Samantha Nutt on the Problems of Volunteer Tourism | NowThis

Warchild USA Founder Dr. Samantha Nutt says that volunteer trip you might be going on this year isn’t helping anyone. » Subscribe to NowThis: http://go.nowth.is/News_Subscribe “Voluntourism trips are largely designed to benefit the visitor — rather than the host communities — making a spectacle out of poverty and reinforcing outdated stereotypes about developing countries,” she explained. “Volunteer tourism — sometimes called voluntourism is now a multi-billion-dollar industry, with millions of people volunteering while on vacation every year.” But is this industry all it’s cracked up to be? According to Nutt, reports from Haiti and Cambodia say that orphanages offering volunteering experiences for tourists have been accused of keeping conditions deliberately bleak so that visitors will feel compelled to give more. Studies by child psychologists on South Africa of orphaned children exposed to ever-revolving foreigners also found that they might become overly affectionate because they constantly form bonds with people who abandon them. “Impoverished communities around the world won’t be ‘saved’ by our volunteer labor and good intentions.” Nutt warned. “Quite the opposite. What they want, need, and deserve, more than anything else, are the tools, resources, and opportunities to learn and to do that work themselves.” She also suggests that tourists invest in an area’s economy by buying locally when they visit, especially Caribbean nations still reeling from recent hurricanes. Connect with NowThis » Like us on Facebook: http://go.nowth.is/News_Facebook » Tweet us on Twitter: http://go.nowth.is/News_Twitter » Follow us on Instagram: http://go.nowth.is/News_Instagram » Find us on Snapchat Discover: http://go.nowth.is/News_Snapchat NowThis is your premier news outlet providing you with all the videos you need to stay up to date on all the latest in trending news. From entertainment to politics, to viral videos and breaking news stories, we’re delivering all you need to know straight to your social feeds. We live where you live.    / nowthisnews   @nowthisnews