An invitation from Marina King ’16, student coordinator for the Wesleyan chapter of Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO): Is all help actually helpful? Is it possible to volunteer abroad without changing one’s profile picture to an image of one surrounded awkwardly by a BUNCH of children? Does aid BENEFIT a community, or does it more…
Tag Archive for voluntourism
Allbritton Talks: Do-Gooders Abroad
Many people, particularly Westerners, travel to the developing world each year to volunteer with NGOs and assist communities in need. However, critics of “voluntourism” warn that the self-satisfaction, thrill, and social media attention gained through service may come at the cost of real progress and make a spectacle of poverty. Others defend the good intentions…