The Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation and the Fiji Police Force is currently working on identifying street beggars who will be assisted through the soon to be opened Rehabilitation Centre for street dwellers in Colo-i-Suva.
This was highlighted when the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Rosy Sofia Akbar and the National Beggars Taskforce was visiting some of the street beggars in Suva this week.
The visit was also an opportunity for the Minister to talk with individual beggars and also establish ways in which they could be assisted.
Shiu Mati who has been begging on the streets for 10 years told the Minister how she struggled every day to look after her two granddaughters as their mother has passed away.
Akbar told Mati and several other beggars that there was help for them through the Poverty Benefit Scheme and other forms of welfare assistance.
The new facility is expected to be open by the end of this month and will cater for more than 24 persons for training and accommodation.
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