Article from the PPP on kids who work as night-hawkers to support their families : http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weeke ... me-hawkers

Anyone who goes out at night sees these kids in the bars and restaurants trying to sell stuff that most people don't really want. Is it better to give them a buck so they finish their night earlier and can go to bed, or do you always stick to the official policy that buying stuff from kids is an encouragement to child exploitation ? Do you give them money to go away or buy them some food ? Has anyone actually called the Childsafe Hotline to report children working at night in the bars of PP or on the beach at SV ?

The article mostly refers to kids who are working for or with their parents, not talking about organized gangs where children are "rented" or used as slaves; but is there a difference if the kids are working directly for their families ?

My theoretical policy is not to buy things from child-hawkers, and that they are all being exploited whether by their family or outsiders. However, I am torn here; I'm not comfortable with this attitude because kids need to eat, by whatever means possible, and yet I am not going to spend every night out looking for a "safe space" for these children. They're not street kids, they have a home and family most of the time, but the adults are not managing to provide for them. I am not an NGO, but I'm not a monster either. Thoughts ?

If approached by a child, Friends International recommends following their Childsafe Movement’s seven tips for travellers and citizens. Those particularly concerned can call their hotline: 012 311 112.

I don't give them anything, and don't speak to them, apart from saying no thank you.

The ones entering bars to sell crap should not be encouraged because the idea of letting kids wander about without supervision is terrible.

The ones who are looking after actual market stalls after school are permissible.

Most are supervised to some extent, their parents are usually nearby. I remember reading that many of the flower sellers are from one village in Kandal province. I wouldn't encourage it, kids shouldn't be going into girly bars late at night. I doubt too many are in dire poverty, they are driven into town on their parent's motos.

ot mien kampf wrote:The ones entering bars to sell crap should not be encouraged because the idea of letting kids wander about without supervision is terrible.

The ones who are looking after actual market stalls after school are permissible.

Yeah I agree with this.

Kids should be nowhere near the bars but as you say I think manning a stall after school is ok but they should not be doing this late into the night either.

Far bloody worse are the glue-boys - five or six hang around one area of Siem Reap
and whine for alms - one Khmer lady (in Mad Murphy's Irish Bar) says they are
orphanage runaways or chuckouts.

I don't give money to beggars (children or adults) never and usually I dont buy anything from children. In Cambodia and abroad. i dont want to finance the bee or the smoke of the parents.

But often, when I m not on time pressure I buy some food or give some, when I have with me. Just on the riverside or tourist place I have always to remember not to give food to kids without parents there. Sometime when I have a female friend with me, I gave her money to buy the food for the kids and I stay far away.

I must admit, that when I didnt know about the milk scam in SR I would easily fall in.

I dont think to work for the parents AFTER school and at daylight would be so bad, i did it in Europe too.

I was told by a Khmer woman that says she knows, that some of the kids begging around 136 in the daytime are sent out by their parents without even any breakfast.They are supposed to beg money and use some of it for breakfast. So, If it is morning I sometimes buy them food, or if they look hungry. The odd thing is that she said she knows of one family who are doing OK but still send their kids out begging.
When I'm eating pork rice on 136 at night and I don't eat it all the kids are very happy to eat it. They are the glue sniffing gang that hang around there most nights it seems. Not sure if they have parents or not. In England many of them do. Cambodia is just one big council estate.

Anchor Moy wrote:My theoretical policy is not to buy things from child-hawkers, and that they are all being exploited whether by their family or outsiders. However, I am torn here...]

All good people are torn, but your theory is right. Don't give, don't buy. They, children, are only there because some people do.

John Bingham wrote:Most are supervised to some extent, their parents are usually nearby. I remember reading that many of the flower sellers are from one village in Kandal province. I wouldn't encourage it, kids shouldn't be going into girly bars late at night. I doubt too many are in dire poverty, they are driven into town on their parent's motos.

I'd like to see a real investigation into where they come from and who they are connected to. I recall the Daily article a few years back claiming they were all (or mostly) there with relatives. I have my doubts. But it needs to be looked into by somebody who has more than a few months in-country/in-region.

LTO wrote: it needs to be looked into by somebody who has more than a few months in-country/in-region.

So, after 30 odd years of aid work, no one knows much about it? That is pretty damning I'd say.
Is/has there never been an NGO that has focused on street kids? or is there just no money in it?