‘Voluntourism’ has become a popular extracurricular activity for many Americans, especially students. It promises the opportunity to make a positive impact on a poor, underdeveloped nation by flying to work at an orphanage or to build something in the community such as a library or school in just a week or two. Unfortunately, the selfless act of volunteering paired with exotic locations like Ethiopia or Tanzania prove to be an effective photo shoot for wealthy students who will then highlight their week of goodwill on Tinder and Instagram. Pippa Biddle, an experienced ‘Voluntourer’ describes her experience in her essay “The Problem with Little White Girls, Boys, and Voluntourism.” Pippa’s first trip took her to Tanzania for a week at a cost …show more content…
Mario Machado, a veteran Peace Corps volunteer, describes his experience in Paraguay in his essay “The Privilege of Doing Development Work: Voluntourism and Its Limitations.” The Peace Corps requires a minimum 27-month commitment for its volunteers, so they can really understand the culture, language, and needs of the area. As Machado puts it, “nobody can do good development or aid work in a few weeks/months, especially not outsiders” (Machado, 2014). He continues to express the importance in becoming a part of the community by saying if he really had wanted to make more of an impact, he should have stayed in Paraguay for at least another two years. So much about development work involves building relationships, which takes time. Even the most well-meaning voluntourist can’t make any measurable change with a summer vacation. As relationships can be forged more easily by those who are from the community, it begs the question why we don’t focus on our own poor and hungry neighbors in our local communities – what is more appealing about a trip to Ethiopia to help starving children, than a trip to our local food bank to help hungry families in our same zip
The proliferation of crises around the world has led to a prominent increase in the amount of humanitarian aid needed. Humanitarian aid work represents not only compassion, but commitment to support innocent populations that have experienced sudden or on-going tragedies. Some of these tragedies include: malnutrition, genocide, diseases, torture, poverty, war, natural disasters, government negligence, and unfortunately much more. There is no doubt that these tragedies are some of the world’s toughest problems to solve as they are often complex, multifaceted and require diligence and patience. For this reason, being a humanitarian aid worker is more than a profession, it is a lifestyle that requires a sharp distinction between one’s work and
Olaudah Equiano and his sister were kidnapped by slave traders from their native village in Isseke, Nigeria. The nature of the African village, Isseke, was labor based and emphasized the concept of earning profit from hard work. There was a strong sense of community among these villagers, as Equiano explains in his personal narrative, “Thus we are all habituated to labor from our earliest years. Everyone contributes something to the common stock; and, as we are unacquainted with idleness, we have no beggars” (39)
The National Archives | Exhibitions & Learning online | Black presence | Africa and the Caribbean. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2014, from http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/blackhistory/africa_caribbean/africa_trade.htm
Beryl Markham’s West with the Night is a collection of anecdotes surrounding her early life growing up as a white girl in British imperialist Africa, leading up to and through her flight across the Atlantic Ocean from East to West, which made her the first woman to do so successfully. Throughout this memoir, Markham exhibits an ache for discovery, travel, and challenge. She never stays in one place for very long and cannot bear the boredom of a stagnant lifestyle. One of the most iconic statements that Beryl Markham makes in West with the Night is:
...Bridgewater State University was a complete success. For some that she presented in front of, it could have been the first time that they have ever heard of her community center in Tanzania or the first time they have ever heard of Tanzania. Relating to her overall purpose of being at the university, her message was received well by many. As she said, she wanted to make people more aware that volunteer work can help inspire people to make a difference in their communities. She has successfully presented a case were two people exiled from a country; in which they were brought up, and moved to a country that is 180°different having success in creating a stronger community and were able to have that community become worldly known: with the lack of technology. This is a remarkable and evident accomplishment of the organizational structure utilized for social services.
To illustrate, in 2005 mercy corps contributed inimproving the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe by re-using building materials, supplying tools to dismantle the ruined houses, and working with the families that were impacted by the disasters and have currently been working in helping more than 30 countries build secure communities to restore what was destroyed. In relation, “On average, over 22 million people have been displaced each year since 2008 because of climate or weather-related disasters” (Gillian B. White) which is why mercy corps is set on guiding people to survive through catastrophes, build better lives and communities. I’ve mainly selected mercy corps because it offers orientation to become aware of what mercy corps is and to acknowledge the variety of options on whom would like to volunteer such as community fundraising, action center and administrative support. Action Center lets volunteers take part in seminars and lectures that inform them about the crisis happening around the world and the improvements mercy corps has done for
During my last visit, I assisted a young girl who had a horrible infection in her leg. While the doctors cleaned her leg, I prayed and kept her calm by talking to her. When other patients visited the clinic, I held their hands while their teeth were being cleaned or cuts were being bandaged. Throughout the years, I have built many relationships with the children in Honduras. Each year when I arrive, my friends Santos and Jocelyn run and jump into the truck because they know I am there to help them. They always show me a toy or clothes I brought the previous year. Their happiness is evidence that my actions have had a positive impact and added value to their lives. Mission work has demonstrated to me the importance of valuing and helping others and has given me a great sense of purpose and appreciation for my
Khapoya, Vincent B. The African Experience: An Introduction. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998. Print.
For the most part, individuals go to visit family and companions, for their occupation, or to enjoy a reprieve from the exhausting dull of the place where they grew up. Be that as it may, amid the late summer of 2014, I made a trip to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, a little city with numerous impeded individuals, on a mission trip with my church. It was truly an eye opening experience. The things I encountered demonstrated to me proper methodologies to acknowledge new places and the general population who rehearse distinctive ways of life.
As a twelve-year old, I took my first mission trip to Cusuna, Honduras. Although this village lies on the coast, the area is over fished, and the soil is sandy and undernourished. The population is almost 100% Garifuna, and widely discriminated against. Consequently, there is little to no food, water,
One way people can help is to, “Help pack and ship medications and medical supplies from our Naples, Florida warehouse. By donating your time, you help Haitian medical facilities receive over $11 million in medications free of charge!” (“Impact for Haiti”). By sending boxes of necessary items to Haiti we can make a big difference. People do not have to go to Haiti to be able to help the country and the people. There are many ways like this where we can help from your own home. “If you have a heart for Haiti and want to serve for an extended period of time, an internship is for you”, says another organization (“Mission of Hope Haiti”). Taking part in an internship is a great way to get involved in the country and with the people living in Haiti. People can be part of Haiti for a longer period of time than if we went on a small trips. This could have a greater effect on the country and ourselves. If people take internships in Haiti we can share information with others, and make them want to help. Another thing groups have started is, “$1=6 months of deworming medication. $1=25 days of public health education for a student. $1=1 tree planted and cared for by a Haitian student. $1=1 day of teaching for approximately 30 students”, (“Impact for Haiti”). By donating money people can help in small and big was. One dollar can make a big difference in the lives of many Haitians. If we donate to the people of Haiti, we could change their
To show benevolence towards another is to exert an act of kindness. This act of kindness is shaped by consideration and compassion, without the intention of receiving anything in return. These individuals who express benevolence are cogitated as philanthropists and volunteers, who are responsible for giving their efforts to assist the lives’ of others who cannot benefit themselves. There is no dispute that there can be enough volunteers because populaces will forever need assistance, whether it is in regards to moral support or hunger. It is vital for individuals to dedicate their time to volunteering internationally due to the extreme difference in poverty levels, lack of governmental aid in foreign countries, and personal advancement in cultural
The next few days in Nicaragua overwhelmed me. We took a truck to the place where we helped out at. Our team was supposed to go to help out at the Comedor, a place started by the missionaries in Bluefields. This place was started for children whose houses were in the poorest part of Bluefields. The missionaries saw that many of the children’s parents were not able to feed their kids enough meals and so they were becoming
The current relationship that Ramapo has with Natuwa, where students only go for a week and assist workers in feeding the birds and with other short term projects, is very reminiscent of Paulo Freire’s (1996) idea of “false generosity.” Even though Ramapo students are not necessarily the ones creating the problem or doing the oppressing, by continually going to Natuwa and not addressing the long-term problems, the program does utilize Natuwa’s need of help for students and the school to feel as if they are being generous. The club will serve to ensure that that Ramapo is assisting Natuwa with true generosity by working and fighting in unity with them. However, Freire also brings up an interesting point in that false generosity also means that those helping continue that hierarchical power relations between them and those they are helping by not allowing the oppressed to make their own decisions. This is something that the club will need to be extremely conscientious of in our actions. While we want to help develop Natuwa and want to bring change the way it is structured, it is important to remember that it is still Rodolfo’s sanctuary and that we are here to work with him, not to tell him what to do. It is extremely important for us to remember
This is the reason for his research and 4 motivators specific to volunteer vacation are concluded. Firstly, the ‘Cultural immersion’ in the culture and community of the volunteering destination is a strong motivator. Secondly, the pure self satisfactory from contributing back also motivates tourists to take part in volunteer vacation. Thirdly, seeking camaraderie with people who shares common interests and values motivates participations on volunteer vacation. Lastly, seeking educational and bonding opportunities for children is the motivation of engaging. Furthermore, in spites of travelling to escape from the negative feelings of home life in the past, tourists increasingly use volunteer vacation to provides value for themselves and improve their home