Begging in a fast growing city. Situations and impacts in Bahir Dar

Masters Thesis from the year 2015 in the subject Sociology - Political Sociology, Majorities, Minorities, grade: Very Good, Addis Ababa University (College of scoial sciences), course: Sociology, language: English, abstract: This study was conducted in the city of Bahir Dar to investigate trends, situations, impacts and measures of begging. It employed mixed research methods, and cross-sectional and approximating longitudinal design with cross-sectional designs, and an integrated vulnerability model which focuses on cross-cutting combination of socially produced vulnerability and natural hazards leading to peoples vulnerability which in turn exposes them to begging. It involved 98 participants drawn from beggars; officers from governmental, non-governmental and community based organizations; leaders of religious organizations; the public; tourists and a tour guide by employing census, convenience and purposive techniques of sampling. While qualitative data collected through in-depth and key informant interviews, personal observation and survey data having qualitative nature were analyzed through content and thematic analysis, quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics with SPSS for windows version 20. The findings revealed that Bahir Dar city shows an ever increasing trend of beggars largely fueled by rural migrants. Sizable portions of beggars are physically strong; actively participate in different income generating activities in addition to begging; hate their begging and have strong desire to withdraw from it. However, they live in degrading and discriminatory type of social life; one of the unhealthiest life styles and poor access to basic services the urban life demands. By obstructing traffic and tourist flows, and participating in deviant and criminal acts, beggars in the city presented pressing socio-economic and health impacts on themselves, residents, citys security and tourism development. Dealing with the issue of begging in the