Soupçon from a restaurant table can give a child a new start

For many people, it can be a moral dilemma to see children begging on the street. Heartbreaking as their situation is, handing them money is no real solution and will probably encourage them to remain on the street. The organisers of the StreetSmart charity firmly believe that giving money directly to street children will never help them to seek a safer, more normal life, but will just perpetuate the problem. Instead, they encourage people to "help out by eating out", by adding a donation of R5 to their bill at participating restaurants. The money all goes to organisations with the experience and facilities to help children living on the streets and who want to get back on their feet, by providing them with shelter, education, skills development and sometimes family reunions. "We have raised more than R14m for street children and children at risk of becoming street children," says StreetSmart SA chairwoman Melanie Burke. "Last year, R1m was raised R5 at a time by 60 restaurants. We ...

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