by Yulia Immajati, Gender Advisor of Oxfam GB in Indonesia
It was one fine evening and I was enjoying my fried chicken in one of the street vendors’ tent along Jaksa street, Central Jakarta, when this soft touch on my shoulder made me turned my head to her. She was standing there, starring at me, with those pathetic look, asking for money. I stopped eating. I look back at her, well…to put it more precisely, I stared on her. I started feeling this rejection of giving money. I don’t give money to street children since I know very well that they are employed by those lazy adults who prefer to exploit these children rather than using their own labor to earn money. She stood still, with her right palm opened, just right in front of me. I sighed…poor one.. she was a pretty little one but looked dirty with her old dress, which I guessed was 1 size bigger than hers.
‘Have you had dinner?’ I asked. She shook her head, with her pathetic look still.
Imelda
