Two- weeks mission to take care of beggars and homeless children

Published on Wednesday, 07 November 2012 18:56

A child beggar seen in the downtown area of Yangon (Photo - Kyaw Zin Win/EMG)

Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) will start a two-week mission on November 5 to take care of beggars and homeless children in Yangon, an official from the committee.

Most of the beggars and homeless children can be found near traffic lights and under traffic bridges in Yangon. Among the people put under protection are homeless children, elderly beggars, disabled persons, mentally ill persons and beggars holding toddlers.

A representative from YCDC explains that these people are not being arrested, instead they are given care and protection. He says in developing Yangon into a standardized city such people should not be seen wandering about. These people will first be transferred to Ministry of Social Welfare, and they will be sent to care centers or training centers later on.

Children under five years old will be sent to Shwe Gone Daing Children’s Care Center. Boys aged 5-12 will be sent to Kyike Waing Youth Training Center, and the 13-to-16-year-old to Thanlyinand NyatAw San Youth Training Centers, while girls of those ages will be sent to Young Girls’ Training Center and Female Vocational Training Center respectively.

People suffering from mental disorders will be taken to Psychiatric Hospital while the elderly will be cared by Social Welfare Department.

Children under 16 years old will be sent back to their parents if possible while those over 18 will be transferred to the police.

This is the second campaign launched this year for the well-being of beggars and homeless children in Yangon, following the one that started in October.