonesia. I see so many rich Indonesians/ Balinese. It is as one our members said (sorry forgot your name by the post about child abuse): Is it the tourist's responsability to change these matters? Is it even possible...

Have a nice stay and enjoy the beauty of the island!

Btw Markit,maybe I should go to Ahmed and region for awhile to see myself, but what I don't understand is, yes it's a poor area (I heard). But are there self supporting projects? E.g. Region Gianyar (UBud, Celuk etc) is full of crafting possibilities, it is -the- most active area of Bali in making and ordering. I don't see why people over there couldn't be trained to do the same. Is it the distance? Too far a way from airport, post offices and other facilities?

Nice Post i will have a good stay i hope. I think it is awfull how people can fake being poor when there are people out there that actually need the stuff.

 

[ronb]

Why are somoe Bali districts poorer?

Btw Markit,maybe I should go to Ahmed and region for awhile to see myself, but what I don't understand is, yes it's a poor area (I heard). But are there self supporting projects? E.g. Region Gianyar (UBud, Celuk etc) is full of crafting possibilities, it is -the- most active area of Bali in making and ordering. I don't see why people over there couldn't be trained to do the same. Is it the distance? Too far a way from airport, post offices and other facilities?

Historically, the areas of Bali that were agriculturally better (particularly with rice) have been more wealthy. East of Agung there is a bit of a rain shadow, and the slopes are not so friendly to terracing. While now the economy may be driven more by tourism - it seems that the districts that have been poor in the past are still poor.