What Motivates Adults to Visit Orphanages?
24 February 2015
National Training
Understanding and Responding to Children at Risk – Janettepepall.com
CARDL – Children at Risk Distance Learning
Image: dan lundmark, Flickr
Janette Pepall’s current newsletter addresses an issue that often generates vigorous debate; “Orphanage Tourism”.
February 2015 Newsletter
What motivates adults to visit orphanages? What are the short and long term benefits for them and the children? Are the visits preplanned (part of a holiday, gap year or mission trip) or done spontaneously? Are individuals screened to stop child abuse? What is a reasonable time….an hour, a day? Why do orphanages allow strangers to visit? How are the gifts distributed? How do the children feel? Does it cause further mistrust of adults? What activities are acceptable: maintenance, building a fish pond, buying and planting fruit trees to make the orphanage more sustainable? How about direct contact with the children; playing, reading stories or providing daily care?
Points for Reflection:
- Research now shows that orphanages are a last option for children in need, unless for temporary and emergency care. Could rising visitor numbers be one factor that is driving a dramatic increase in the number of orphanages? (UNICEF: 65% rise in the number of orphanages in Cambodia since 2005)
- Locals and others can observe that setting up an orphanage and marketing it can be a profitable business, with money from visitor donations and volunteer fees. Therefore, not all are doing it in the best interests of the children.
See Janette’s newsletter or visit her website: National Training, for some very thought provoking information. If you are considering visiting an orphanage in a foreign country, investigate and then make a decision based on who really benefits.
