'Rupee, pen, chocolate, banana, photo (for rupees)'

In Rajasthan it's impossible not to be bombarded with children begging. And it 's hard to know what to do. Children all want to talk to you, but they quickly want something too. It's hard work to refuse, when the rest of the time you see them going through the rubbish or rubbish dumps for something to sell. Today an Education Bill was passed which stated that all children had a right to education in India and that they should be supported to do so. But tell that to those scratching a living in the rubbish pits, breaking rocks or turning cement in 50 degree heat. We haven't given any rupees, and have made a decision to donate to a charity as we feel this is better than perpetuating the begging culture. But it's brought us to tears on many occasions not least when we were refusing children and turning away while standing under Ghandi's statue. Maybe we've got it wrong...