Apparently, people volunteering in foreign countries to help the locals has become a huge business, and the volunteers are doing more harm than good. Not their fault, aside from the emotional trauma of abandoning children..., but local people have realized they can make a profit off of these volunteers so they intentionally keep the standard of living low to encourage more volunteers and their donations.
Here's a whole bunch of YouTube videos about it including a TED talk.
Voluntourism
Voluntourism
"Happy slaves are the worst enemies of freedom." - Marie Von Ebner
"It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies..." - Orwell
"It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies..." - Orwell
Voluntourism
Overall, this is just a dumb idea. If you want to help, fund people who know how to help and are good at it.
It's not me, it's someone else.
Voluntourism
Sounds like how US grain donations keep the farmers in these foreign countries from being able to make a living.
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."