It is acceptable to dream and even dream some more but even dreams have limits especially when they want to be superimposed on the realities of life.
Such dreams are happening in Gulu, Northern Uganda.
Beggars are being asked to close shop. However, they are not so open to this suggestion by authorities and the Peko Rwot-Pe Support Organisation in the area.
Begging is not for the homeless alone as a former teacher who was deleted from the payroll as early as 1995 decided to take to the streets to cater for his family. He is however open to the dreamers’ suggestions, but for now he is content with begging.
According to the coordinator of the organization, Robert Ongwec, they plan to fund them in their near future so that they can take care of their families.
“We want beggar- free streets. It is a struggle but we expect to rehabilitate them before they return to their homes where they can start to do other things,” Mr Ongwec said.
Easier said than done Mr Ongwec, what can he and his organization do that others have not been doing? At the moment they are giving soap and flour to beggars, as if that is enough to sustain a human being, probably some have no shelter, no kitchens, from which to use these” gifts” which may not even be flowing freely on a daily basis.
I’m not condoning Beggar-Land to stay in existence but we have to face the realities of being, such eutopia is just that – EUTOPIA.
And in light of not condoning the act, I will say that it is indeed sad especially for some kids who are being used in this land of beggary.
In the movie, Slum-dog Millionaire, street kids and even those kidnapped from families were used as beggars and their collections were taken by their careless-takers, they could not have been care takers by any chance because they never shared the bounty with the kids.
To think it would only stop in movies would be an under thought because this vice is practiced buy lowlifes in Africa and closer to home here in East Africa.
People will just about trade in anything and the winners are our Tanzanian cousins who introduce their not so brilliant in human ideas to neighbouring countries.
It seems like trading in people with albinism is not enough for them or it is less lucrative for now they have turned to Beggary Land to quench their wickedness.
In a story shown on Kenya’s Citizen TV, some vicious Tanzanians brought kids from their country to set up a business – begging in Kenya.
One could see that most of the kids were lame.
These thieves even put them in a house in Umoja Estate from where they are dispatched to their beggar-destinations in River Road each morning where they spend the day, palms open, and giving even greater meaning to the word yawn until their mentors collect them in the evening.
Meal time must be scramble time for them when they go back and that is if the food can be described as food.
Talk of taking advantage! Of course like in Slum dog Millionaire, the lame, blind and otherwise were good for attracting sympathy.
Bad though, was the fact that these children were helped to be blind and crippled, hope the same is not happening with these Tanzanian children. Their inhuman mentors are now behind cells probably cursing the loss of Ksh 10000 they were making per day.
In Gulu, beggars were asked to beg only on Tuesdays and Fridays. Talk of offering cheap solutions!
So maybe the dreamers should dream and have hope - their street-free beggar days could come.
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