The former director of a non-government organisation that has worked with street vendors has urged authorities to address the increase in young child street vendors.

Pastor Aumua Eric Poe of Christian City Church Apia Central, who was previously the director for Teen Challenge Samoa, told the Samoa Observer in an interview on Monday that there is a strong connection between street vending and street beggars.

He said having worked with Apia's child street vendors, in a bid to rehabilitate them, it was his view that most of the child street vendors gradually become beggars due to their desire for quick cash from members of the public or visitors.

"My concern is the transformation of these kids from street vending to street begging," said Pastor Aumua. "And being exposed to the streets for as long as they did, transformed them into beggars because their desire for money grew.

"The money they get from vending doesn't match the money they make from begging anymore. These kids go home at around 11 pm after their stroll around restaurants and around Apia begging for money and you can easily tell them by what they sell.

"They usually hold just one or two items to sell and if someone says no, they will beg them for money, and that's been ongoing for some time now and it's really concerning especially given the number of these kids is growing."

Last week this newspaper counted close to 20 adult beggars around Apia with some also providing entertainment in the town area to get those who are passing by to give them money. 

When asked what he thinks were the underlying factors behind the rise in the number of beggars on the streets of Apia, Pastor Aumua said most of the adult beggars are either mentally unwell or resort to begging to make ends meet.

As an example, he said child street beggars make about $90 per day begging in town and targeting multiple people including tourists. Asked for a possible solution to this issue, he said "It's not easy".

"Many of these kids not in town to vend now but to beg and again, these are all impacts of being exposed to the streets at young ages," he said. "Some beggars in town I understand have mental issues while some don't but either way, there is no easy solution to this issue especially for adult beggars in my understanding.

"But for young street beggars, there is still a way to stop them and stop the numbers from increasing."

According to Pastor Aumua, the majority of child street beggars are usually spotted around McDonald's restaurants or other eateries. He added that some of the bad behaviours these children get into include burglary, theft and assault and are a result of their refusal to take "no" for an answer.  

Looking to the future, he said he has fears about the increasing numbers and that authorities should intervene and address it.