This is what a voluntourism project is about.
It may sounds like a good cause, right? Who would refuse to help someone in a difficult situation and also get the opportunity to travel? But what if I tell you that some of these trips do more harm than good?
Some of these projects promote a reliance mentality, disable the community and harm their confidence and independence. How? In which way? Picture a group of unskilled people called from a different country to solve a problem to which you are trying to figure out the solution. In the long term the feeling of not being capable of finding out the answer yourself will be more and more persistent. This is one of the main problems of voluntourism: disempowerment of the community and low self-esteem.
Given that the solution is found and achieved, doesn’t mean that is the right one. In most of the cases with these projects lasting a couple of weeks, the result is a quick fix. This is the evidence of an attitude that ignores or refuses to better understand and analyze the causes surrounding the issue, that will repeat itself in the long term.
What can be the solutions?
The amount of money paid by the participants can be reallocated in the economy of the community by paying specialized people. By stimulating the economy, the community will be supported. Rather than giving a solution that in the long run will be useless, give to the community the tools and resources to sustain themselves and be independent.
The main purpose of these projects is helping who in needs. So, before preparing your bag, critically think if those few weeks will really help the community or damage it. Is the main goal trying to help or is it wanting to feel to be needed? Is it just an experience to put in your curriculum? Or is it for those pictures that you’ll upload on your social media?