Putting the Record Straight on the Effort to Rescue
Beggars & the Homeless
(elshadai@ethionet.et) In its Aug. 28, 2007 online report, Associated Press (AP) narrated Elshadai Relief & Development Association’s involvement in tackling the problem of begging and homelessness. However, while we commend the international news organization’s effort to give attention to this vital issue, we would like to point out the factual errors which, we tend to believe, were made for lack of a clear understanding of the project. Hence, we are compelled to refute the error at length.
1. The article’s blunders begin right from the start with its misleading “Homeless Ethiopians” title, which gives the impression that being a “homeless” was reason enough to be “moved out” of Addis Ababa. However, if that was the case, we would be talking about all or most of the “estimated 90,000 living on the street” not “some 5,700 people”, a number AP has recognized. But the truth is that it's the people who initially left their rural homes for a greener pasture in Addis Ababa that are being helped return to their homes and families in the “countryside” after life in the capital became unbearable for them.
The other flaw with the title is the reporter’s choice to use the term “moved out”, which portrays a passive involvement of the direct stakeholders or coercion, but that is certainly not the case. Rural-based farmers leading a difficult life on the streets of Addis have been pleading with Elshadai and other stakeholders to get the help that they need in order to return to their homes and families. As members of the public and private media would know, as recently as last Monday (Aug. 27), a large number of farmers came to a local church after rumor spread out that buses would be waiting to take them home. In its Sep. 01, 2007 edition, the independent Amharic weekly Negadras has, in fact, correctly reported:
Last Monday, multitudes of people who make a living by begging have gathered around Teklehaimanot Church with their belongings intact. And we talked to some of the people who claimed, “We are here today because we have heard the news that we will be going home. We don’t want to stay here [in Addis]. It would be great if the government can provide us with rehabilitation fund. If not, we just need help with transportation to return to our places of origin.” (Translation & italics ours).
After the would-be returnees – their number to be as high as 1,500 by some estimates – learned that there was no transportation plan for that day, they headed to a television station to protest, and draw attention to their wish to be taken home as quickly as possible.
2. By linking the project to “an event expected to draw tourists from around the world”, the article alludes to the perception that the project’s aim is to clean the city from beggars for the millennium celebration. But nothing could be further from the truth, as the project was launched three years ago with a full intention to help disadvantaged and marginalized people who were leading a hard life on the streets of Addis. For the last three years, Elshadai has been involved in thoroughly researching the underlying causes, working with the direct stakeholders as well as mobilizing the support of faith groups, organizations, elders and concerned citizens.
That said, the fact that three years of labour came to fruitation on the eve of an historic event is not only purely coincidental, but a great opportunity to help disadvantaged individuals and families start a new and meaningful life in the new millennium. The work is not going to cease to exist, however, once AP’s estimated “10 hour celebration” wraps up. Rather, this noble mission of making a positive difference and changing lives for the better would continue for years to come.
3. The article also erroneously stated that Elshadai receives government funding, but the truth is that – established in 1989 to rescue child war victims and dedicated since to the well being of orphaned and unaccompanied children as well as sustainable community development – Elshadai is an NGO that is strictly funded by non-state donors (individuals as well as organizations) within and outside the country.
Elshadai supports the Ethiopian government’s poverty reduction policy and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). And to that effect, it has been working with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MOLSA). As Elshadai shares MOLSA’s burning desire and vision of tackling the begging and homelessness problem, the joint work is going to continue. Nonetheless, to reiterate, the partnership is not based on funding, but rather on the sharing of information and expertise as well as collaboratively working towards finding a practical solution to a challenging problem.
4. In regards to the fate of the returnees who choose to leave their begging life behind, Elshadai never told AP that it was “simply sending them back home” as that, evidently, would be addressing the symptom not the problem.
As it is to be recalled, Elshadai organized the repatriation of people from rural Tigray who said no to begging as a pilot project, which was successfully carried out and completed in June 2007. But it has been unmistakably clear to Elshadai that “simply sending them” was not a solution in itself. Thus, Elshadai is working with the Regional Government of Tigray – which is determined and has been taking the leadership to find a feasible solution – in rehabilitation and reintegration of the returnees back to a meaningful and productive life.
We should underscore here that, while we appreciate the fact that this important issue has opened interest among Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia around the world, we are dismayed by some of the Ethiopian related news websites that, intentionally or unintentionally, are politicizing this common problem that affects us all – regardless of our political opinion or party affiliation. Some have gone as far as tampering with AP’s title perhaps to make it fit their political agenda or special interest.
Others, who are going overboard with the right to beg argument from their ivory towers, are falsely asserting that the rights of beggars and the homeless are being violated. First of all, let’s make it unequivocally clear here that nothing has been done outside the direct stakeholders’ free will and full participation. If anything, the challenge we currently are facing has everything to do with financial and logistical necessities to meet the high demand of the people who are eager to return home to a meaningful and productive life.
Second, the “right to beg” argument may be valid in economically developed countries where social security is in place, and people with disabilities, the elderly and the disadvantaged have the choice not to beg. But in a developing economy such as Ethiopia, it would be cruel to even assume that – given a viable alternative – people would choose begging. Thus, those of us who have been involved in this challenging yet fulfilling mission are quite aware that we cannot impose “anti-begging decree” on the people in need, but rather it is our duty to provide them with a better alternative to begging to those who are able to work, and an organized support for those who cannot help themselves. That’s why, Elshadai – under the leadership of MOLSA and in collaboration with other stakeholder organizations as well as concerned citizens – is making every effort to find a lasting solution to this complex problem.
Last but not least, let’s keep in mind that the problem we are addressing overwhelmingly involves infants, toddlers and young children who are not claiming their “right” to beg. Not only are the children who are forced to beg deprived of their constitutional right to education and a bright future, but they are subjected to physical, emotional, sexual abuse while they are on the streets. And, as an organization that is primarily concerned with the well-being of children, that is why we feel compelled to address this long-over due problem to the best of our ability. Needless to say, such effort deserves everyone’s support.