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By Andualem Sisay - Capital
07 August, 2007
Ten years ago, Yemane Woldemariam was begging for three months just for the sake of research. His research resulted in the re-integration of some 24,000 beggars from Tigray back to their community. Now as an the active executive board member of Elshadai Relief and Development Association (ERDA), he believes that if there is a strong commitment from all sides, Addis Ababa will be cleared of beggars within one month.
For about three years, his association along with its partner the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MoLSA), has been conducting research and preparing an action plan to replicate the good practice of ERDA in Tigray across the nation. They plan to launch a national program with a month-long campaign of clearing Addis from beggars before the Millennium.
Creating awareness about the negative impact of begging among all citizens of the country, denouncing the practice of begging and acting for sustainable solutions are among the major goals of the campaign.
It will begin with identifying and separating beggars who have no other way of making a living from those who can help themselves and the country by being productive citizens.
The plan of eradicating begging is based on the fact that Ethiopia’s economic growth is affected negatively as the country is continuously losing its productive potential due to the ever increasing practice of begging.
The tentative action plan presented on Thursday evening, August 2, 2007 at a Hilton Addis meeting began with rounding up all the beggars in Addis Ababa and discussing on the ways in which they could be productive citizens of the country and setting timetables for their return to their places of origin.
Based on the agreement reached between the campaign organizers, beggars with potential and capable of involvemeat in productive activities will be re-integrated in their former areas.
The national committee will provide these unfortunate people with transport and assistance that will enable them to sustain their life for a six month transition period. There will be temporary centers in various sub-cities of Addis Ababa from where the beggars will be transported to their various destinations.
The national committee will conduct fund raising activities to implement its programs of re-integrating beggars to their origins. The national committee will also plan to introduce a social security system so that those who are unable to work due to various reasons can obtain their daily needs.
Most of the beggars observed in the city come from other regions of the country, are mostly in good health and own land and property in the rural areas.
Currently, the number of people in the country engaged in begging is believed to exceed 180,000, according to a study presented on the meeting. Amazingly, about 95% of these are capable of being engaged in jobs to earn a living.
All the participants of the meeting that included ministers, religious leaders, regional government representatives and prominent figures agreed of the need to form one all-inclusive national committee that will organize, plan and execute a nationwide campaign of abolishing what they called a shameful practice (begging) from Ethiopia.
On Thursday’s roundtable discussion organized by ERDA and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MoLSA), both are assigned to present one national document, detailed action plan and nominees of the national committee members for the meeting scheduled this evening at MoLSA here in Addis Ababa.