“A TRAVEL company that has organised high school volunteering trips to overseas orphanages will end the program after 30 years amid fears “voluntourism” was harming vulnerable kids.
“The ABC reports the world’s biggest school-based volunteer company World Challenge will stop offering trips to orphanages in developing parts of the world, such as Cambodia, Vietnam, Mongolia and Madagascar.
“The company has partnered with advocacy group ReThink Orphanages, which claims the practice of tourists visiting orphanages does more harm than good to children and fuels a damaging and exploitative industry.
“In a statement, World Challenge said: “Many of our teams have made positive contributions through infrastructure development for orphanages and care homes in the past, but now is the time to acknowledge the specialist skills needed in this arena that are not suited to our teams.””
Read more at News.com.au
