Best Posts in Thread: Voluntary work on a Tourist Visa.

They often say that high salaries are paid to the top people at charities to 'retain the talent'. In my opinion, you have no talent if you need an obscene amount of money for what is probably a fairly simple job (with a charitable basis) and often these 'top' bosses (in many walks of life) have no more 'talent' than knowing someone.

 

Correct. While I did not receive Charity as such, due to my diligence, I was given a chance to learn a Trade when no one else would give me that chance in my Teens. So a charitable act helped to carry me through life until I could no longer work, but I did support a family to adulthood because of that chance to learn a trade.

I think doing the same for those truly in need would go a long way to ensuring that they never need to burden the Charity that is on offer. Instead of building houses for the needy, teach them how to build, instead of throwing food their way, teach them to farm, instead of giving clothing, teach them how to sew and make clothing etc where they may learn a future trade and be able to support their own families.

In my youth I went hungry many a time due to stubborn pride and eventually worked my way out of the rut I found myself in. Yes I was fortunate, while so many are not, but many would take pride in the ability to help themselves, rather than take a hand out. That is what many Charities should be looking at doing, thinking of tomorrow instead of placing a band-aid over today. "Teach a Man to Fish" so to speak.

 

And that is just one side of the story, it is always the "bad" effects of charity that make the news and bolster the descriptions of those that feel "if I made it than all others should make it too".... it is that feeling that pervades the political atmosphere in the US today.... There are numerous instances of "help" both private and public that have lifted unfortunate people out of a life of poverty and made them productive and taxpaying citizens... just sayin

 

I have always grown up with the old adage; "Give a Man a Fish/ Teach a Man to Fish" scenario in life. I have given here without anything in return in several extreme circumstances, but for the most; give in exchange for work as it is far better earn than to beg. I have also learnt that the only person who will help me when it is all boiled down is myself, something others should also realise holds very true for themselves.

Many in poverty, many feel they have no hope, so do not try to improve their lot in life. If certain skills can be passed on whereby they can earn an income, care for their family etc then that is a win-win. For those who become dependent on Charity most will not try to help themselves when they get something for nothing.

Look at the Welfare Systems back in our own countries where so many fleece it for all it is worth without even trying to improve their lot in life. What began to help those less fortunate get back on their feet and back into workforce is breeding a generation of Welfare Bludger's placing great strain on those who actually do work to support many who are akin to parasites as well as carrying the burden of Governments who line their own pockets along the way placing even greater strain on those who do work.

Throwing money at those who live in poverty is not the be all to end all band-aid fix, education is necessary, education on Birth control and over-population, especially if you are unable to properly care for the children you do have, addressing ignorance etc. And I am not just talking about 3rd world countries either, when I see so often what surrounded me back home along with the many videos online in 1st world countries of people breeding ignorant children with the same mentality as their parents, who; will only make the problem much worse in coming years.

Throwing loads of money into countries that suffer badly from poverty I believe will only create a similar scenario as the Welfare rort in the West over time and make matters much worse as they breed a new generation of Welfare dependent children to take their place who do not have to work and are use to holding out their hand. One example is African Charity. Who remembers Band-aid? 34 years on what real improvements have been made? Billions of dollars for what? It is still the SAME Story when you follow these Charity Groups.

I had an online friend here who was a professional Beggar, and she was very proud of it as she claimed she earnt more in one day than she could if she worked a week legitimately. She was GOOD at what she did and how she did it, and she did not work alone and there are millions just like her out there looking for the shortcut to Easy Street. It will be a long hard road to fix the problem, which (I believe will never be fixed and) will only be compounded by even more unforeseen problems that will arise along the way. I know I was kept poor for many years trying to help others, many who still refused to help themselves at the end of the day and to this day are still leeching from others, I have learnt that it is impossible to fix the problem no matter how much you throw at them or how good your intentions. Some just need to realise that also.

On the other hand; if you have stacks of cash, feel free to throw it around if it makes you feel better about yourself. When you have no money left, you will then realise like myself, you cannot help all of the people all of the time, and will then need to help yourself, because no one else will...

 

The point is made in the video that volunteer tourists may do more harm than good by, for example, maintaining the people in poverty to keep attracting more help and creating bonds between children and volunteers which then get broken on a regular basis and cause the children psychological harm.

It is stated that rather than volunteer helpers they need resources to do things for themselves.

My view on this is that I dislike it being a profit-making business but if volunteer groups are sending volunteers to help then it must be better than doing nothing. Sure, giving money to buy materials to allow people to help themselves is the best thing in theory, except so often the money is misappropriated by authorities who rather have a large stash in foreign banks than to care for their people.

If tourist volunteers can bring cash plus skills with them and help the people to help themselves then it seems good to me - the volunteers use the money directly and leave something behind. Hopefully one day those volunteers would no longer be needed.

As for the children bonding and unbonding, I feel that is they have someone permanent to care for them then they can look upon the volunteers as temporary friends - if they are told this (and are able to understand) then they may well accept it as children can be very adaptable.

Perhaps some volunteers keep contact with the area they were involved with and continue to send help direct to someone they knew there and regard as a responsible person and hope the money gets to the causes they support.

So, although the video points out dangers, I think sending volunteers (people who WANT to help) has to be better than doing nothing - as long as some safeguards are in place.

 

Just spot on, the people who run this charity tourism is the one who benefits of it, period. I see people go to church and fold their hands come out of the church totally ignore the people around them who need a little help, FAKE. No generalization, not all who attend the church are like that, but sorry to say, seen many with that behavior

 

And get legal consultation. This is really the bottom line. It's a legal question and IANYL.

And where there's a will, there's a way. Is your skill-set best put to use in the sort of volunteer work you are looking into? Do you need to be doing these things directly?

You could pay a local to do this work in your place. Then you kill two birds with one stone. You provide help and you provide a job.

You could start a small business based in your country of citizenship and donate the profits (or hire more workers to act on your behalf.) This may create other legal / logistical issues (can you run a foreign based business from the Philippines?) but they may be more easily surmountable.