Begging the Question

I encounter children begging for money every now and then in Panama. In fact, at dinner last night an adorable girl about 5 years old with big sad eyes sauntered up to our table in hopes of finding compassionate souls willing to hand over a Balboa or two. We couldn't resist, but I wish I had. It turned out her mom had dropped her off at the street corner and ordered her to go from table to table, only to pick her and her winnings up an hour or so later. It's sad that she is this destitute, but by giving her money, we were just perpetuating her mother's dependence on her as a source of income.

The linked article covers this sad situation ubiquitous in poor countries and why it's often not a good idea to give.

http://tinyurl.com/23w5x6