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orty-year-old Harish Narayan says he will stop begging on the streets once he starts receiving social welfare assistance from Government.

Mr Narayan made the promise to the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Rosy Akbar last Saturday.

Ms Akbar walked the streets of Suva City with members of National Beggars Taskforce and with Fiji Police Force to talk to beggars.

This was a concerted effort to identify street beggars who would be assisted through the soon to open Street Dwellers Rehabilitation Centre in Colo-i-Suva.

Ms Akbar told Mr Narayan that he could be assisted through a Poverty Benefit Scheme.

He is disabled and lives on money from begging.

Another beggar, Shiu Mati, has been begging in Suva for about 10 years to provide for her two granddaughters after their mother passed away.

“If given the opportunity to learn new skills to find a decent job, I wouldn’t hesitate to go to the rehabilitation centre,” she said.

“It’s a good opportunity for street beggars to acquire new skills for us to work hard and earn a dignified life.”

During the tour, the team came across some mentally challenged people who said their families did not want them anymore.

Ms Akbar said the ministry would work with the Ministry of Health to provide care and medical treatment to those people.

She said street beggars who would be identified would also be provided the opportunity to benefit from Government’s Welfare to Workfare Programme that has a budgetary allocation of $500,000 for 2015.

Feedback: farisha.ahmed@fijisun.com.fj