Welcome to the TravelPod forums

[lucinate]

Since visiting extremely poverty stricken places like India and Bangladesh, a fair few people have asked how I've coped with the beggars and what I do. Do you give them money, buy them food or clothes or ignore them?

Alot of travel advisory information tells us not to give anything to beggars. In some countries, there is alot of organised begging with 'pimps' bussing in children and mothers with babies to beg from unsuspecting tourists then pocketing the earnings and giving very little back to the 'beggars'.

In Siem Reap, Cambodia, kids beg at the food stalls along the streets. We watched a tourist couple buy dinner for a little boy who promptly had it take away, ran over to his parents who were holding shopping and they all rode off on a motorbike.

In Myanmar we saw tourists practically mauled when they tried to give children pens or biscuits.

What's right and what's wrong?

How do you cope and what do you do?

[uncle_davros]

In Camodia, I found the kids sold books at a good price, same as in Vietnam. I know they only make a little for profits on the books, but at least they get something.

As for giving money or food, I never give any. Before I went to India last year, friends of mine said they would not be able to cope with the beggars there. I found it no different to London or anywhere else I have been. Walk straight past them, as if they are not there.