Urgent national homework

After many centuries of complacency and even tacit public approval, it seems that the end has dawned for the disgraceful practice of beggary. There have been significant and highly encouraging developments that compel us to this conclusion.
Most recently, there was the announcement on December 14, 2007 that government is to mobilize resources with civil society to pull 120,000 citizens out of beggary. It began during the run up months to the new millennium when we witnessed concerted efforts to deal with the then surging numbers of rural immigrants that arrived in the capital, with the express intention of begging.
Many of them had left their peasant villages after considering the customary kindness of Addis Ababans to be a dependable source of extra income - between harvests. Thousands of these otherwise productive citizens were ‘repatriated’ under a generally humane and responsible manner. The sad fact of these compatriots is that they are part time beggars who unwittingly debase themselves in the hope of adding to meager farming income. This tolerance of shame is what we must fight collectively and not only in the rural areas but more importantly – among the urban population, which has a disproportionate number of ‘professional’ beggars in its midst.
It is therefore highly encouraging to hear of news that the state and certain sections of society are galvanizing the public against mendicant activity. Today’s events at the National Stadium, organized by the nation’s singers and other performing artists, will contribute to raising awareness so that if we cannot eradicate totally, then at least we may alleviate some of the contributing factors behind the problem.
The absence of any effective form of social welfare and existential security is at the heart of the custom of begging. This means that citizens are constantly exposed to falling between the cracks in the societal fabric.
The speed with which the average Ethiopian can fall from self sufficiency to a state of abject poverty is frightening. With no savings to fall back on, even minor crisis such as a temporary lull in daily manual labor poses real questions of survival.
This lack of a benefits system also imposes intolerable burdens on the physically and/ or mentally handicapped. These brothers and sisters make up a large portion of long term beggars and the difficult task of providing them with sustainable support falls on our collective shoulders. The most obvious way of re-integrating such unfortunate citizens is through a consistent program involving occupational therapy with income generating activities.
We recall how in the 1960’s the Haile Sellassie I Foundation and other philanthropic organizations came together to establish industries with workforces made up exclusively of the disabled. Hundreds were put to productive endeavor producing such in-demand consumer goods like umbrellas and dry cell batteries.
Though that pioneering effort is no more in existence due to the turbulence of the 1974 Ethiopian Revolution, the idea remains as relevant – in fact, even more so, given the increased length and breadth of the social evil that is begging.
We call upon the hundreds of NGOs who have just celebrated the ‘International Day of People with Disabilities’ to give the issue their undivided attention and formulate schemes to empower the disabled poor with marketable skills. The able bodied portion of beggars also requires urgent intervention in the form of labor intensive urban works projects.
In this regard, the heightened pace with which condominiums are being built is helping but only marginally so. It is hoped that as housing construction picks up momentum, more citizens will be able to evade the clutching grasp of penury. The announcement this week by the Ethiopian Roads Authority to invest over 35 billion birr on road projects is also another labor intensive scheme that will decrease dependency.
Be that as it may, we would like to bring to attention that the drive to make 120,000 citizens productive members of society, does not fall victim to an evaporation of enthusiasm. The objective of eradicating beggary is only part of the overall struggle against poverty nationwide. Consistency, sustainability, and collaboration will get us there. The ultimate reward is not just to see our streets free of mendicants but that our nation itself can hold its head up proud in the knowledge that it has done good by its citizens.