Interested in your thoughts. Indonesia has a long rainy season, and we are now in the peak off it. During downpours, out come flocks of "umbrella ojeks" (umbrella taxis) - poor children, often shockingly young, who hold their umbrella over your head as you walk to your destination, in return for some money. This occurs even well after dark, and they're usually soaked to the bone, and with no guardians in sight. Yesterday I forgot my umbrella and for the first time welcomed the flock of kids that ran toward me, choosing the lone young girl of the group to accompany me the 2 drenched blocks to my apartment building. I've heard people commonly pay 2-3,000 rp for this service, but I gave her 60,000 rp (~7USD), since that's what I had handy, and since I hoped she'd then go home to a safer, dryer place. What do you think about this? Exploitation or contribution? Worsening a problem or preventing bigger problems? Would you hire an umbrella ojek or avoid them?
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