[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In 2014, I arrived the favelas in Brasil to volunteer in an orphanage as an English teacher. I completed my TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate the previous year and I had to build my CV with experiences even if it doesn’t support my financial needs. I had to do it for free.
“Hello, my name is Trisha. You are expecting me today. I am the new volunteer.”
“Oh, hi Trisha! We’ve been waiting for you. This is the first time we are going to have a Philippines person volunteer.”
Hmmm. Philippines person, I thought.
Favela Rocinha in Rio de Janeiro is one of the biggest slums in the country. According to an advocacy NGO Catalytic Communities, there are an estimated 1,000 favelas in Rio, and they are home to about 1.5 million people, or close to 24 percent of the city’s population.
On the other side of the so-called slum life lay the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema: white sand, pristine waters and a city bustling with life. It was so hard to believe that a place like Rocinha existed in a matter of a short distance.
Due to lack of effective sewage system, a strong smell paraded the small allies I walked in. The Teacher Aide showed me the place where the children are, and there, I found myself entering a room of kids mostly from African descent.
Teacher Aid called the attention of the kids. In a heavy Portuguese accent that I don’t recognize, she announced my arrival and told the children about me. They were all so cute and cuddly I couldn’t help it! One by one, they started standing, came to my direction and welcomed me with a hug.
Wow, that was really encouraging. Those hugs were the best I received this year. I tried not to be emotional as I don’t want them to imply I am pitying their current status. I mean, tears are usually interlinked with a negative but really, I was very happy that I wanted to cry! I volunteered with a lot of children in Africa and Asia but I found these Brasilian kids the most welcoming. They are not shy and seemed to have worked their way around tourists. Okay, they all stared at me like the letters C-H-I-N-A were written on my forehead but that’s usually what they think about Asians in this side of the world: you are all Chinese to us.
I started work immediately. I didn’t want to waste time. I was injected with so much positive energy it was inspiring! As a newbie, I had to observe first. I first assisted in washing the dishes and cleaning the tables then I had the chance to talk to some not so shy girls who braided my hair. 3-6 children were around me like I was a mascot while some young boys were staring at me from a distance while smiling. I was very happy. That first day was a blast!
It was time for them to leave and go to their respected quarters. At least that’s what I thought. The favela is so big I don’t think I will even remember how to get back to the main street. As I have an apartment in Lapa, I didn’t use their volunteer accommodation services. I chose to go home every day by bus because it wasn’t that inconvenient.
I met another volunteer while I was putting some toys in their respective boxes. She explained to me where the books, the blocks and the ‘soft’ toys (i.e. dolls, pillows, etc) go. While I was at it, I told her about the hugs I received when I arrived and how starting to volunteer made me feel.
“They are actually trained to do that. Every time a visitor comes, they have to be adorable and cuddly.” she said.
So, that wasn’t genuine? I thought.
“Oh really? But it still made me feel good. Do you know where the children sleep?”
“In their homes.”
“They have homes? I thought this is an orphanage.”
“Yeah they actually have parents but mostly they are working during the day and can’t look after their children. So they bring them here because they don’t spend a dime of their stay here. It’s convenient. Some of them have parents but have completely abandoned them so they stay in a little home the organisation provided for them. But not everyone can be accommodated. That place really looks horrible I think the parents should take their children back.”
I didn’t say anything. I was confused. On the way home, while I was in the bus, I was patching everything together: orphans mean they don’t have parents right? I mean, I wasn’t wishing for the kids not to have any but was just digesting the real meaning of being an orphan. I was really really confused. Why is that place called an orphanage in the volunteering ad?
A photo posted by GivingWay (@givingway) on
I spent the whole night reading about voluntourism and how these orphanages operate. Sure, there are many in the world and my interest in volunteering in an orphanage was triggered by friends who did the same. They said it was life-changing and the simplest yet most rewarding thing they’ve ever done. Through my reading escapades, I found out that volunteering, yet visiting an orphanage abroad is a bad idea.
Orphanages are booming businesses trading on guilt
Some studies proved that only a quarter of children in the orphanages lost both parents. Like in the situation I was caught in, a lot of these children were abandoned because of myriads of reasons. These so-called orphanages gave the parents the ticket to “forget you are a parent. Dump your children to us,” kind of trip.
Of course, these organisations will receive money as they release their slogans such as “Help save the orphans of ____,” “Change a child’s life. Donate now.” and many other words full of pity that will surely make people donate.
It’s a guilt trip for teenagers on gap year to come and volunteer without pay; for middle class families who can’t physically help but have enough fortune to donate; for retirees who have nothing to spend their money on: the stream of help coming to orphanages has been overwhelming. The question is, where does the money go?
Foreign volunteers coming in and out of children’s lives for short periods have a negative effect
Orit Strauss, founder of GivingWay (a platform where you can find volunteering opportunities with no membership cost) stated that this creates attachment issues, and doesn’t help the children form long lasting relationships with caretakers that they should be forming. For this and many other reasons GivingWay has taken a firm stance against Orphanage Volunteering and instead encourage programs that promote the keeping of families together; programs that offer family based care, income generation and social support.
Of course, a lot of travelers who come volunteer have good intentions, there is no question to that. The thing is, we are not properly educated about the psychological and mental effect of our actions to the people we are going to deal with, most especially in very depressed and poverty-stricken area.
From learning this, I realised I was building my teaching resume in the very wrong way. I felt I was really going to do harm so I decided I didn’t want to continue anymore.
I immediately gave up my volunteering slot and told them I needed more time to evaluate the causes I am supporting. That’s the most honest I went but the Teacher Aid sounded furious as she had to find someone to replace me ASAP.
On finding sustainable volunteering opportunities
It is great to see that more people are advocating for responsible and ethical volunteering. GivingWay is a great example as it shifts the focus back to the non-profit organizations who can independently and directly engage with prospective volunteers so that the matching of volunteer skills and organization needs is enhanced and the impact to local communities is maximized.
Our generation is built to find volunteering as a channel in making our young lives more meaningful but I realised that it is never right to venture in causes we don’t have strong feelings for. From this experience, I have been very picky with the volunteering opportunities I take and promised that I will always do further research: not just get hyped about “I’m going to Africa to volunteer with poor children and it will definitely change my life!”
I am pretty sure we all have good intentions but we should also be responsible when it comes to deep worldly issues we are not educated about. I am not saying that all orphanages are corrupted which is the reason why there are real orphanages who are suffering but how do you know which one is which? The only way to make a difference is to be in the know: remember that the more you know, the more you can use your skills, expertise, and energies in making this world a better world for all of us.[/vc_column_text][us_separator style=”dashed” type=”default”][vc_column_text]
Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by GivingWay, a website where you can discover thousands of volunteer abroad opportunities in 110+ countries worldwide. All opinions are MY OWN and the editorial content was not directed by the sponsor. Please remember that I only recommend a product I genuinely believe in and trust.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][us_single_image image=”7847″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
What do you think about volunteering in an orphanage?
Have you experienced it? Did it cause harm or good? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave your insights in the comment box below.
[/vc_column_text][us_separator style=”dashed” type=”default”][us_iconbox icon=”fab|pinterest” title=”Looking to volunteer in an orphanage?”]This post may come handy! Pin it and save it for later![/us_iconbox][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][us_separator style=”dashed” type=”default”][us_cta title=”Educate yourself when volunteering in an orphanage!” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fpsimonmyway.com%2Ftravel-coaching|||” btn_label=”Contact Trisha”]Planning your volunteering abroad? Not sure where to go? I can help you with that! I volunteered for over 3 years in Latin America and can help you land the best volunteering opportunities![/us_cta][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Trisha is one of those people who left their comfortable life to travel the world and learn about life. Her style is to stay in one place she likes for 3 months (or more) to know what it feels like to eat, cook, speak, and sleep in another culture that isn’t hers. She’d like to believe she’s not traditionally traveling but she just chooses to be somewhere else all the time. In no particular order, her favorite cities in the world are Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, Mexico City, and Tel Aviv.
John Snow
Friday 20th of October 2017
There are so many ways to change the lives of orphans or street children, via influence or words of mouth by encouragement make them believe what you are saying, words of God. Try to understand my situation, on how I developed my self through adapting styles and life techniques of good and smart people. I was abandoned at age 9 when my mother died. I would like to invite you to please visit my page and read my autobiography.
Rajkumar Gaikwad
Friday 23rd of December 2016
Hats off Trisha, keep up the good work. That really takes one mind to get the good work done for others.
abbey
Friday 16th of December 2016
I had a slightly similar experience and I wasn't even travelling or going on voluntourism when that happened. Ever since that day, I became very wary of the charities or foundations I'm going to support. I'd like to share this helpful article for more insights on ethical volunteering: http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/volunteer-abroad/ and this part struck me the most, "too many volunteer projects can actually foster dependency on international aid and compromise the dignity of the people they are trying to help."
It's unfortunate that I had to experience it firsthand before I learned that very important lesson. But I hope we get to spread the knowledge and prevent other people from falling for the same trap. Let's not waste our energy and concern on organizations that are not really helping.
Carla
Tuesday 13th of December 2016
Volunteering is one thing I would love to do soon on my travels too. You are right in evaluation first if the orphanage was legit or not. Here in the Philippines, its disheartening to learn that there are orphanages used by syndicates. Thank you for this eye-opening article, I also appreciate your writing style.
Mags
Monday 12th of December 2016
Wow. I wouldn't even think to research whether an orphanage was legit or not! It's such a shame that there are organizations that will take advantage of peoples kindness like that.