A Question of Candy

January 21, 2008

Photos by author

In all travel to third world or developing countries, one question that will inevitably arise is whether or not tourists should give to begging children. I make no claim to offer any definitive answer, but I would like to present the different points of view simply in order to sensitize people to the issues involved. “What issues?” some might ask. “We of the first world have so much more than they do, why not bring a smile to child’s face by giving him or her a balloon, a banana, some candy, paper and pens? It is such a small gesture to make, and there is so much misery in the world.”

This, in fact, was my original stance, and when I first came to Senegal I had stocked up on bags of balloons and pens in the dollar store, thinking that by reading my guidebooks I had done my homework and was well prepared for the realities I would face. (I always think this. Take it from me: whenever you think this, you are probably wrong).The children here, as in any country I have ever visited, have beautiful smiles that will melt your heart – there is nothing you would rather do than give, simply in order to receive their smiles in exchange. Sadly, however, you cannot EVER have enough balloons for all the children who will appear to materialize out of nowhere, and then will follow the inevitable wails of frustration and fury of those who missed out. When the balloons pop, as they doubtless will, sooner or later, the heartwarming smiles will again be transformed to heartrending wails, and you, the giver, will feel guilty because you did not bring even more, because there is still so much unalleviated misery in the region.

Not only this, but many people do not realize that there are often people behind the children taking whatever they get: older children, adults, parents, in some cases even their religious teachers, which of course defeats the purpose. This is why most experienced travelers never ever give money, only food, toys or supplies of some sort. Then, too, it is simply amazing HOW MANY children you will encounter in any given village, it simply boggles the imagination. There are aggressive children who grab and take from one another, or who will even grab hold of your bag, or tug at your arm, or snatch at the bag of candy you are trying desperately to hold above their heads, well out of reach. (When you are only about 5″2′, as I am, this can pose a problem). During some instances when I was surrounded by upwards of 25 children clamoring for their share, I was very relieved when a local adult came along to oversee the distribution. There are imps who will unabashedly come by for a second or a third round of candy when other, more timid kids have received nothing. There is the fact that in villages with few tourists, children do not descend upon people like locusts demanding “Donnez-moi un cadeau” or “Give me a present,” indicating that ironically, it is the well-meaning tourist who has created a problem where there was none before.

I spoke with one woman who has lived and traveled extensively in Africa, asking for her view. After taking a long reflective drag on her cigarette, she looked me straight in the eye and said that although it sounded heartless, she herself gives nothing to the children. She dislikes being mobbed and feels that the wrong sort of behavior is encouraged. Not only this, but as she pointed out drily, “It’s never enough, so why start?”

On another, still more practical note, a dentist acquaintance of mine pointed out to me that dental care in third world countries, if available, may be very expensive and difficult to access, especially for those living in remote rural areas. By giving candy, you are doing the children NO favor whatsoever. My environmentally conscious friends pointed out that the candy wrappers and deflated balloons create still more garbage in areas that are already usually teeming with debris.

So what are the alternatives? A quick-thinking Peruvian friend who was surrounded by children when she was buying bananas from a local fruit vendor purchased an extra kilo or two and distributed these among the children to share, which impressed me as a very nice thing to do if you do not mind the swarming (and the fact that in the future you will be accosted whenever you go to this particular fruit vendor). Everyone I have spoken to on the subject, including Senegalese friends, agree that giving money, books or supplies to a local organization such as a school or a library is the best way to avoid contributing to a culture of begging, not to mention cavities. Such gifts will get to the proper recipients and, assuming they are used correctly, will have a value far more enduring than the evanescent pleasures of balloons or candy.

This is the conclusion I have drawn for myself, though I would be curious to hear the comments of others.

About the Author : Tamara-Diana Braunstein brings us her stories from Senegal every week. She was born in Brooklyn, New York. She is a restless wanderer who earned an MA from the University of Freiburg and has worked in a youth hostel in the French Alps, a law firm in Montreal, the Metropolitan Museum of Art as well as in university press publishing. At the moment her home base is Dakar, Senegal, where she is supposed to be teaching but is doing far more learning, as you will see by reading her blog at www.senegalschoolmarm.blogspot.com