Often when we are exploring the world, we do more harm than
good. Our good intentions leave a
negative imprint than lasts much longer than our vacation does. Here are some things to think about before
departing on your next adventure.
Handouts, however well-intentioned, are the biggest way that
faranjis & mzungus (“foreigners”) create a negative impact on countries we
visit. It takes away peoples sense of
pride (especially to parents, as we undermine what they are able to provide for
their children), encourages street children to maintain that lifestyle and
ruins village values by creating dependent beggars. A pen might seem a harmless gift to give, but
children will literally beat each other for these items, leaving the biggest
child in the village with all of the presents.
So instead, we only wind up encouraging bullying and violence. In fact, the problem of tourists handing out
candy has become such a problem that a group of volunteers has formed to begin
offering dental services. Next time you
want to hand out candy, think about the pain that child will be in with no
anesthetic for cavities, or how hard it will be for them to eat with no teeth.
Change the cycle of dependency. Kids quickly forget about begging when you
change the direction of interaction.
Teach them a new game or whistle, or learn a new word in their language.
There are many ways to donate and help responsibly.
-
Find a local store to buy pens, paper, books
& other supplies and take them to a school – the principal or teacher will
know which students are in need of the supplies, and can also use them for
encouragement or rewards. Buying from a
local store also supports their economy (plus it’s much cheaper than buying at
home, and you don’t have to carry it in your luggage!)
-
Buy locally made souvenirs and gifts (this
supports locals to support themselves), eat at local restaurants, stay at local
accommodations (rather than large chains).
-
Keep in mind that many foreign countries don’t
have recycling programs or proper waste disposal. Bring a reusable water bottle
for drinks, take shorter showers - water supply is limited, turn out lights when not in use, try not to
use electricity during daylight, and if possible bring home your recyclable
rubbish.
-
www.kiva.org is an excellent website to LEND
money to locals. You choose how much to
loan, who to loan it to (you can choose gender, country of origin, business
type, repayment time, etc). And it is a
loan, not a donation. (Personally, I
have been donating the same $50 for over five years to more than twelve people;
when one pays it back, I redonate it to another, and so on.) You can withdraw your money any time (once
the loan is paid back).
Challenge yourself. A
smile goes a long way. But remember that
different cultures have different ideas of what is polite. Spend a few minutes before you leave to learn
local etiquette (how to say Hello/Thank You, what to wear (especially women in
Muslim countries, how to shake hands, etc.).
Don’t kid yourself; give them credit. Just because some people do not have the
“conveniences” of the western world does not mean that they need (or want) a
pity party. In my experiences, people
with fewer resources are actually the most resourceful. It never ceases to amaze me the imaginative
ways people live. We can’t even start to
imagine the skills and tools other cultures have/use, and I believe, with all
of our “conveniences,” we are losing our ability to think for ourselves.
Think: What am I doing to improve this persons life? or
degrade it? Will it promote greed?
dependency? How will other travelers, in
hours or years from now, be affected by my actions? For unless we stop the cycle, what is now an
irritating habit will become, for third world countries, a way of life.
“Ignore them for their
own good. It can be heartbreaking, but understand the reasons are in their best
interest.”
–Dragoman Overland
“Don’t Create Beggars” article
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