Difficult one this ! But IMHO the "poor people" we see in Goa are the lucky ones, try having a look in Mumbai and other Indian cities, it's a pity the children in the UK can't see how other children live in other parts of the world. they have genuine street people in these places, I would never give to a so called "beggar" in the Uk with dogs and a plate etc, let them try and survive in India !!! 
The guide books will say no it's best to donate to charities, the locals will also say no, but some shopkeepers I know allways have piles of small coins ready to give to certain beggars.
There is no right or wrong, it's up to you to do what you think is best. I have given money in the past never more than 10rp's, but now I only give fruit or small toys, and donate money to a charity.
I'm sorry but for the first time I am going to dissagree with tightjock, and say that you can't compare the goa beach performers with buskers or street entertainers ,as they are only small children who should be in school not the main wage earner
There is no right or wrong, it's up to you to do what you think is best. I have given money in the past never more than 10rp's, but now I only give fruit or small toys, and donate money to a charity.
I'm sorry but for the first time I am going to dissagree with tightjock, and say that you can't compare the goa beach performers with buskers or street entertainers ,as they are only small children who should be in school not the main wage earner
Good point Lassi (I was just a little annoyed last year when a couple of tourists told the kids who were tightrope walking to 
off which I really didn't think was necassary) they should be in school though.
p.s. To beggar's I also give fruit rather than money.
off which I really didn't think was necassary) they should be in school though.p.s. To beggar's I also give fruit rather than money.
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Edited by
tightjock
2007-05-30 21:33:46
my rule is I give 10 or 20 rps to any beggar who asks. If they are not genuine I haven't been conned for much, if they are genuine then it helps a bit.
Selfish I know, but I don't go on holiday to sort out the worlds problems
Selfish I know, but I don't go on holiday to sort out the worlds problems
Lisa what I do is every morning I bring things from breakfast back to the room with me and when i go out I have it in my bag for any wee beggers i meet .....
what to do is bring a few wee plastic sandwitch bags in your case with you ..and that will keep you going to you get some from the shops you will go in to ...keep the small bags and that will do for the food you will give the kids and the begger people ....colleen
what to do is bring a few wee plastic sandwitch bags in your case with you ..and that will keep you going to you get some from the shops you will go in to ...keep the small bags and that will do for the food you will give the kids and the begger people ....colleen
del949 please dont ever go to the likes of Calcutta or you will be penniless very quickly. Begging is an industry in India and certainly the beggers in Goa by and large are looking for Rupees not food. I agree, give to a charity, rather than beggers, that way theres more chance it may give genuine help where it's most needed Alan
The only beggars that i give any money to are the older more destitute ones.As a couple of people have said the majority are professional beggars who earn more in a day than the lads serving you in the shacks.There have been numerous times in the market in Vasco where we have been approached by them,so all i say is what do you need ..tomato's onions, fruit no just money so that's when i tell them to clear off.
john
john
I,ve spent quite a lot of time observing beggars, especially in Goa, I,ve seen them in Anjuna on a market day exchanging dozens of small denomination notes for larger ones and taking away upto a 1000 roops. Also the women with small children with their pathetic pleading grimaces! I,ve seen the children only accept coke drinks and not wanting bought samosas etc, in fact they do sometimes take food offered, but reluctantly, as they want cash for their dads fenni! the food is then often discreetly disposed of, then back to work begging. If the shopokeepers, shack owners etc do give any cach to beggars it tends to be 1 ,2 or 5 roops and not 10, 20 or more that the tourists dole out! As said before begging is an occupation for many Indians, I know that much of the money goes on alcohol. it's often, but not always a chosen pathway. To me it seeems unreasonable that a guy begging in Anjuna and probably other places can "earn" 1000 roops plus a day when some other guy or woman are working as a labourer perhaps digging a hole or on a building site, all day in the hot sun for arround 80 roops a day
That has helped ease my guilt a bit thanks folks.
Johnny G your post has put things into perspective for me, and we were told the same thing from a Brit who has lived there for 5years. He said it takes the average Goan doing a very hard days graft in that searing heat all day to earn what us gulliable tourists like myself hand over in one go! I will do as irishcolleen suggests and just keep a few bits and pieces in my bag for the ones i think are genuine. I will also only give 10 or 20 rps at a time if i do give money. Much better to donate a sum to charity i agree. As its been said we dont work hard and save our hard earned cash to go on holiday and try to solve the worlds problems.
Johnny G your post has put things into perspective for me, and we were told the same thing from a Brit who has lived there for 5years. He said it takes the average Goan doing a very hard days graft in that searing heat all day to earn what us gulliable tourists like myself hand over in one go! I will do as irishcolleen suggests and just keep a few bits and pieces in my bag for the ones i think are genuine. I will also only give 10 or 20 rps at a time if i do give money. Much better to donate a sum to charity i agree. As its been said we dont work hard and save our hard earned cash to go on holiday and try to solve the worlds problems.
Even some of the local charities are a bit "iffy" I know that even certain childrens charities in Goa and India have had some controversial press at times. As you know this site has connections with Mango House and Rob et al. We know that they do sterling and honest work for the children, donations of monies are well directed there and at least you can see where it's going. 
When we were there last there was a story in the paper about a woman who had a huge sum in the bank, all gained from begging.
I agree with the comments regarding offering food rather than money. If they are genuine then they will not turn down food and at least you know that your money is not being spent to fuel someone's alcohol addiction or worse
I agree with the comments regarding offering food rather than money. If they are genuine then they will not turn down food and at least you know that your money is not being spent to fuel someone's alcohol addiction or worse
Hi All,
I have to agree with everything already said and yeah I have given food to women with small children only for the to throw it away 100 yards down the road, but its not just indian that produce wealthy beggars we have them here in the UK. Bet the blind old guy with the wooden leg who is paraded up and down the beach by wife/sister has plenty of money for the monsoon season, yet the old fruit sellar's back must be ready for breaking with the weight of the fruit..........its them people I give extra to.
Jules
I have to agree with everything already said and yeah I have given food to women with small children only for the to throw it away 100 yards down the road, but its not just indian that produce wealthy beggars we have them here in the UK. Bet the blind old guy with the wooden leg who is paraded up and down the beach by wife/sister has plenty of money for the monsoon season, yet the old fruit sellar's back must be ready for breaking with the weight of the fruit..........its them people I give extra to.
Jules
I have given food to women with small children only for the to throw it away 100 yards down the road,
have to agree on that one jules.last year when we were going in to the supermarket by bonnys bar, a young girl came up to us (sent by her mother or how ever she was) and held out her hand, my wife told her to wait a minuet. when we came out of the shop she had bought her some goodies, to witch she said no and pointed to her purse. on offering it to her again the same reply no, no, and pointed at the purse again. not the actions of a starving child.
andy
I dont know if ive ever told you this, but a good few years ago when i first went to Goa with my parents, my mum was ill so she stayed at the hotel and i went for a walk with my dad. I think it was in Calangute because it wasnt far from our hotel and we were staying in hotel Kamat.
A young ish lad came up to my dad begging for money with his leg around his neck, which looked like he was disfigured. So my dad handed over around 200 rupees, then a bit later on after we'd stopped off for a coke we came out and i said look dad theres that young lad who you gave money to earlier, and hes walking normally.
Then my dad said come here lad, and he ran off.
From then on my dads never give anything to beggers, although he did buy a beach seller a meal and drink in a beach shack.
A young ish lad came up to my dad begging for money with his leg around his neck, which looked like he was disfigured. So my dad handed over around 200 rupees, then a bit later on after we'd stopped off for a coke we came out and i said look dad theres that young lad who you gave money to earlier, and hes walking normally.
Then my dad said come here lad, and he ran off.
From then on my dads never give anything to beggers, although he did buy a beach seller a meal and drink in a beach shack.
I think it is a personal choice. I never give when with my hubby as he has strong views on it and its not worth the cross words it may cause. I often give when I am alone (only small notes though) and I know I am conned some times but hey thats life.
What I really object to are the 'professional beggars' those women (I won't call them mothers cos mothers care) who drug and pinch their babies to make them appear ill or hungry and will continue to beg and treat their babies this way as long as there is easy money to be made from tourists.
The kids coming along the beach(who should be in school) with official looking pieces of paper claiming they cannot hear or speak (they can with each other!) Most of the beggars including the ones who are deformed and regularly beg on the beaches we were told are run by 'pimps' who drop them off every day and pick them up in the evening They are then given a roof over there heads and food to eat. If you offer them a meal from one of the shacks they never want it.
Those who entertain as Tightjock says earn their money, but isnt it encouraging parents to force their children into tightrope walking etc etc
There are goods and bads to a lot of things that go on in Goa - I'm sure we all do what we feel is best and thats how it should be
off my soapbox now
Lyn x
What I really object to are the 'professional beggars' those women (I won't call them mothers cos mothers care) who drug and pinch their babies to make them appear ill or hungry and will continue to beg and treat their babies this way as long as there is easy money to be made from tourists.
The kids coming along the beach(who should be in school) with official looking pieces of paper claiming they cannot hear or speak (they can with each other!) Most of the beggars including the ones who are deformed and regularly beg on the beaches we were told are run by 'pimps' who drop them off every day and pick them up in the evening They are then given a roof over there heads and food to eat. If you offer them a meal from one of the shacks they never want it.
Those who entertain as Tightjock says earn their money, but isnt it encouraging parents to force their children into tightrope walking etc etc
There are goods and bads to a lot of things that go on in Goa - I'm sure we all do what we feel is best and thats how it should be
off my soapbox now
Lyn x
last time me and the wife were in goa in jan we were sat in the mango grove havin one of those day nothing going right and i notice a old man walking up the road holding his pants up just going about his business not asking anyone for anything here is me thinking i am hard done so i droped him 100rps that the beggers i give to 
Toe, You're nothing but an old Softie ! 
We came off the beach this year by Rams shack and were walking down the road between Casa Seashell and Bom Successo and there were a couple of girls selling fruit who we had avoided every day as they were asking far too much - on this particular day, a guy on a large motorbike came up the road and asked each of the young girls for their money - so as per previous pimps must operate in the area.
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