The plausible way to help the street-needy

‘...lets make our capital city a
meaningful place worthy of
dignity by fighting to
eradicate begging as a business…’

The number of the needy in the streets, the able-bodied as well as the disabled, particularly at traffic lights, seems to be increasing. Should the enlarged number be considered a threat to development or as a source for development is a matter to be answered by social anthropologists.
However, one thing is true; this problem should not be left unaddressed. The free-economic system has enabled ideally, constructive and creative ideas to flow unhampered in the society. It is this fundamental and democratic understanding that would lead one to propose ideas as to how to address such a social issue and bring down the problem the residents of Addis Ababa, themselves, to find a plausible solution.
The city residents as well as foreign guests and visitors may not be at ease to see such people crowding them at traffic lights or around places of religious worship. I think it would only be fair to think constructively at the level of the people as to how to address this issue at the distant eve of the Ethiopian millennium celebration within the millennium’s development strategy.
Residents of Addis Ababa should not wait for answers from any higher body as long as they have relatively enough prerogatives to execute developmental projects in their communities. This issue can be addressed correctly if handled at the level of the sub-city administrations.
I believe that these communities can discuss the issues democratically and start thinking of how to address them proactively. Nonetheless, the City Administration should be able to think over it and carve out a clear working strategy how to reduce, at least, the migration of the underprivileged few from their places of origin. Evidently, this may have to be reasonably coordinated with the different regions which call for a new plan and strategy.
However, if a correct plan will be designed, one is sure to find out in the screening process the able-bodied mingled with the disabled. Among the able-bodied there could be some work-escapees who might have found begging more profitable and relaxing than serving as house maids, or zebegnas. I cannot be sure if there could be escapees from the farming life. In some African countries, the sources of city concentration are farm lands. Yet, there are a lot of people today in the city who desire to hire house assistants despite rising wages.
For the disabled it will be fair to collect them at rehabilitation centers which could be organized by city dwellers, through assistance and support to be partially solicited through aid agencies, religious organizations and good samaritans.
I think it is high time that such important issues captured sufficient attention of the sub-city administration and through them, that of the Kebeles. If this practice is not started now, I fear that street begging will grow into a huge problem.
So, lets make our capital city a meaningful place worthy of dignity by fighting and eradicating begging as a business. Lets enable together the disabled abounding in the streets to become honorable citizens of the land and lets direct the able-bodied into becoming not a burden to society but forces for development.