Blur Portrait of Street Children (Dwi)

Seeing beggars on the street aren’t new scene in Makassar. There are compassionate and concerned people toward them but there also people who pay them no attention. But, do you know how the real life of street children? Like many expected, the beggars are already forgotten their education. Actually there is an opportunity for education, but their willingness has disappeared. This condition is a point of “safe” parents. It means, the parents are deliberately let their children begging on the streets. “What is left? Because they are also taking advantage of it,”

Already many NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) are trying to help them, but in reality not many parents and children interested in this program. They have more fun on the street than to sit and learn at school, from 105 numbers of street children around Tamalanrea, only half of which would come to learn. Even that, they must be forced and lured with money.

For example, Aris (not his real name) must also beg for money on the street. Though his father, Mr.S was still able to find the cost for the 8-years-old boy. Mr.S is the seller of crackers around Tamalanrea, he earns less than 50 thousand rupiahs a day. This means that Mr.S can collect approximately Rp. 1,5 millions a month. Financial condition is not good enough so Aris, like many other children, shall begs in the streets. Not only because of need, but also because his parents told him to. Every day, from morning till night, he has to beg around Tamalanrea. If he rejects to beg and earns money, his father would beat Aris.

In conclusion, street children deserve better lives; they deserve to play and not tortured or forced to find money on the street. Parents should guide and teach positive things to their children, don’t use their children as a means of producing money.