Tourism and volunteering
in orphanages is fueling the demand for "orphans", and so driving the
unnecessary separation of children from their families. In the past decade the
number of orphan children has declined worldwide however the number of
orphanages in many developing countries has risen in response to the demand
from tourists and volunteers. Children are being separated from their families
and forced to live in squalid institutions that masquerade as orphanages while
well-meaning but misguided tourists are then invited to volunteer as “carers”
as part of a holiday experience.
Orphanages have become a
tourist attraction and a ‘bucket list’ volunteering opportunity. Google finds
505,000 results for ‘volunteer orphanage aboard’ – most are marketed by holiday
companies and tour operators. In the UK there are at least 30 tour operators
sending volunteers to orphanages - Tourism Concern has written to them all
urgently demanding that they stop sending tourists and unqualified volunteers
to orphanages.
Tourism Concern’s Chief
Executive Mark Watson stated “Whilst we appreciate that many well-meaning
volunteers may wish to volunteer at an orphanage our view is that looking after
vulnerable children should be undertaken by local, full-time, professional
staff and not by short-term volunteers, no matter how skilled or qualified.
We are calling on tour
operators to end the scourge of ‘orphanage tourism’ and urging tourists not to
visit orphanages, but to seek out alternative ways that they can benefit local
people Further, we do not believe that at orphanages should be marketed by tour
operators and consider that in most cases volunteering overseas with vulnerable
children is inappropriate.”
Luke Gracie, Alternative
Care Manager at Friends International in Cambodia
Tourism Concern has
written to all UK
