HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Though HCM Cityhas tried to take care of beggars and the homeless for years, many peoplecontinue to beg for money, saying they have had goods or cash stolen, or needto find their lost relatives, among other explanations. 

For example, a middle-aged woman regularlystands near a gas station on the corner of Nguyen Van Cu and Nguyen Traistreets in District 5 to look for handouts, according to a report in Sai Gon GiaiPhong (Liberated Saigon) newspaper.

When a driver stops at the gas station, the woman helps them open up the gastank cover and waits for the bike owner to make the next move. After the driverpays for the gas, the woman then immediately asks for money. If she doesn'treceive any, she argues that she deserves it because she helped open the tankcover.

Since most bike owners want to avoid problems and not be told that they areselfish, they give the woman 5,000 VND or 10,000 VND. Within a fairly shortperiod, the woman is able to earn hundreds of thousands of dong.

A similar circumstance can be seen at a gas station on Ly Thuong Kiet street inDistrict 5 where a middle-aged man is “in charge”. In addition to opening andclosing the gas tank lids in exchange for money, many other scams have beenrecognised.

In particular, a woman holding a sick-looking child usually sits on thepavement of District 11’s Au Co street. Many people give her money but othersvolunteer to take the child to the hospital. But the woman refuses, explainingthat she just wants money to take care of the child herself.

Other beggars tell people they need money because they have missed their trainhome or their motorbike needs repair.

The city's hotspots for begging include: the Nguyen Thai Hoc – Tran Hung DaoIntersection in District 1; Nam Ky Khoi Nghia – Nguyen Thi Minh KhaiIntersection and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai – Cach Mang Thang 8 Intersection inDistrict 3; Nguyen Trai – Nguyen Van Cu Intersection and Nguyen Trai – Chau VanLiem Intersection in District 5; and Cong Hoa – Ut Tich Intersection and Bay HienIntersection in Tan Binh district; among others.

To address the situation, the municipal Department of Labour, Invalids andSocial Affairs has submitted a report to the city's People’s Committee on adraft plan dealing with the homeless situation through 2020. The department'sgoal is to end the situation by the end of 2020.

However, experts are concerned that this new draft plan is similar to formerineffective plans.

In 2010, the department aimed to eliminate begging by the end of 2010. Then ayear later, the department submitted another plan that focused on getting ridof begging in several central districts by 2013 and citywide by 2015.

At the end of 2014, the city began encouraging beggars and the homeless tovisit or stay at social protection centres. A similar goal was set in early2015, with the aim of solving the problem by the end of April, 2016. However,the problem persisted.

According to the department, the homeless and beggars who stay at socialprotection centres receive general education and vocational training, with theaim of eliminating literacy and offering them access to primary schooleducation.

The flexible training period allows them to quickly return to their localities,find proper jobs, and have stable lives. The centres also work with businessesto find jobs for former beggars or the homeless.

To provide the best conditions for them to reintegrate into the community, theDepartment of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs sends a notification toits counterparts in neighbouring provinces, asking them to offer support tobeggars and the homeless.

For those who continue to stay in HCM City, the People’s Committees ofdistricts and wards are responsible for connecting the homeless or beggars withtheir families who are asked to promise that their relatives stop begging orliving on the streets. Authorities consider each problem case by case, and thenoffer support to the former beggars and the homeless./.