Exploiting Kids

It was just after dark when I reached the intersection near my place. I went out of work late due to overtime. I was stopped by the traffic lights as they screamed red above my head. I patiently waited in my car while tapping my fingers on the steering wheel.

I noticed by observing the car in front of me that there were two kids tapping on the window of the car. Judging from their height, I gathered that they were kids. Their faces could not be seen from where I was looking at since they were wearing raincoats then. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that it was raining then. The rain was not that hard, but it wasn't really forgiving either.

In my mind, I thought that they were begging for food or money but then when it was my window's turn to be tapped I saw that they were holding Sampaguita's made into necklaces. Those were the kinds that you will often see when you ride a public vehicle in our country. Most of the time, you will see those garlands of small flowers hanging in front of a jeepney.

It was then when it came to me that they were selling this stuff, they weren't begging. I was just grateful that somehow, they know how to take care of themselves because both of them were wearing face masks.

I don't really need that garland of Sampaguita nor do I care for its smell so I just gave them a small collection of loose change. I looked at them as they moved on from one vehicle to the next. Also, I noticed that their raincoats were of the same kind and color, they were also fairly new, good for them. And as I watched them disappear into my rearview the light turned bright green and I had to move on. There's nothing I could complain about since I was in a bit of a hurry then because I was a bit hungry at the time.

Until now, I was thinking about those kids. I'm pretty sure that those boys weren't the only ones out there on that cold street at that time of night. And I'm just talking about that very street. I know that there are thousands more like them all around the country. Kids selling stuff out in the streets. And that's exclusive of the kids selling stuff like that. Beggars of a young age are a whole different thing. Also, this kind of scenario isn't new. It has been happening from even the earliest time that I could ever think of.

Here's what I was thinking, and again exclusive to kid vendors on the street only, why are they doing that? Is there anybody that was making them sell those things? Am I really helping them if I buy from them? Or am I giving money to the ones exploiting those poor kids?

Money

Of course, the main reason that they were doing that was money. Whether it's money for themselves or money for others, the bottom line is, that they are doing it for money. If that's the case then if someone gave them food on the streets, are they doing them a favor or not really?

There's a common belief here in our country that a syndicate is behind those kids on the streets. It is said that there is some kind of evil crime organization that is snatching kids from their homes and making them beg or sell stuff in a different place. That was a story told to us again and again from when I was just a little boy. I thought that back then that it was just another horror story told by parents to scare us, kids, from wandering out in the streets.

But as I grew older and saw the situation out there, the story make a lot of sense. So if that is the case, then surely, giving them money or buying from them wouldn't really benefit them, but then again, not giving them money will also put them in a bad spot.

If that's the case and you give them money, then you are rewarding and supporting what the "syndicate" is doing with the kids. However, if you won't give them money, the syndicate may punish the kids more for not doing well with their tasks. It's a pitiful a spiteful dilemma.

Thoughts to Ponder

I would just like to know, with our current situation, if you want to help those kids, what would be the best thing to do? Would you even consider helping? What can we really do, or is there anything that could be done?

The next time you see a kid selling you something, what will you do? How would you react?

In this situation, is it really the thought that counts? I know that helping is really more on the intent, but what if your good intentions may cause even more harm to them? What a world.