The Problem With Little White Girls (and Boys): Why I Stopped Being a Voluntourist
White people aren’t told that the color of their skin is a problem very often. We sail through police checkpoints, don’t garner sideways glances in affluent neighborhoods, and are generally understood to be predispositioned for success based on a physical characteristic (the color of our skin) we have little control over beyond sunscreen and tanning oil.
After six years of working in and traveling through a number of different countries where white people are in the numerical minority, I’ve come to realize that there is one place being white is not only a hindrance but negative – most of the developing world.
In high school, I traveled to Tanzania as part of a school trip. There were 14 white girls, 1 black girl who, to her frustration, was called white by almost everyone we met in Tanzania, and a few teachers/chaperones. $3000 bought us a week at an orphanage, a half-built library, and a few pickup soccer games, followed by a week-long safari.
Our mission while at the orphanage was to build a library. Turns out that we, a group of highly educated private boarding school students were so bad at the most basic construction work that each night the men had to take down the structurally unsound bricks we had laid and rebuild the structure so that, when we woke up in the morning, we would be unaware of our failure. It is likely that this was a daily ritual. Us mixing cement and laying bricks for 6+ hours, them undoing our work after the sunset, re-laying the bricks, and then acting as if nothing had happened so that the cycle could continue.
Basically, we failed at the sole purpose of our being there. It would have been more cost-effective, stimulative of the local economy, and efficient for the orphanage to take our money and hire locals to do the work, but there we were trying to build straight walls without a level.
That same summer, I started working in the Dominican Republic at a summer camp I helped organize for HIV+ children. Within days, it was obvious that my rudimentary Spanish set me so far apart from the local Dominican staff that I might as well have been an alien. Try caring for children who have a serious medical condition, and are not inclined to listen, in a language that you barely speak. It isn’t easy. Now, 6 years later, I am much better at Spanish and am still highly involved with the camp programming, fundraising, and leadership. However, I have stopped attending having finally accepted that my presence is not the godsend I was coached by non-profits, documentaries, and service programs to believe it would be.
You see, the work we were doing in both the DR and Tanzania was good. The orphanage needed a library so that they could be accredited to a higher level as a school, and the camp in the DR needed funding and supplies so that it could provide HIV+ children with programs integral to their mental and physical health. It wasn’t the work that was bad. It was me being there.
It turns out that I, a little white girl, am good at a lot of things. I am good at raising money, training volunteers, collecting items, coordinating programs, and telling stories. I am flexible, creative, and able to think on my feet. On paper I am, by most people’s standards, highly qualified to do international aid. But I shouldn’t be.
I am not a teacher, a doctor, a carpenter, a scientist, an engineer, or any other professional that could provide concrete support and long-term solutions to communities in developing countries. I am a 5′ 4″ white girl who can carry bags of moderately heavy stuff, horse around with kids, attempt to teach a class, tell the story of how I found myself (with accompanying PowerPoint) to a few thousand people, and not much else.
Some might say that that’s enough. That as long as I go to X country with an open mind and a good heart I’ll leave at least one child so uplifted and emboldened by my short stay that they will, for years, think of me every morning.
I don’t want a little girl in Ghana, or Sri Lanka, or Indonesia to think of me when she wakes up each morning. I don’t want her to thank me for her education or medical care or new clothes. Even if I am providing the funds to get the ball rolling, I want her to think about her teacher, community leader, or mother. I want her to have a hero who she can relate to – who looks like her, is part of her culture, speaks her language, and who she might bump into on the way to school one morning.
After my first trip to the Dominican Republic, I pledged to myself that we would, one day, have a camp run and executed by Dominicans. Now, about seven years later, the camp director, program leaders and all but a handful of counselors are Dominican. Each year we bring in a few Peace Corps Volunteers and highly-skilled volunteers from the USA who add value to our program, but they are not the ones in charge. I think we’re finally doing aid right, and I’m not there.
Before you sign up for a volunteer trip anywhere in the world this summer, consider whether you possess the skill set necessary for that trip to be successful. If yes, awesome. If not, it might be a good idea to reconsider your trip. Sadly, taking part in international aid where you aren’t particularly helpful is not benign. It’s detrimental. It slows down positive growth and perpetuates the “white savior” complex that, for hundreds of years, has haunted both the countries we are trying to ‘save’ and our (more recently) own psyches. Be smart about traveling and strive to be informed and culturally aware. It’s only through an understanding of the problems communities are facing, and the continued development of skills within that community, that long-term solutions will be created.
Great Points! Yes too many people go on volunteering trips that really don’t do much help at all, if anything it gets in the way of getting any real work done. But being a volunteer in my opinion beats the alternative of being a tourist, because at least you are trying to help, your intentions are in the right place. I posted something about traveling to third world countries as a tourist maybe you would be interested in checking it out: http://mindonex.wordpress.com/2014/02/16/my-problem-with-third-world-travelling/
Safe Travels!
Well done. This myth of The White Savior has to be smashed. And good on you for realizing it so young. It took me a lot longer.
I really enjoyed and agreed with your article. In high school when I took a teen tour of Israel, we (mostly a bunch of stuck up whiny upper middle class Jewish teens) did some volunteer work that made no difference whatsoever. I always thought that paying insane amounts of money to go volunteer was a weird concept. Kind of like cleaning your room before the cleaners came…
Anyways, great article. I’ll definitely be sharing it.
I agree… but… Don’t be so hard on yourself. There’s another way to help that is precisely what humans were meant to do for one another.
When an emergency (man made or otherwise) hits a population, and it overwhelms that local capacity that you say should have been building libraries or caring for kids, then people are more than happy to work together with outsiders to get their community up and running again. I’m talking about emergency, short term humanitarian aid. It requires special skills which you are developing from your experiences so far. Keep learning things, useful things that people will need your help to learn because they won’t have the time to learn it “right”. And keep practicing the humility you have (it’s a rare gift). You’ll need a lot of that.
When you are ready, go check out the recruitment information at DoctorsWithoutBorders.org. You’ll make a fine admin and/or a log. And on a late night after getting a few beers in your exhausted body after a long day of immunizations or whatever, you can reconsider this blog posting and see if there really is a reason you were called to this.
Looking forward to meeting you in the field,
-jeff
Excellent article!
“It would have been more cost effective, stimulative of the local economy, and efficient for the orphanage to take our money and hire locals to do the work”
You’re right. We should do what we can to help those in poverty, but often the best thing we can do is simply give them money and let them decide where it’s best spent. This is the reasoning behind the charity ‘Give Directly’, who have been recommended by charity evaluators GiveWell.
There are other highly cost-effective interventions, particularly in global health. If we pay for bednets that protect against malaria, it allows communities to be healthier, improve productivity, and increase school attendance. That’s why the Against Malaria Foundation is another highly recommended charity (by other charity evaluators Giving What We Can).
But it should be people who live over in such communities who should be paid to distribute the nets rather than student foreign volunteers.
Within warm sympathy for such insight in one so young, one small caution:
Ivan Illych told a wonderful story about his earlier forays into Latin America. Upon meeting a local Archbishop he blurted out in exasperation, “Your Grace, we must get rid of all these infernal foreign aid types!” To which the wizened old cleric gently replied, “Young man, I agree with you that they are of precious little use to us, however, they may well be the only blue eyes we ever have the chance to educate.”
Take care.
“Before you sign up for a volunteer trip anywhere in the world this summer, consider whether you possess the skill set necessary for that trip to be successful. If yes, awesome. If not, it might be a good idea to reconsider your trip.”
Suggestion: Train for the position you are undertaking before heading over. Granted, the first example was largely for the benefit of the kids attempting to do a good deed than the target effort anyway.
But, for example, the 2nd example is a perfect example how one can spend 6 months or more training to be a real asset. Paramedic training, language intensives, etc.
An open heart *can* make you an asset, but if you go somewhere… expect to be grunt labor unless you prep with a real skill.
Of course, this all begs the question: Why are we raising kids that are so unskilled? But that is a digression. Or maybe it isn’t.
Anyway: Great story and great advice.
While I see your point, sometimes the bigger picture of volunteer work is cultural exchange – something they teach widely with Habitat for Humanity – Global Village.
I have volunteered abroad and when given the opportunity have tried to look at it as public realtions-type trip to represent my community and people. Which would you prefer us American’s to be remembered by – of the ‘little white girl (and boys)’ who may be under qualified but gave up their funds and their time and their safety to teach some kids at a school in a small mountain town in countries like Afghanistan or perhaps the American airplanes that were bombing that same village months or years earlier? Did you not come back from your experiences with a new view on life and promote your new found love for the culture you experienced in a light that your neighbors may have never thought of before, just possibly causing them to send funds or tourist money to your newly beloved nation?
Also, while some volunteers may not be the most experienced, where are they supposed to get that experience if they don’t start somewhere?
Great article! Closely parallels my own opinions after my experience with international volunteering.
THANK YOU for acknowledging your privilege and analysis publicly. Liked
reading your personal stories. This totally hit the mark.
Pippa,
Your analysis is spot on. I had very similar revelations during my ten months in Ethiopia as a lay missionary (my main task was teaching English and Music at a primary school). I’ve been so eager to find someone else who sees volunteering with your eyes. You’ve been brave enough to say what I could only obliquely refer to on my blog (http://foryouandformany.wordpress.com/2013/08/16/the-blessing-and-the-curse/ — the relevant sections are Who Will Save Your Soul If You Won’t Save Your Own and Some Concluding Thoughts). Thank you for your frank advice to future volunteers — I hope they listen!
Best wishes,
Paula
p.s. I should have added that the book, which confirmed my negative impression of volunteering, is Dark Star Safari by Paul Theroux — it is extremely engaging and 100% honest, if you’d like to read it.
I think you hit the nail on the head with one of your comments, “I am not a teacher, a doctor, a carpenter, a scientist, an engineer, or any other professional that could provide concrete support and long-term solutions to communities in developing countries.” In other words, you had nothing to offer but money and your obviously over-privileged upbringing. You approached service wrong, that doesn’t mean no one else should go out there and do it.
I agree its appropriate to find a volunteer program to which you can be useful. If I was a computer engineer I wouldn’t volunteer for Doctors without Borders. But its not about a “white savior” (or black savior or pink savior for that matter). Its about acknowledging that you are part of a global community, that we are all one, and that we all deserve a fair chance to have our basic needs met, and knowing if you’ve been blessed it important to give back.
One of the things your essay completely overlooks is that volunteering is a two way street, you learn as much (if not more) than you give. This is what makes young adults come home and work for non-profits, or start foundations or generally become productive members of a global society.
I think volunteering internationally is something everyone who can afford to do, should do. I would recommend being realistic about how you can really help, having an open heart, an open mind, and a desire to learn as much as a desire to give.
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If you can afford to volunteer internationally, why not instead (a) directly give the money away instead of paying to fly abroad etc, or (b) pay for interventions that can do more good that your time can.
For example, you could spend $1000 on transport and living costs so you can volunteer, or you could donate this money to pay to treat and protect ~2000 kids with intestinal parasites (thus also boosting their school attendance).
I liked your article on “White Girls and Boys”. I was a “Volunteer Teacher” in Rajasthan, India, for 2 months. I taught kids between 7 and 14. I couldn’t help think how useless I was not knowing the local language, and arrogantly trying to teach the kids English. For me the major issue was not so much the colour of the skin (although this is a major issue in some cases), but it is income inequality. I currently live in South Africa, famous for its income inequality. The country is the most striking example of the blind arrogance that people pickup when they are brought up in a comfortable environment and are financially stable. They start to look down on those not so fortunate, as if they are inferior, and fail to understand the real reason is the lack of opportunity. I don’t consider myself very left-wing, in fact more towards the right because I have been given plenty of opportunities in my 26 years, but I would certainly say living in South Africa has pushed me more to the left of centre. The air of arrogance and superiority that exists among the wealthy South African community is beyond belief and angers me on a daily basis, and this is more evident because of income inequality. This sense of superiority and privilage, that you refer to is, I think, more down to income inequality rather than the colour of our skin, and more prevalent in developing countries where the inequality is greatest, rather than in developed countries.
Interesting article with a flawed premise – that being white is negative in these countries. This negativity is not endemic to the color of one’s skin, and it’s misleading to try to make it so. The problem here is the lack of skills one brings to the table, which the author freely admits was the case.
This article could have been written by a black person volunteering in war-torn Kosovo, or a hispanic person volunteering to aid typhoon-ravaged Fukushima, and it would have been just as relevant if the volunteer had been unskilled.
It seems to me that the author is equating her lack of skills, such as her rudimentary command of Spanish and her lack of construction skills, with being white. That’s a generalization that is certainly applicable to a subset of “privileged” whites, but not all of them. That’s like saying that all blacks are criminals because a subset of them are, or that all hispanics are illegal immigrants for the same reason.
The problem isn’t that you’re white, Pippa. It’s that you lacked any real skills to help when you volunteered (although I certainly wouldn’t discount people just helping to haul things – It seems like there’s always a shortage of willing hands in these areas). But kudos to you for trying, at least you cared enough to give your time and attention to these poor folks, which is more than many people that I know give.
I agree that some people may travel with unrealistic notions on how much value there is in “project” work. However having led a few trips with an element of project work, I’d say that the real value is not in the change made to the “project” or local people (although these can be tangible – projects vary in quality greatly) but the change that happens to the traveller. That change in attitudes and perspectives often leads to more aware and informed individual with changed values and beliefs.
I applaud you for that Pippa so many young people come out here with that save Africa attitude and do more damage than help. I am a white South African and was in the hospitality industry for ten years and saw many such people coming to change Africa.
Brief story: I was told of a world renowned heart surgeon who joined one of the first relief teams to get into Haiti after the earthquake. Within days he lamented that he was of no use to anyone and wanted to leave. His sophisticated skills and training required high tech operating rooms and supplies…none of which were available.
Kind of sad. I can think of a hundred things you can do to help if you only humble your spirit.
Well I don’t think being a tourist is a negative thing as long as you practice a conscientious tourism that seeks to work in harmony with the locality vs creating a sterile separated playground for rich people. Tourism is a HUGE source of foriegn investment and funds for a lot of countries.
Hi Alan,
Thanks for your comment! I am going to be writing a follow-up piece in the next few weeks about my views on how people should approach travel so that it is conscientious, informed, and supportive of the communities being visited. Unfortunately, those planning and executing the volunteer trips that I discuss in this piece tend to suffer from the belief that they know best for the communities they are visiting. As soon as a visitor or guest makes that assumption things start to go wrong.
Cheers,
Pippa
That was a very catty and rude comment. You sound like a judgmental cow.
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Well as long as she is still obsessed with herself and telling us about it. Hooray!
Yes conscious tourism is all I am advocating. And the yes it is a huge source of income to many nations that really need that. What I am really challenging here is that just because you are in a country and spending your money and helping the economy that you should feel like you can do and act however you want, and ignore the suffering and the plight of those that are not as lucky as you. I am against the sentiment of entitlement, disregard and carefree I see too many tourists exhibit. And I expected more from travelers.
I’m forwarding this article to lots of my family and friends. I’m a near-60-year-old (yikes!) white woman who has worked for years in community dialogue against racism and this kind of paternalistic thinking. Where I live, West Michigan, and I fear in many other places in this country, the virtuous feeling that lots of people get from charity turns out to be a detriment and only reinforces the impression that we (the majority) are out of touch, useless, racist, and worse. It is often, though not always, the case that it is the worst when religion is the motivating factor. Not that what I do (mostly just thinking and talking) causes any real change, except maybe in people’s minds? But I think it’s better than doing the harm that you describe and better than thinking you’re helping just by being a prosperous person who deigns to go on a mission trip or write a check, if it results in what you’re describing. Thank you so much for this.
I volunteered in a children’s home in South Africa and 2 years later I moved there (rather here, I’m still in SA) and am fostering 2 of the children I met at the home. I studied to be a social worker (didn’t complete the program) but I had enough knowledge to actually assist properly and of course I do speak the language. But my situation is unique.
In your case, maybe the actual work didn’t help the people but where did your $3000 go? I would hope a chunk of it actually went to the NGO who paid for those workers to come in at night and fix the library. And you came out of it with a better understanding of the respective cultures. I hope that at least some of your fellow volunteers got that as well and if so then they bridged the gap between “us and them”. People no longer respond so well to giving charity to others in some far off land to unknown people. It’s only when you meet them that they become real and that’s what going to make you and others truly want to help, in the most constructive way possible. I’m not saying that “voluntourism” doesn’t have it’s faults, it most certainly does and much change is needed but I try to look at the positive…
[…] But meanwhile, there’s a great piece that everybody interested in missions should read, here. […]
I agree with every single word Pippa!
A week and a half’s stay at a Venezuelan orphanage in 2007 ended in utter frustration, making me wonder if I was doing more harm than good, painting those walls a horrible tint of green. It eventually resulted in me writing about it all in my application-essay for business-school. I decided I want to fund the professionals with a heart yearning for long-term work in developing countries. That’s where I hope to make a real difference. Thanks for sharing!
Having done international aid work in Tanzania and other places for years I’ve had many of the same thoughts as you, given that I too was not really qualified to be doing work there beyond program management and organizing skills. As a result I no longer work in international development. I commend you for an insightful and well written post.
Hi! I reblogged (well anyway linked) your post to my blog, jbburnett.com/blog/. Great stuff and i wouldn’t disagree with a word of it, even though my experience was actually rather different.
I was the dean of a seminary in Uganda for 3 years, then Director of Studies of another in Johannesburg for 2. In Uganda I was the only white person for miles around, so that was interesting. Uganda didn’t have the colonial experience of, say, Kenya or South Africa, where white people came and stole land, so a lot of the barriers I experienced in Kenya and then especially in South Africa just weren’t there.
But above all i found that if you want to make any positive difference, you have to be willing to live without privilege (well, more or less without, as best you can) and to prefer the “little” people to the important ones. This got me into trouble in both places, but I wouldn’t do things any different if I were there again.
I was eating dinner with a young priest and his family one night, as usual— they’d sorta become my best friends— when another old priest came by and sat with us. He’d had a few beers, so the tongue was loose. Do you have any idea what you’re doing? he said. I thought, Uh oh. What? And he went on to explain that *never* in the 80 years that the church had been there, had a white person actually sat on the floor and eaten local food with the locals, night after night, obviously *loving* the people there as *one of them*. He said people were talking about me “from here to Naansana” (which you barely see in the distance). I had no idea! I was just trying to have dinner with friends, rather than eat alone!
But it would have been ridiculous for me to try to build a school. Most certainly, it is better all around to hire the locals to do it for themselves. But I was there to teach theology, which was something they wanted, and a contribution I could make. Oh, of course it really does take several years to “get” a local culture and to know the conversations you need to have, rather than the ones you think you need to have, but on the whole, it was working out.
In every case, no matter what you do, you have to stay close to the ground, and you have to think through the economic impact. I could have asked people in America to send boxes of school supplies, but that would have destroyed the little shops that made their living selling pencils and pens. So instead i asked people to send money and then i spread it around so people could go to the little shops and buy their own pens and pencils. That made everybody happy.
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Hello Morgannon,
Actually, I think skin color/nationality has a negative role to play depending on where the volunteer is sent. I was sent to a location where very, very few light-skinned people had been before. Now I’m from South America, clearly not Caucasian, but, even so, my skin tone is closer to white than to black. It was nearly impossible to be taken seriously in my volunteering location, because my identity (in the eyes of the people) was summed up by my skin color. Light skin meant I was “rich” and so I was incessantly asked for money or other material goods. It made my life very difficult, not to mention my mission, which was to teach. I am a professional teacher with experience, so I am sure it cannot simply be a lack of real skills (as you wrote) that produces problems for volunteers . Skin color is definitely a component to take into consideration.
Best wishes,
Paula
A few thoughts:
I think anyone who think that their 2 week trip to South America or where ever is gonna make a kid think about them every morning needs a ego check.
Also I think bring race into was a bad idea, it’s not that you where white that you were a fish out of water, it’s because you’re American. You seem to be like “Only white people are doing this thing where they go off and try to help black/brown poor people.” No, Many different skin-toned people do the same thing you did, even the black girl in your trip, not only white people go to other countries to help people.
Also I think the root of the problem isn’t that you’re American, or that the trip was short, but that you were so unskilled, and that many locals don’t care about the orphanage on the corner.
So my conclusion:
People need to be trained and ready to go on a international volunteer trip, if you’re doing to India or Uganda, learn the language beforehand and whatever you’ll do there make sure you know how to do it, if it’s building a library or working with kids! And we need to make a way where those in these countries will care about the orphans or the kids with AIDS, and get involved with helping them, not just people from other countries.
Reblogged this on inarticulate ramblings and commented:
Before you go on an spring service project. Before you take a week out of your summer of white privilege to do a “missions” trip. And before you build another aluminum church. You need to read this.
Lovely piece. I appreciate your willingness to see the benefit of volunteer work but the realization that we don’t do that too well as Americans. Being from a place that people often visit on summer “missions,” I’ve seen the inequality that is perpetuated through the attitudes of those coming to “help” us. I have also seen people who truly care for the people they seek to serve. There are both good and bad sides to short term volunteer or service work. The most important thing we can learn is that there are needs in our own communities and those we not only have the cultural understanding to help remedy, but more than likely, more of a skill set than if we were jetting off overseas.
I went through the exact same mindset transformation while working in the DR. A book called “When Helping Hurts” really expounds upon all the points you’ve made. If you haven’t read it you should do so!
I don’t see this as being an issue of white or not. This is an issue of affluence. I read nothing that had to do with the color of your skin, it was the realization that you (me and the rest of the world) don’t really know what is best for other people, whether those people be black, brown or anything else.
There are plenty of (as you say it) little white girls and boys that go to these places and make a huge difference. Mainly because they are knowledgeable about what needs to be done, and skilled at doing those things. Helping people for your own personal satisfaction is a very slippery slope, some might even call it selfish. But if you are skilled at what you do, and you can make lives better, more power to you.
This is not to say that I am bashing you for the work you did or the awareness you brought to an issue. But I think it lumps all people who try to do good in the world as self serving and insignificant.
I spent three months in the Middle East as part of my practicum (read internship) experience for Grad School. I was blown away by the culture and the things i learned while I was there.
I think the main problem, and you brought this up in the blog, is the idea of the “White” (I will say American) Savior. I went into my experience ready to learn what the people of the Middle East had to teach me, not the other way around. I am not saying that I did it right, but it worked for me.
a lot of very, very good points in that article, and also explains why i have mixed sentiments towards international trips. but having been on one myself, i can say that they change the individual who goes on them, positively.
teaches humility.
cultural awareness.
and in the case of this author, caused her to go on and dedicate many more years to international aid in a way that is beneficial locally. sounds like a decent trade off
I agree with Morgannon. The focus of this article should not have been on skin color. I see the problem as one’s affluence (or perceived affluence). For example, as an American volunteer I don’t think my skin color affects how I am received by the local community nearly as much as my nationality and the perceived stereotypes that come along with it. I’m in fact 50% Caucasian, but from looking at me you would never know. Nonetheless, I have been incessantly asked for money or other material goods by people who’s skin color was the same as mine. This usually begins once someone is perceived as an affluent foreigner. I don’t think skin color is nearly as important as this article makes it seem to be.
Reblogged this on .
I think this is kind of an elephant in the room–I’ve always had this thought at the back of my mind when I see people post pictures on social media of themselves on mission trips, especially the kumbaya trope of the white, well dressed, obviously privileged girl or boy smiling and hugging a group of smiling darker skinned third-world children and standing out like a sore thumb really….but I’ve never known how to explain it without sounding too negative and like a terrible person in general. It’s important to recognize that these “voluntourists” are an improvement- they are at least better than those who are indifferent to those a world away from themselves-but nonetheless the argument here is completely on point. This article did an excellent job of addressing the issue directly but constructively, kudos.
Wow. That article made me feel even more irritated with IDS snobs like her than the little white girls and boys. The problem with little-white-north american bloggers like her is that they are always looking for excuses why others can’t learn about the rest of the world and become as smart as them – only people as enlightened and experienced as them deserve to do voluntourism and then get that lucrative UN or foreign service job! Going in with a saviour attitude is a problem, agreed. But that attitude is the fault of a whole bunch of problematic social constructs and ideas about what the rest of the world is really like; it isn’t just the stupid kid’s fault that us in the ‘developed’ world think the ‘developing world’ needs to be saved. I say to the stupid white boys and girls – please don’t stop stepping out of your comfort zone and finding out for yourself what the real world is like, even if it means you stand around being useless at building a school somewhere where they don’t really need you- because we will all be way worse off if the perspectives of stupid little white people are entirely moulded and shaped by what they see on the news and read on whitelandia facebook. Please, little white people, don’t find another excuse to put your head in the sand and not bother to learn to care.
And since the author was extremely elitist in her comments, I will also indulge. I am now a 34-year-old little white girl. Since I was 8 years old I’ve lived, travelled, volunteered all over the ‘developing world’, I even did my masters in a ‘developing world’ institution. I have many travelling-volunteering-working-elitist years on you honey – your peace corps hours are a joke in comparison. I’ve deliberately avoided little white learners and the places they go when I travel because I can sniff the irritating saviour attitude from a mile, but I would never be so presumptuous as to make a statement like they just don’t deserve to be learning what I learned at a very young age about the wrongness of that attitude, simply because I learned it first.
don’t think any of this is to do with ‘whiteness’ i think the problems are
a) not being able to build a wall
b) not learning or think to learn the local language
this article is, in my opinion, detrimental to volunteers who feel like they want to help and putting them off because of a sense of white guilt that this article displays.
help is needed, necessary and useful abroad maybe for those who prepare.
i went to Sri Lanka without knowing anything to do with the culture- stayed a year and now i am fluent and yes- i did help, they needed the english language to even have a chance to get into a university.
its simple folks- do your research. don’t bring race into it.
“I’ve come to realize that there is one place being white is not only a hindrance, but negative – most of the developing world”
i really don’t think you should ever write a sentence like this.
“I don’t want a little girl in Ghana, or Sri Lanka, or Indonesia to think of me when she wakes up each morning. I don’t want her to thank me for her education or medical care or new clothes. Even if I am providing the funds to get the ball rolling..”
I mean, this is ridiculous- half the teachers I worked with abroad in poor government schools couldn’t even teach english to teach them so why would they be thanked?
this is ridiculous! role models that look like them? i mean thats bordering racist and patronising.
a role model can be anyone, look like anyone.
i couldn’t agree more. thank you.
it really insulted me after spending years of my life actually doing what i know was good.
its not a race issue- its a research one.
Trust me- the majority of us don’t think that you’re highly qualified to do international aid. The problem is not your skin color, it’s your skin color combined with your lack of skill (at least at the things necessary to volunteer in a developing country) and lack of awareness.
This. Good point, Jeff.
Great article. I love the graciousness of your words here. I’m not white but it’s the same for me, kinda like your friend who felt out of place being called white.
If you have a chance read; Revolution in world Mission by KP Yohannon. Talks about this from the opposite side’s perspective.
Reblogged this on ClassicGossip.
Right. I am a British Tamil, 22 years of age and I don’t know where to start in detailing the various problems with your article here.
You understand that entitling an article, “The problem with little white girls” means that you are immediately setting yourself up for very big problems with regards to race and race perception – who is calling who “little white girls”? Is this the perception you think that foreigners have of white volunteers? Because it comes across as relatively patronising and condescending.
Just to be very clear, there is absolutely no problem with “little white girls” or “little black girls” or any person based on their race or creed. Obviously. Your article seems to come to the quite obvious conclusion that people who embark on a foreign trip to administer international aid should be fully prepared and committed to helping people. Presumably condemning any potential “gap yah” students with your comment about “finding myself” etc.
What you end up doing however is complicating this message with suggestions that race influences aid and that people of certain colours shouldn’t be helping certain other people of certain colours.
Other people shouldn’t have to rebuild walls after you and you should be making an effort to have more than “rudimentary” spanish when helping kids with HIV. That’s nothing to do with race, just preparation and commitment.
And the little girl in Ghana is allowed to think of and thank anybody who she wants, anybody that helps her, regardless of their race.
“Even if I am providing the funds to get the ball rolling, I want her to think about her teacher, community leader, or mother. I want her to have a hero who she can relate to – who looks like her, is part of her culture, speaks her language, and who she might bump into on the way to school one morning.”
This makes absolutely no sense at all. Why should her hero look like her? Can your hero not be Nelson Mandela because he doesn’t look like you? Why can’t you speak her language and integrate yourself into her culture? Bump into school morning – role models aren’t based on geographical proximity. And just so you know, there are plenty and plenty of role models that look like her and that she will look up to and for you to suggest that you need to pretend that you didn’t do anything just so that she pays those people respect is again extremely condescending. This behaviour if anything is what will perpetuate “white saviour complex”.
Basically, please remove the suggestions that race has anything to do with one’s ability at providing international aid. You are at risk of discouraging potential international volunteers, who would do their research and would be of help, to volunteer. Which I’m sure is not your intention. Making it about race certainly gets more views but distorts the goodness at the very end of your argument.
I agree that it has to be taken into consideration Paula- but you have to take some ‘annoyances’ i.e being asked for money- in order to do some good.
i got asked every single day for a year in Sri Lanka- what do you expect?
the main thing is I went in with a willingness to learn the culture, the language, the people. learning peoples names talking to them explaining my situation etc,
After a while I was, in my mind and in many Sri Lankan. wearing the sari etc. speaking in sinhala etc. This is not a colour- race thing- yeah it might have made it ‘more difficult’ but come on!
i think its possible to be taken seriously as a volunteer anywhere as long as you take the work seriously yourself.
[…] Biddle, in a very frank post on her personal blog, reflects on her assistance efforts in the developing world, beginning with where she […]
I think what you are missing here is the white savior complex, which is very real. White people feel that it is their duty to help those in need. Most of the time these people in need are people of color. Frequently this aid is executed without being asked for and in many cases is just detrimental.
Maybe if you spend a little more time thinking about what it means to be a white savior, you will see why Pippa felt it necessary to include her skin color.
I’m sorry, but I don’t get the “white” part. It makes no sense in this article, and sounds like you’re succumbing to “white guilt” for some reason.
Instead, you should have written about people with no skills (whether they be white, black, red, yellow, whatever), and your article might have a better impact.
To those saying it’s not about skin color and that it’s about affluence and privilege, I disagree. I can’t speak about South America because I have no experience there, but there is definitely something to what she says about white skin being associated with help in Ghana, where I’ve lived for the last several years. I very often hear Ghanaian children and adults express a wish to be white, and express feelings that “you Whites” or “the Whites” are inherently better and smarter. “This is my favorite child because her skin is lighter than the others.” “You whites, you know how to do things, but we blacks, we are always needing your help to do things.” It’s heartbreaking to hear, and I hear it constantly. White = good, Dark = bad. Clothing, language, religion, tradition, technology. It infects everything, everywhere.
The idea that there isn’t some kind of damage done, even if its on a micro level, when a child constantly experiences kindness or goodness from someone who looks so different from them is naive. Even when its micro, it builds up over time as the cycle is repeated. It establishes and reinforces that dichotomy that should not exist but does; White = good, Dark = bad. It would be by far more beneficial for children, at least some of the time, to see someone who looks like them in this position. “This person looks like me but knows these things and is helping me. One day I can be like this person too.”
More generally, it’s not that no one should go to places where their skin color is different. That you shouldn’t try to help people. But there are ways to do so that are better than others, and its important to take stock of what you know and what you can do. And I don’t think there is shame in traveling without the volunteer element, just for traveling’s sake. You can go somewhere to learn to see a way of life that’s different from yours, and give and receive the same benefit of increased cultural awareness, without wrapping it up in some kind of false, failed attempt at “helping.” It’s more honest, and in my opinion more empowering to local communities. “I’m here to learn about you. You have something to teach me that I don’t know. Maybe I know something you don’t too. Let’s share.” Humility in the face of something you really know nothing about can go a lot farther than the well-intentioned, but fallacious, impression that you can “help” and “change things” in such a small span of time.
I agree with most of the article. However, I think the story is mixing two different ideas. One is about bad service and the other is about being white. While I agree that racism and issues of racism and white privilege should be addressed with volunteerism, and that volunteers most often get more out of it themselves than they give, I don’t think the primary issue is that the volunteer is white. Cross-cultural experiences are important for white people to have as well. This is where the thinking is wrong- it’s not about going there to help them it is about exchange, and coming away with knowledge about strengths of other people. It’s learning about both similarities and differences. It isn’t bad to be white and volunteer…
I think you might check out http://www.serve-smart.com which about how to do effective service.
Hi! I just wanted to say I love traveling as well, but society often puts an unhealthy emphasis on international mission work or volunteering. Both when applying to medical and as a medical student, international medical trips were viewed as extremely important, yet there was no talk or emphasis on those who lived in our own community that need help.
I would just urge you to be careful when selecting specific organizations to work with, making sure they are really collaborating with grassroots organizations in the local community and are not just American NGO’s going overseas to tell the country what they need.
Particularly seen in the history of medicine, there are huge problems when volunteer work being used as a means of imperialism, and when high school students, college students, etc. go abroad, I think they often forget how much their volunteer work still rings with that. I don’t want to assume where you’re from, but Americans often believe they know what is best — from their economy, to medicine, to whatever — and don’t realize that other countries have their very own foundations and beliefs (whether medical or not) that are just as valid as ours (basically, the white man savior complex).
Since I’m mostly familiar with medicine, I’ll speak to that–but we haven’t come far from the more imperialistic means of volunteer medicine. Just watch the ebola documentary “Plague Fighters” to see how it’s still the same as it was in the 1700’s.
I disagree with you. You said that the “volunteer work made no difference whatsoever.” This is not true.
I agree that might have made little difference to the people you were trying to help. But it made a huge difference in your life. It helped to open your mind to the world out there. And it helped you to improve your overall volunteer strategy. Still today you’re talking about this experience.
There are problems with volunteering abroad for sure…. but there are also some good things that we might not expect.
Fantastic piece. Refreshingly honest.
A fine example of where the academic liberal utopia meets up with the reality of the real world. Thanks for sharing.
Wonderful article and sincere expression.
“Even if I am providing the funds to get the ball rolling, I want her to think about her teacher, community leader, or mother.” Best comment ever Pippa!
Such a wonderful article! My friend and I were just discussing our hopes to raise children with humanitarian values and how that looks. Your piece resonated with me so much! I hope to emulate a humanitarianism that doesn’t require the ego pats but is more “silent” thus being truly what is needed without a personal agenda. Thank you for writing this! You have brought a new perspective to me and my friends and I am truly grateful.
I can agree with this sentiment. I think that “white” though could be replaced with “American” “young idealist” “Christian” or a plethora of other words. Find what resonates most with you and try to pick out some understanding from this article.
After living in Ghana for six months, and then returning on a second trip, and eventually marrying a Ghanaian… I really, really appreciate this post! Such important information for peope who haven’t experienced it. And valuable insight for those who have! Thanks.
Hey!!!!! nice read! ur welcome for an Indian Experience 🙂 Visit us at http://fourthwavefoundation.org. rgds di
Wow, seriously? Talk about someone who needs an attitude adjustment. You went somewhere to help, and didn’t bother to do it right or learn to do it right to be useful, because you were on vacation. You got to go on a safari… Just help some first. Glad you realized it wasn’t something you should have done, but as a “little white girl” who’s done plenty of mission work, shut the hell up and speak only for yourself in the future, it’s insulting to assume all “little white girls” have their heads as far up their asses as you so obviously did (do) and are mere tourists. When I was 14 I went to another country, I spoke broken, rudimentary Spanish- and I came back with callouses on my hands from busting my butt, speaking a lot more Spanish, and with a knowledge of how to do concrete work- something I, a “little white girl” used a lot closer to home with Habitat for Humanity building houses for my neighbors. When in another foreign country in a medical clinic I’m proud to say I helped set up and run a pharmacy, organizing it and dispensing medicines to hundreds of people. I made lifelong friends in other places, I grew a fierce sense of independence, I helped stimulate the local economy (love me some handmade goods), and gained a greater sense of the world, as well as an improved work ethic, a gratitude for things I took for granted, and some awesome work skills that I’ve utilized since. Including designing my own house so it’s sustainable, utilizing knowledge gained in Mexico from back breaking work despite not speaking the language (hand gestures get ya far) and learning how they maximize sustsinability- so I’m improving the area around me too, and sharing all that with my neighbors. You got in the way because you weren’t there to serve, you were on vacation, and less time focusing on how fun it might be and how to serve a community best would seriously have done both you and the communities you went to help far more. I’m not okay with you insinuating I was in the way, I take it personally. After your post about how others should check their privilege, it’s obvious you still need to check yours. — A blonde haired, blue eyed, fish out if water white girl.
This article is all kinds of terrible. It is one thing to say don’t participate in international aid work, hurricane, or earthquake relief that is dangerous and you will be in the way. But it is another thing to tell people to consider their usefulness on a service trip. I have organized and led 17 different trips and can tell you that not in one instance was there a time in where we were not well received. But what your article seems to truly be lacking is a sense of humility. The person that is being rewarded is not so much the group you are serving, but the people serving. The growth, life lessons, and how these trips can dramatically change peoples outlook and future direction in life is outstanding and I just think this article down plays that and demonstrates a cynical affluent kids view, not a white kids. I agree don’t get in the way of a dangerous operation, but to suggest that people should not participate in service work of this nature because they are white, female, American, or the such is terrible advice. What people need before they go is humility and an understanding that you are going to work hard, and you are going to leave a better person. You should be grateful for being able to serve and thankful for the lessons you are about to learn from those you are working with. I am so glad, the people in my community did not read this kind of advice before we started our trips.
Amen – she really misses it.
Great response – could not agree more –
Having lived in Indonesia for a year and having also taught English and environmental education at an elementary school in Panama for four months last summer, I don’t know how I feel about this article. It feels like the author is assuming that all white volunteers are ignorant products of post-colonization thinking they can waltz into any ‘developing’ (to Western standards of unsustainable development) country and build a shitty fence and then feel good about posting the pics on Instagram. Yes, I’m white. Yes, I’m a girl. But no, I’m not an idiot and I didn’t go into any of these countries thinking that I knew something that they didn’t and that I was going there “to show them how it’s done”, I went to Indonesia to stay with a host family and go to art school. I would have never left there not being able to speak Indonesian. I love my host family there and I don’t give a damn if a little girl in Indonesia wakes up thinking about me because she was my little sister and I think about her all the time and of all the memories we shared together over a year. I went to Panama because the school requested a native English speaker and I’m fluent in Spanish. I stayed in a room with my host sister, ate arroz con pollo and walked to school like everyone else. Just because I’m white doesn’t make any of my experiences less legitimate than if I were black, brown or purple.
[…] Girls (and Boys): Why I Stopped Being A Voluntourist” by Pippa Biddle (also published on PippaBiddle.com), an interesting coming of age reflection essay on outgrowing the white savior […]
Love the honesty here, and admire your efforts!
Reblogged this on On Faith, Fishing and Feminism.
Loved the anti-colonization point, hated that you call yourself a “little white girl”. Naming your race is pertinent, but you are a grown woman, not a little girl, and your internalized misogyny is damaging to your point and your power.
S,
The people where I volunteered knew I was American but still addressed me as “China” more often than not. Why? Because the majority of light-skinned people in the area had (historically) been Chinese. In other words, no one saw me and thought to themselves: “American! Money!” Instead it was likely: “Someone who looks like the other light skinned people who were here before! Money!” So, you see, skin color matters. It is not simply a matter of nationality.
Emer,
It is commendable that you went to Sri Lanka with a willing heart and ready to immerse yourself in the culture and help out as you could. I think one of Pippa’s points, however, is that this volunteering business has to be *less* about us, that is, less about the volunteer. In other words, a volunteer might think to himself, “I want to help out! I want to become part of the culture! I want to love people!” But, you see, the focus there is on “I.” The point is this: folks in developing countries don’t need (white) saviors (Ymani, thanks for bringing this up) from the West to come over and become one with the people and help them. The priority in such a configuration rests more on satisfying the volunteer’s desire to help than on the actual needs of the people in these developing nations. Now that doesn’t seem very fair to the people in developing nations, does it?
Best wishes,
Paula
Actually, I think this article is really good. It explains why I hate development workers so much and shows a lot of self-awareness. In the abstract, yay, you’re going to save the world! You’re doing a good thing. In reality, you think of yourself as being a saviour of these people (and someone always uses the fucking phrase “I fell in love with the people!”) and post pictures of yourself with local kids, then you go back to your real life with your car and air conditioning and a bunch of stories to tell when it’s all over. And all the while, when you come across people like me (people who don’t look like you, who maybe resemble the locals but grew up in the same place(s) as you, you treat us like shit, because, well, you’re the white saviour, and we’re just stupid brown people.
I csn understand what you’re saying, Pippa. Its fair to say that not everyone thinks about whether their skillset matches the tasks they will be doing. I disagree with JErome and I firmly believe that it must be the community that are rewarded over yourself – that is just a hard earned byproduct.
I have been abroad to Central America and went fairly unplanned, just keen to help out. My background in Sport meant that my first port of call was how I could help through sport, a truly international medium. This helped offset my truly awful Spanish. I think that many internatinal organisations (the good ones such as Raleigh) think through the roles that you will be doing and only take you onboard if you can contribute. I know that your article was a venting of frustration at people volunteering abroad in roles they are not productive at but lots of people are annoyed because you seem to dismiss all international development from young ‘white’ people. Although not white, I can understand why this dismissal is frustrating as it ignores the powerful tool of spreading first hand awareness of third world problems to a new generation in numbers that have never been seen.
Reblogged this on Vibrant Bliss and commented:
Perfect, succinct article about why people from the minority or ‘first’ world, young or otherwise, going on these feel good holidays in the name of ‘charity’ to the majority world is a bad thing. This is partly because it is much more cost effective and environmentally friendly to send the funds directly to give skilled natives the jobs, but do click through to read the article for more.
nicely said, I really agree,
I think that this article is missing the point, and the reason why people volunteer. Before people go on this volunteer work I would think that they know that their ability to construct a building is not what really matters. From experiences like these I think the most important thing one can take out of it is empathy, and having the knowledge that you can make a difference (yes it does sound cheesy). say, if you go there to build a library, you discover the conditions of the country, and you see the different culture and the poverty which people live in. After seeing this, it would only be natural to want to donate more money and help these people even more. These programs for volunteers are there to spread awareness, for most people when on these trips their abilities do not really make a difference, but it motivates people to give economic aid, and helping these developing nations. The only way the world can reach peaceful cooperativeness and equality is by taking steps such as these, where people are able to relate to others, step into others shoes and walk around in them.
but that’s the problem, isn’t it? the selfish “you are leaving a better person”. Instead of “you are leaving a better society behind”. donate money, help people help themselves (as opposed to building walls and houses, work that could be better used to employ local people). If you want to become a better person, you can do that at home doing social service.
It’s a shame you feel this way. There is absolutely no reason that white girls or boys shouldn’t go and get engaged in volunteering, as long as they use some commonsense. Why did you go to the Dominican Republic to work in such a sensitive environment without speaking Spanish? And try and build a wall without knowing how to build a wall, and pay 3k for the benefit? Would you have a go at surgery as well? Of course you’re going to feel like a tit. Don’t let insecurities get in the way of you going to help, just be rational about what you can do. Trust me, I’ve been there, but in the capacity that I’m qualified in. Get on with it.
Nicely put
You’ve pretty much just reiterated what she was saying, but with an aggressive, arrogant tone (how many times did you use the word ‘I’??). Perhaps you’re the one who should first, read things properly so that you understand them clearly, and secondly check your own attitude before leaving egocentric comments?
Before people leave their ‘Wow, seriously. This is what I did’ comments perhaps you should understand the crux of this article is ‘Before you sign up for a volunteer trip anywhere in the world this summer, consider whether you possess the skill set necessary for that trip to be successful. If yes, awesome. If not, it might be a good idea to reconsider your trip.’ She is not saying don’t participate, she is saying consider your usefulness before descending on the country in question. I don’t think there should be any opposition to that by anyone who is serious about helping those in need?
Sam, what you said. Privelege opening its mouth. And I’m equally as appalled by her “white people are predispositioned for success”(!) idea. What, ALL of us? I could swear that homeless guy I gave food to in Notting Hill was a white guy. Pippa wouldn’t have noticed him, I’m sure. Gah. Silly, silly girl.
I am not surprised many people gave you negative comments, I for one fully understand and think that you wrote how the new generation (us) feel about volunteer work and development projects.. These are thoughts I have everyday.. and what irritates me about the business of volunteering.. I loved your article and shared it on FB! I applaud you for having the guts to write so bluntly about what is wrong with volunteering! Thank you x
I live in South Africa, and I have seen well-to-doers come through over the years. While it is great you want to be ‘part of something greater’, doing work, especially with kids, is not helpful at all. You come along, play with the kids for a few days, and then go off to see the sights of the country. You feel like you have accomplished something great and made a difference in their lives. Actually, what you have done is give them undivided attention for a few days, and now they are back to being a face in the crowd when you leave. Yes, that sounds harsh, but it is the truth. These kids do need attention, don’t get me wrong, but if you donated money toward their care, they might be able to have a few more caregivers and that extra attention all the time, not just for a week or two. You go home with a great big ego, and these kids are left heart broken. I am so glad someone has stepped up and told it like it is. Thank you.
Your experiences are a little different to the OP. You were there for more than a week or two, you were doing something that was within your expertise. That is the point she is making. Getting a group of wealthy kids who don’t know anything about real blood and sweat work to help build a library is stupid and the money could have been spent better. You did something with purpose and not just holidaying with a side of work.
Your oversimplified analysis demonstrates that you have a lot to learn about achieving improved outcomes in developing contexts. The only valid (and frankly quite obvious) point that you make – those without the requisite skills won’t be of assistance and could indeed cause harm – gets lost in your racial hand-wringing. No aid organization worth its salt would have brought you over to construct anything; construction is a skill that is often widely available in local communities.
I agree with you that aid efforts should be primarily locally driven, with foreigners filling skill gaps as needed. But your suggestion to contribute from the US is naïve at best. It’s very difficult to contribute effectively unless you are fully immersed in the context and culture of the country/village/etc. Otherwise you don’t get a sense for the range of issues that affect whether your project will actually yield impact- from the real needs on the ground to the feasibility of projects (assumptions made from offices in the US are often incorrect) to the motivations and intentions of the people in country selected to administer your funds. If you don’t know who’s related to whom, who has incurred large debts in the community, who has a history of good performance vs. theft, etc. you’ll become just another US-based effort whose resources go towards maintaining a relatively comfortable lifestyle for charismatic people who managed to catch the attention of foreigners who are known to be just passing through with money.
I think it’s hard to tell what’s the exception or the norm. As an American who attended an international school in Sub-Saharan Africa, I went on a few trips for Habitat for Humanity in the region. While the students that attended usually did decent work (there were usually at least one or two kids who had done it before and knew what they were doing, as well as some pretty strong ones), there’s no doubt that we were less efficient than local workers, though we did complete the houses in a few days with fairly good quality. Meanwhile, the supervisor that would visit the site often regaled my teacher with stories of the two extremes – from the retirement home that really wanted to help but could do little more than sit in the shade (some Habitat employees did most of the work) to the group of Irishmen that were incredibly efficient and, if I remember correctly, did multiple houses. A few things are certain, though: the operation would be more efficient and precise if local workers who are paid to do it were the ones doing it in almost all cases, and Habitat would benefit from not having to deal with the travel of entitled Westerners. The supervisor was so tired of dealing with emails asking about every sort of danger that the visitors could conjure up in their heads based on the bush Africa they imagined. Furthermore, the many months it takes to plan such a big trip for Westerners means that people who are in need of a house have to wait for months when it only takes a few days to actually build it. In my view, the only thing that Habitat benefits from by allowing foreigners to volunteer is the volume of unpaid labor that they are handed out by people that are trying to help the impoverished.
*I meant to add that I don’t mean to belittle that lone benefit in any way, it is of course very significant and the reason that Habitat is able to exist and help so many people.
Like Nina and Anthony, I have to say I am a little taken aback by all of the negative responses. It seems as though everyone who was attacking Pippa for her article were perpetuating the same pattern; having to defend their actions abroad to continue to feel good about the fact that they went in and saved someone else for their own sake. First, it appears as though (I may be wrong) Pippin was referring to short-term projects, not long-term projects where you become embedded in another culture and one’s work. Secondly, again, many of the comments had to do with protecting one’s own ego. Third, if you really do want to help, like Pippa said, give the money to the locals to do it. They need the money more than you need to feel good about yourself. Lastly, most importantly, stop focusing on you and start thinking about the people who are being affected by your quick stays…
My own personal experience: I worked at a street shelter in India for several months. Besides my coming and going so quickly, I also witnessed other young men and women coming to and from the shelter for 2 weeks at a time for the sake of helping others. What I saw was essentially the same (this of course is my own personal observation, that doesn’t mean it floats across borders but I believe, with my psychology background, it does): These little girls have been abused and abandoned enough times in their life. They have been given hope to have it crushed over and over again. They have no consistency and no structure. They have no sense of a future and no desire to remember the past. And then volunteers come in and play games with them and try to take care of them and love them and make them laugh and do really beautiful amazing things with these girls. They make them laugh, they make they smile, teach them new games, run around with them, they show them a different side of life sometimes. That is all wonderful. The child feels good and the volunteer feels good. But then the volunteer doesn’t come back one day. The volunteer disappears, like everyone else in their life. They may promise to write or give them a photo but then all communication is lost. The person who gave this child life, hope and love for a moment is gone.. like everyone else whoever stepped into their life. Now tell me, are you helping these girls?
By the way, i know the phrase, “its better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all”. stop thinking about yourself and think of these girls. Is it? I honestly don’t know the answer, but I have a gut feeling.
Wow, Sam, you sure did lay into her. I’m not sure that you were fair.
I thought it was great to see someone call out some of the failings as she sees them.
In nearly two decades of aid an development work I found myself spending more time undoing the damage of ‘well meaning amateurs’ than getting work done.
To be frank, many well meaning foreigners do more harm than good in countries. In that I include Habitat for Humanity that I saw build seismically non-resistant constructions with concrete roofs in earthquake prone regions of the Philippines. The so called ‘town planner’ of Habitat, who had no relevant qualifications in his home country (the US) magically thought himself qualified just because he was in the Philippines.
His designs would have killed people if an earthquake struck. Fortunately I convinced the local authorities to condemn the dangerous buildings.
.Somehow some people think that if they go to an under-developed country they somehow magically feel that they are now a ‘town planner’ or a ‘builder’, ‘mechanic’, ‘nurse’ or whatever just because of the colour of their skin and the wealth of their upbringing.
I guess the central message that Philippa was trying to convey was ‘make sure you know what you are doing before you offer to help, or chances are you will do more harm than good’. If that was her message I agree entirely.
For you, I’d love to see some of your work in the field. If indeed it is good work, well done. However, it is surprising to go back couple of years later and see the results.
Did you know 80% of buildings built by foreign aid workers following the Tsunami were later declared ‘uninhabitable’?
So I would suggest that there is a little bit of ‘kick the messenger’ in your reply and that you didn’t read well behind what Philippa was saying.
Jerome, I would refer you to the reply I wrote to Sam’s comment above. Same applies to you 😉
Reblogged this on cool. good. light. and commented:
I really enjoyed reading this and found the honest insight provoking and not overly dismissive of others in the same racial and socio-economic demographic category…. also challenging insights to me as a ‘Westerner'(albeit an African one) working in a ‘developing country'(albeit I am from one).
I love this. I am a senior at Howard University and this hits the nail on the head.
Wow. This is awesome. Thank you. I currently live in the DR, and I see the negative effects you are referring to. They don’t wake up with self pride, they don’t want to look as they do… they want to look their idea of “superior” (white). Being black here is beneficial only in the lower class, but saddens me when I see the self hatred in the upper class. And I HATE that they think Americans are better than them. For the same reasons… they need heroes that reflect them. I mean the mental/emotional/spiritual damage of thinking someone outside of what one is, is greater or better. Ouch. And just being Black, thank you (for your aid of course); thank you for seeing many of our truths. Often emotions don’t allow us to put as elegantly… but glad someone else sees and is acting.
Wow, I actually had this conversation today. I was helping someone write a reflection about community service work she had been doing and I noticed that the vast majority of what she wrote was about what the people working had learned. It’s the wrong mindset.
White guilt ahoy!
I think it’s worth pointing out that Habitat for Humanity can be very different depending on the country you are in. In Mozambique, for instance, I only saw Mozambicans working for the organization, which I thought was great. The houses were clearly sturdy and often of a higher caliber than other houses in the same village (obviously Mozambique doesn’t have significant Tsunami/earthquake threats). It is very well-organized and has built several thousand homes for Mozambicans in need (primarily orphans and/or AIDS victims).
The problem is the way Pippa packaged the message. I’d have no objection if her title and main thrust was about the lack of volunteers’ skills or the “just passing through” mentality.
Her emphasis on race as the cause of the problems is misguided. I’ve worked in development for over 10 years and have worked with expat colleagues who were black, white, East Asian, South Asian, Arab, and Hispanic. Their effectiveness stemmed from their skills, cultural competency, language acquisition, judgment, etc. – not their race. While a colonialist perspective is incredibly damaging, don’t fool yourself into thinking that it’s only prevalent among white Westerners. It’s pervasive throughout the West – many Americans of color, some of whom live here in Ethiopia as my neighbors, have pejorative attitudes about the skills and abilities of local folks.
I also object to her referring to herself as a “girl” when she’s an adult. It reinforces a sexist stereotype of the under-skilled, floundering female in over her head when it comes time to do hard work.
A typical answer when someone is even briefly confronted with a whiff of white privilege.
Hi Pippa
I started out agreeing with you – we had a saying for volunteers who came, saw and conquered who came on daddy’s dollar to discover themselves, seek adventure, we would say “she/he couldn’t put a nut in a monkeys mouth” meaning she was useless, had no value to add.
The further I read on I got to realising that in any walk of life there is no substitute for experience and how do we get the experience to do the things we need or want to do, simply by finding ways to do them.
I also spent a lot of time helping others, but before I did that I had no experience of it, my training was all on the job so to speak. There is no college degree in helping, you cant sit an exam in giving up your time to sleep under a mosquito net, there are no prize-giving ceremonies for doubling over in pain having contracted amoeba by drinking dirty water.
Getting out there and rolling your sleeves up is the only way I can see to get experience. (the library story is so true, had me laughing)
I saw 100’s of young people over the years come and go, and when I think about it all of them left a part of themselves and took something away with them which benefited both the project and them. No one expects a volunteer to change the world single handedly. What is expected is to contribute, as the weeks and months go on and as you move from project to project, country to country, skills are acquired, lessons learned and somewhere along the way you will have gained some skills, knowledge, wisdom that will be of benefit to you and the people you come into their lives, It might not be much at the beginning, but in a short space of time you learn and you pass on that knowledge.
Some projects I have worked on were amazing, changing so many lives, bringing hope to millions etc etc, and some were smaller, I worked with people with huge personalities and I worked with brave timid housewives who after divorcing their husbands of 30 years headed off for an adventure with no skills or knowledge of what to expect and the thing I realise while reading your piece was that they all contributed something, they all left their mark.
Many of these projects I have experience of would not have been done if it was not for people giving up their time to go and do them. Water, sanitation, education, job creation. I know coz ive seen it. There is a push in Africa at the moment to get many of these projects done by African’s which is awesome, and the way it should be, it is long over due and very welcome, but until Africa gets its finger out its ass and organises these projects like proper projects and not just piggy banks for fat politicians, it is people like you who bring clean water to a village, educate a child, stop female circumcision, put nuts in monkeys mouths.
Like the person above I think sometimes just playing, listening and befriending a vulnerable person is enough to make a lasting impression on a life and bring about change.
Please don’t be so hard on yourself, you could have gone to university and ended up like some tosser sitting in a bank in Wall Street foreclosing on a family in the Midwest – be proud of your amazing achievements.
Baadaye
Being predispositioned doesn’t mean guarantee. And even among the homeless, white people are far more likely to be donated to and get supported out of it and everyone else is far more like to be aggressively moved along or arrested. Opening our eyes to the unearned benefit gained by our unequal society built to benefit is the first step to rebuilding a better one.
This has got to be the dumbest blog I’ve ever read. So pointless. Why are people crying out to be colour-blind, but yet you are not. We are human, what does the colour of your skin have to do with anything? If you were an alien I might have understood your point. But just like everyone else you’re a human being. You are not better than anyone, nor are you less. Continue to lend your support and services to people that need you. I doubt they will turn you away because of the colour of your skin. And even if you do not know how to build libraries, there are windows of opportunity for you to learn and return home with more knowledge than you went back with.
From one blonde haired blue eyed white girl to another, you are so out of line. The point of what she was trying to say was “know how you serve best”. A lot of sweet little girls with big hearts want desperately to help, but their efforts are better directed towards organizing and fund raising. I’m more of the “get a little dirt under the fingernails” girls, and I have no problems with laying bricks or digging trenches, but I understand her point. We don’t all have the skills to help in all areas, and to sign up for something that puts an individual way over their head is a hindrance to those who can do the task.
I advise you check your attitude and your language. You can’t say you’re all for doing Gods work if you jump to harsh words so quickly without thinking of the meaning behind them.
An excellent article. Despite all of that vitriol aimed at you, there is a lot to be said against the countless programmes that send unqualified and unskilled young people (who do tend to be white, yes) to developing countries in order to ‘help’. It’s even worse when said young people really believe they’re doing great work. I was one of countless volunteers funded to go to Palestine as an unqualified ‘teacher’ with zero experience, and we were quick to realise that we were all totally useless. Silly white boy.
Tourism contributes to local economies, when it’s organized thoughtfully. Looking, listening, talking with local people, eating, spending, and going home to share your slide show are important if we want real international understanding.
At some point our culture became convinced that tourism alone was just selfish, voyeuristic hedonism. And, unfortunately, tourism has often been exploitative. So in order to justify it, we needed to tack on labor — even if the labor was unskilled and more trouble than it was worth.
We do need to rethink “service” trips. But we also need to embrace well-regulated tourism.
Rainbowbrite: I am not sure if you are or are not from the developing world, nor if you have or have not been there. But in my nearly 20 years working their I can say that from my experience Philippa is not only right, but is correct in saying those who lend support to countries when they do not know what they are doing are dangerous and counter-productive.
I have seen people die because of ‘well meaning amateurs’.
As for the colour issues: whether it is right or wrong, it is a fact that in the developing world white people ARE treated differently. White people are waived through check points and customs points faster.
It happens also int he developed world. At one stage, when I worked for the UN High Commission for Refugees, my boss and I often travelled together. One of us was white, one black. The white one of us always said through customs and bought the coffee outside the terminal for the black one of us who was always delayed. Fact.
It may not be right, but it does happen.
I am a professional in international development (Information and Communications Technology for Development) with a master’s degree in the field. I got my start through voluntourism and I think this article significantly misunderstands the point of it.
It is all about you. The trip, I mean. You are learning something about the world, yourself, and a side effect is that you are meant to pay your way through volunteerism. Ideally (in the eyes of the program), you become an individual who supports international aid and advocates for the less fortunate by your personal experiences, and maybe even go on to gain the skills needed.
One of the benefits of a voluntourism experience is to realize how useless you are without skills. That you want to help but you cannot unless you go and get educated. That the people you are meant to help are actually 10000x more capable than you are. That the biggest benefit you can bring right now is your cash.
It is meant to be a humbling experience for the average teenager. It is also meant to be an eye opening experience of how the average person in the world actually lives, and to force us to confront our privilege and comfortable ideas about how the world works.
And it is supposed to be done in a context where you are at least giving a small amount back and immersed in the community, rather than bus ride tourism. The alternative is to never leave your comfortable home and let the “professionals” do the messy work. I don’t want that world.
Now, this is rife with issues around using other people’s lives as object lessons for your own personal growth, but that is basically part of life, unfortunately. We can use our privilege and gifts to make the world a better place, even if it is a messy situation.
And the author is right that these programs are NOT development assistance.They can be plugged into a larger development assistance program (like Habitat for Humanity), but no one is going to “save the world” on a two week volunteering vacation. If you think you have the power to do so, your hubris is amazing.
Thanks for sharing about this. I am glad that you were able to be honest about the impact that you wanted to have and the impact you actually had. Most of us are so selfish we will never think about that-IF we were being really honest.
Immediately when I read the title of this article I knew it had to be written by a privileged, white liberal girl. This has nothing to do with being white, it’s about the western culture. It doesn’t freakin matter if you’re black, white, asian, Hispanic, etc., I’m so sick of libtards using race to gain attention and ignite controversy. There’s one thing I do agree with you about though, and that’s the fact you should have kept your spoiled little white girl ass at home.
If you don’t go, you can’t relate. That first trip maybe the turning point in your life, even if you aren’t effective. However, before you go, do the soul searching, the skills analysis and put yourself where you work best. Learn to lay bricks (or build other stuff) if that’s what you want. Just don’t displace more skilled locals or other volunteers who can actually make a difference.
You should probably read the post again or actually read it. I do not know how your comment contributes to any of this conversation. Who cares what you have done? You should do it through the kindness of your heart without expecting to receive any praise or the need to defend yourself like you are trying to do. There is a major stereotype for white people (which I will substitute for westerner) which is general true, they have no clue what culture they are throwing themselves into, they think they are making a positive difference and want to tell everyone about their experience where they have gone with a countless number of pictures with them hugging children….this post was not for you, well was not supposed to be but since you do not see the issue she is raising it just may be for you……..Get it????
Yes – definitely yes – you are helping these girls! You made great points then discredited them at the end. Of course volunteers have to leave one day. Friends do this to others friends across the world, same with teachers, family, employees, acquaintances…this is life, hardly anything lasts forever. People come and go because they have their own lives to worry about as well. I went to India myself and would’ve loved to have stayed longer. But, I have school and work back home to tend to. Why is it that my contributions are cut down because I “left like everyone else”? This is just asking way too much, if I correctly understand what you’re getting at.
I think the point of using that moniker is that she might have had the body of a woman but she was pointing out that she was not mature in mind yet. She went in there as a “little white girl” in mind, with misconceptions and arrogant thoughts about her capabilities. Just because she calls her past self for what it was doesn’t mean she’s not grown up to be mature and thoughtful now. This article certainly proves that she has matured since then.
I recognise myself in Pippas story, and I do think that she is pointing out a real problem and a singificant fenomenon among priviledged people(people in western countries? people in the developped world?).
I think people who criticise her naivity should rather appreciate her gained maturity. Haven’t we all been young and stupid? After all, she had the courage to go out into the real world and gain experience, and she gained some great insight from her mistakes. Not all people get that far.
And about her focus on race. She mention that she initially volunteered with other white girls and one black girl, but the local people kept calling her ‘white’.
I think that says something important about race: It is about much more than the colour of your skin. When i read ‘white’ in this context, I understand ‘priviledged people’ or something like this (that for historical reasons often happens to be white) rather than people with pale skin. Offcourse I do understand that people may interpret this differently.
Mm, but that’s the point. A bunch of white people do this all the time. They waltz in knowing next to nothing pertinent and believe that they’re doing some good just by showing up. Of course there are some capable ones. This whole article is saying what you’re saying – “If you’re going to go over there, make sure you’re actually qualified to do something well” Why act like you’re disagreeing? Why would she go over and do what she did? Well, she said so right in the article, because she’s an entitled “little white girl” who was taught white people were the savior race for other people, regardless of actual ability. This is a wake-up call to pay attention to privilege and arrogance. She knows better now. You’re just repeating what she said without comprehension of what she said.
I am going to go ahead and stand up for the author here. I worked for three years in a small southern African country, where I lived with a host family, learned to speak SiSwati, and worked on multiple development and health projects.
I saw many people who came through like her – uber young and somewhat naive. Her honesty is refreshing to me, as I saw so many voluntourists come through, and be more of background noise than a force for development. Painting a wall, feeding kids, etc. etc. Those are untenable, unsustainable projects. What happens if war breaks out? Or if the “volunteer” companies fail to come back one year.
Short term volunteers, like yourself, have done great work, there is no question about that. The only problem is that MOST of them do not do great work. Most of them do a simple task, in a semi-culturally competent way, because it is their first time leaving the US or the UK.
I applaud the author for keeping at it, and working for what she believed in, even after she noticed her shortcomings and failures. As for labelling herself a white girl, I think thats good to. To so many that I met while abroad, tempering ones self image with the perspectives of a host family or host community can help a person to see the world more clearly. I am Jabulani, umlungu. I am the white boy who lived in a rural town. If she wants to call herself white, let her. She is. And to so many in the world, it connoted privilege, naivete, and a lack of cultural competency.
”I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Wait, so you’re expecting her, a grunt in the great volunteer machine, to suddenly be at the level where she is personally involved in picking who to donate to, how much to donate to, what projects the money is going towards, who to hire…?
How many people do you think are even involved at that high level? It’s certainly not as many as you’re implying. 99% of people won’t ever be involved at this level of volunteer and aid work, and it’s ridiculous to give advice to them as though them, the lowly school bake sale fundraiser organizer that brought in $500, would obviously be the one doing this intensive administrative work. Off the mark.
You are so right. The first time I traveled internationally, I was 17 and I went to Guatemala on a Rotary trip. We helped build an ambulance garage for local paramedics.
I remember before I left, everyone told me over and over how this trip would change my life: “When you see “those people” who have so little but are so happy, it will really change your perspective.”
I had an awesome time. I got to spend 10 days a foreign country with one of my best friends. But we were LAZY at the job site. We took breaks constantly and I’m guessing accomplished about 10% of the work local construction workers could have accomplished in the same time. If we sent our $2,000 down there instead of using it to haul our lazy butts there on a plane, we would have stimulated the local economy much better.
From the planning of the trip and how it would change ME to the actual time we spent there which was undoubtedly about what WE wanted to do, it was not a trip to benefit the locals. It was about going on a vacation, trying to learn a few words of Spanish and having fun. Saying it was a volunteering trip just meant would could hit up our families for donations.
Before I left for the trip, my dad made it clear he thought it was the stupidest idea ever. Now, I know he was right. I would never go on a trip like that again. I volunteer within my own community, tutoring kids (I’m really good at English!) and training young runners at the YMCA (I rock at teaching kids to set goals and accomplish them!). People in Guatemala or Kenya or Colombia don’t need me. Good organizations could maybe put my money to good use, but they don’t need me. I’m not going to sign up for some “voluntourism” trip again where I use impoverished people to learn the “true meaning” of life.
Hey Pippa, As a professional fundraiser I want to give you another perspective and one that puts your experience in a much more positive light than what you and many here have said. While perhaps you were not successful at building walls or speaking Spanish your presence at the program served a very important purpose. It connected you to the project. it made these projects something that you care about greatly, made them important enough to you to donate your money and to spend your time raising money from others for them. Almost universally accepting volunteers on a short term basis from another culture is for the volunteer and not for the organization. The work volunteers do can almost always be done better by professionaals and locals. But every organization brings in volunteers for a day, a week or a month in order to make the project their own and to deepen their connection to the work and the need. The work you do now raising money for these projects is proof of that.
Sam, although the aid work you have done has probably provided a service to the community, that was not the point of the blog. I do not want to talk for Pippa, so from here on these are my interpretations and thoughts. We need to stop thinking in terms of the individual and how the work, that us privileged individuals from the Global North seek, could be beneficial; rather we need to take a more holistic look at why development work over the past 70 years has seemingly been unsuccessful. So yes I do acknowledge the individual success stories with development work and I commend the hard work and time given, however, this is not the point. We are rarely asked to justify our actions as development workers because our altruistic attitude and self-learning benefits we procure through these ‘life-changing’ opportunities are reaffirmed through praise of the NGO’s we work for, our friends/families/communities, the media, and our governments. This is problematic: we, albeit mostly unconsciously, perpetuate the white saviour complex. We then believe the work we are doing, even if it would be better suited for a local to be employed, is beneficial because we also gain skills we bring back to our communities, countries, and economies. This aligns with the neoliberal policies our government loves, and also leads to decreased social funding for such projects, because the NGO’s and the people who volunteer and work for them can do the work. Within this white saviour mentality, we do not recognize other epistemologies, local knowledge, and thus are susceptible to deliver neocolonial style of development work. And, if this is the case we do end up taking resources and funding from local NGO’s while the work from outsider NGO’s in mainly ineffective.
I don’t have the answers, but I think this type of dialogue is needed so we can start being aware of some of past failures in this type of work. For that reason I think posts like Pippas’ are necessary, so thank you. I am also not saying that you shouldn’t work in the a developing country or with marginalized populations, I think there is space for partnerships as I should point out I am currently working in Mozambique. But if we need to be more reflexive of our actions and think what are the actual benefits for the communities we intend to help. Would love to chat more about some of these issues if you, or anyone is interested.
The point is that these are young girls, not adults like you or I who can fully rationalize why their newfound friend has left and never come back. They’ve already experienced everyone leaving them, and now it’s happening again. And again. And again. Tell me, what would it feel like if you had a new family and set of friends every two weeks? Knowing that they would be gone in another two weeks? I’m not sure it’s as helpful as you wish it to be. I don’t know about you, but if I had a real friend, they wouldn’t come into my life for a mere two weeks and then never contact me again. That’s no friend. I’m not sure that’s even an acquaintance.
So coherent. I recommend reading William Easterly’s “White Man’s Burden”, it’s right up this alley.
Regards from Bolivia.
Thanks Jodie for this comment – I really enjoyed the (very brave and thought provoking) original post and reading through the comments of others, but yours adds a perspective I’ve never even considered before.
Thank you for saying exactly what I was thinking! The point of humanitarian work is not to benefit yourself, but to better the lives of the people in the community in which you serve. If you think otherwise, you are the one who needs to check your perspective and reassess the true motivation behind what you are doing. It isn’t about YOU, dude.
Very interesting read, and about right. Although, I think that if Americans never did what you did (go there, see it), such a realization would be a long time coming.
You said: “There were 14 white girls, 1 black girl who, to her frustration, was called white by almost everyone we met in Tanzania…” There’s a reason for that, which lies in the perception of those who are “not white.” Let me illustrate with a story.
I spent three years teaching college biology courses on military bases overseas, and I occasionally had foreign nationals who were in the American military as a route to U.S. citizenship. One of my students (an African) came up to me one time after a class on genetics and asked, “When an African and a European have a baby together, why is it always white?” I was taken aback by his question, but as we discussed it, the thing about inter-racial children that struck HIM was how light their skin was.
We do the same thing in the U.S. but in reverse. We see the darkness in the skin of those who are inter-racial, because our “norm” is light.
So yes, your AA friend on the trip would be viewed as “white” because she no doubt had “European blood.” Genetically, American “blacks” are (on average) about a quarter European. Doesn’t say much about the purity of any race. I do hope (even believe) we’re beginning to get over the race issue in the world, Trips like those you took might actually be helping that process, with those of other races and nationalities having the opportunity to meet at least a few decent “white” people. Familiarity does seem to conquer fear if the interactions are benign.
Another “I’m sorry I’m white” article?
I didn’t choose to be white, and I certainly am not ashamed of it.
Thank you for this article! It is refreshing to see someone who has learned, after multiple “volunteer” trips, that the person who benefits most from such a trip is the volunteer, not the people s/he is trying to help. Nevertheless, there is room for such trips, in my opinion. Often, it prompts the volunteer to seriously consider long-term volunteer or development work that does make much more of an impact — a benefit that shouldn’t be discounted. High school or college students might be prompted to study in a field that is highly essential (water engineering, or TESOL, public health, or something that can be very effective in support of local community development). I’ve also seen international adoptions come about as the result of such trips.
The problem is that many (NOT ALL) of the organizers of these short-term trips don’t effectively communicate the importance of humility, and they inadvertently perpetuate the “white savior” complex (or I would say, WESTERN savior complex, as I am not white but, as an Asian American, have experienced many of the same privileges). The problem is the serial voluntourists who never learn from their trips, and thus waste money and resources on an ongoing basis.
I wouldn’t discourage people from going on such trips entirely. I say, go on ONE. Be humble, learn from the locals, and realize that you benefit much more from your trip than the locals do. If you feel uncomfortable, suck it up and don’t expect special treatment. BUT use that trip to catch a vision for doing something much more useful.
And while you’re at it, be sure to treat locals with respect and dignity. I worked in China for 4 years, and it saddened me to see so many Westerners (Americans, British, Canadians, etc…) treating local Chinese like they were their servants. Even if they were ostensibly there to “help” the Chinese, they still saw them as inferior.
What I hear from you, Pippa, is a pure heart that loves and wants to share of your resources to those in need. You have wisdom beyond your years and others seem to find this difficult. Almost 60 years old, a pastor, and a mother who worked to pass on to her children the understanding that those living on the periphery of society (most of the world!) are not to be ignored by the rest of the world, rather are to be front and center when it comes to sharing of resources. The topic of poverty and the instruction to share, honor, and respect those in any need is one of the most prevalent in the Bible. Yet it is typically overlooked by those of us in “developed” countries (I apologize, I find all wording to be difficult–for “developed” refers to technology and why would a lack of technology cause a people group to labeled as “developing”? Developing in intelligence? I think not. Developing in the capability of making use of their resources? They were capable of making use of their resources well until outsiders came, took the resources, and now pay them so little to make these resources available for the outsiders to sell, that the people group no longer can afford to purchase their OWN resource! Developing in being “civilized”? They are perfectly “civilized.” Their way of life, be it pleasing to them, is equally dignified as is my way of life.)
Your points are well made, Pippa. I sense that in most cases that a white-savior attitude is the typical one in mission or service trips. It is due to this that I step away from these long distance trips. Instead, I heavily support organizations such as SERRV, covered by Catholic Relief Services. Training, micro-loans for needed materials, and the creation of a market for artisans to sell their products is a proven way of sharing resources. The market is in the “Western world,” so the artisans receive a living wage. To me, this seems more beneficial than me spending that same money and going to “help” these same people. If I went, it would be to learn of them and experience their way of life. However, since money is not plentiful in my household, I prefer to be certain that the others benefit fully from the spending of my money. An exception I might make would be if I had a skill and were to work for SERRV, a known entity proven to share resources with others who happen to be in need.
Your work in founding your camp is to be commended! You recognized that others were more suited to perform the duties needed to make the camp the best it can be for those you serve. This is wisdom. You are still involved–but in a way that is truly beneficial. Would you have founded the camp had you never traveled and seen the need? I think this is the question that we all consider and it is an important one.
You discovered that there are ways of sharing resources in a way that does not present a white-savior presence. Willingness to learn from the population, recognizing that they are capable strong people and have much to teach is necessary. Thorough communication should be done before any team is dispatched. If a library is needed, those in leadership of the trip should find what local resources are present to do the building. Perhaps working alongside, learning the craft of bricklaying should have been the plan for the students. The cost of the trip should have covered the payment of a living wage for the local bricklayers for their time and work. Payment for the materials to use most likely was already built in. Think of the joy of learning bricklaying! To simply travel to a location, assume that the students in service will rescue these people by filling a “need” is disrespectful and negates the dignity of the people being “served.”
We all need to move far from that mentality! As I work to create service opportunities in our community (as I write this, I think I would like to change the name to something that does not at all suggest those served are lesser) for my congregation, I wrestle with how to get across to those going that there is no place for a– pat yourself on the back while you look down at the people, going home knowing you did something to greatly help someone that day–type of demeanor. We mean well, but have lived too long in a way that disregards the dignity of human life.
Thank you for your provocative blog. Keep at it. Don’t give up on your beliefs and continue to think creatively and teach others to find ways to properly share our resources, Pippa.
Great reflection. God is using you. I plan to use this article with my students who will be traveling to Ghana soon.
I found this read enlightening. I, like you want to create change in the world. You made me realize that just jumping into this is wrong. They need help, not support. Thanks.
Sam, I think you may have just supported her point. All of the things you said that were beneficial about your experiences were centered around you and not the communities you visited. she addressed all of your points and i happen to agree with her.
Sounds to me like you used foreign aid as a way to improve your life, not the other way around. Really, your rant here is a case in point for the author. Pot…kettle…black.
Agreed, Kristin. That was my only gripe about the article. Being 5’4″ doesn’t make you unqualified, nor does being a girl or a woman, nor does being white. Those factors are entirely separate from the skills you bring to the table. By calling out the “little white girl” portion of it she took away from her own argument. Still, it was a catchy title that got people to read it.
Wow. So you’re saying that your foreign aid experiences improved *your* life and helped build *your* resume. How exactly does that help the people you were supposedly aiding? Your rant here is a case in point for the author. Pot, kettle, black.
Thanks for your honesty and boldness. It was amusing reading the comments above, it’s hard sometimes to hear that assumptions about our culture, especially spiritual culture are untrue and do not line up with the realities of the rest of the world. From a big white girl who went on missions trips, did it all wrong, but followed God’s leading and is still learning how to do it well in American urban missions…thumbs up.
And for all the skeptics and haters. Take some time and read “When Helping Hurts.”
I very much agree with this article. I have traveled and volunteered and studied abroad and seen the issues that come up, reinforced by articles such as Ivan Illich’s To Hell wtih Good Intentions http://www.swaraj.org/illich_hell.htm . I came to the conclusion that as much as I wanted to do something like peace corps it just didn’t make any sense. Besides, my own “developed” nation (USA) is deeply flawed and full of poverty and injustice. So I decided to do AmeriCorps instead. I am just making this comment to say that these issues of unhelpful “aid” exist DOMESTICALLY as well. In my current position I was brought in to run an afterschool program with minimal training in youth education or development. I have basically no qualifications other than the required bachelor’s degree (in a totally unrelated field) and my whiteness/privilege. The volunteers we bring in to staff the program and tutor these children in a 99.9% black/African American school/neighborhood are 98% white and 100% from other neighborhoods. Again, no previous expertise working with youth is required. This is perpetuating a message to EVERYONE – the volunteers and the youth and the community members – that what you need to be qualified to help is whiteness and privilege.
As I get deeper into this issue, I am struggling with what the solution is, because the truth of the matter is that there are few afterschool programs accessible to the students and that the education the students receive could certainly be enhanced. However, the idea that someone recruited from the college/volunteer website is inherently more qualified because they are white/privileged MUST be reconsidered. There are plenty of people I have come across who come from the neighborhood who want to help out, retired teachers, local high school students, community volunteers, but we don’t approach them – we hire staff and get volunteers from outside the area. We have been however perpetuating a system that says these poor black boys and girls need help from nice little white girls and boys.
I like what Pippa did, hiring locals to staff the camp, and that is what I am going to be working on in my program. If we are encouraging inexperienced people, they might as well share the same cultural language as well. But it is hard for me and my organization to do this! Why would I make myself obsolete? Because it sucks to know you are building a library of crooked bricks or an afterschool program where you are providing activities of dubious educational value.
In response to some comments, finally, while I agree that wealth and nationality are important in considering privilege, so is race and perceived race. These factors are all inter-sectional and we cannot say that race is not an issue, even if other identities/circumstances play a role as well.
No one ever seems to have a problem with my white money!
Pippa,
I feel you are very much on target with your post. I feel aid work is very important in times of crisis (ie: tsunami, earthquake). Education is important and teaching skills is invaluable. Beyond that, people need to be empowered to lift themselves up rather than us swooping in to save them. For all of the reasons you mentioned.
I work for a company that is helping to change the face of poverty world wide by creating sustainable business. We sell their handmade products following the guidelines of Fair Trade. I made one trip to Haiti to visit with our artisans and see how sustainable business changes lives. People ask if I am going back. Absolutely not. My money is better served buying sewing machines and tools for our artisans than for me to go back there again. I would love to share with you more about this. You would be a wonderful voice for the work that we are doing.
Feel free to contact me privately!
Reblogged this on wordsandpicturesbj and commented:
It’s like I just can’t stop reblogging things this week. I have a long history with short term missions. I agree with everything this says. Twice even.
Don’t hurt yourself, patting yourself on the back. I’m not sure why you took such personal offense to what she wrote. Maybe she touched on something inside of you that you know, deep down, is true.
If you’re heart is pure, and this piece doesn’t apply to you; walk away, thanking God for the great privilege of making a real and lasting difference in people’s lives.
You present an important truth here, but something that is not conveyed to most who go on expensive trips to distant places. And there, as you say, locals could do better, and as Pippa said, their work just created more work for the locals to have to do (unpaid, no doubt!). Thus if for each group that “serves” no Pippa is inspired to create an effective working solution, much money was spent that could have been used in the local economy.
I have seen what you mention often in the center my daughter founded and directs. It is about being exposed to another culture (urban) and realizing that you had preconceived notions and a need to learn from others. When there is not great money spent to achieve this end by serving nearby, there is not a problem regarding resources being wasted. And the experience is well worthwhile in the long run for the organization.
Thank you for your point, Jodie.
[…] is from The Problem With Little White Girls (and Boys), a post by a super-smart, self-aware college dropout named Pippa […]
I don’t understand why race is even brought in this blog/article, and frankly, I am quite turned off by it.
The way it’s written feels very condescending to me. You relate race (in a huge generalization) to skill and ability. might as well be saying, ‘im just so smart and educated and white and I love to help these poor devils, but i don’t know how to build a house and i’m so different from them, it’s just so hard to relate, what am I to do’… *rolls eyes*.. #disgust #WeAreInThe21stCenturyComeOn
Take all the race stuff out of this article, focus on disparities in practical/usable skills and efficiencies in volunteer programs.
Perhaps it doesn’t apply to you, that’s awesome- but unfortunately it DOES apply to a lot of the development and aid work going on. A serious ignorance to issues of race, priviledge and colonialisation (because really, the Western education systems do not address these issues from the colonised countries point of view) leads to lack of effectiveness and even harm.
This!
Lots of opinions here, so I will throw mine in. I agree with Pippa, in that we have to be very clear what the purpose and outcome will be of voluntourism. It is an experience for the TRAVELLER that is likely of little direct benefit to the local people, EXCEPT for raised awareness of the issues involved. As a newly graduated nurse, I participated in a trip to Nigeria to learn about primary health care there. It was clearly set up as an observational and learning experience FOR ME. And yet, because I was “a little white girl”, local people came up to me constantly thanking me and taking my hand in gratitude. Because I was a symbol to them of some hope or benefit that was flowing from aid programs. It was very uncomfortable. I joked that I was like the Queen, as children would run beside the car cheering, while I waved to them. I was also simply a curiousity, as there were few white people in the area. I learned a tremendous amount, largely about appreciating what we have in our bountiful lives in the developed world, about remembering to look out for those who are struggling in life, and to check our materialistic aquisitiveness.
It’s a metaphor.
As shown in the title, applies to boys too. I was a ‘little white boy’ playing at saving the world once. I can relate to the metaphor, perhaps you can’t, but she is spot-on to use it here.
Furthermore, how empowering is it to be told that you’re not allowed to make light of yourself? To be criticised even when you’re criticising yourself?
I appreciate that you have good intentions, but they seem misplaced.
(Neo) Colonialism left a huge, deep scar in the developing country. Also, many of these countries have racial issues among themselves. White people usually represent the wealthy population (the elite as they are sometimes referred) while color people live in poverty. Although most of these white volunteers (which the author points at) go abroad with great intentions, many of the locals will still look at them with resentment.
So tired of white apologists. I’ve read your blog and I agree that outsiders running aid programs in foreign countries is arrogant and not as helpful as intended. However, this has nothing to do with being white. As you pointed out it has more to do with not being a mason, a carpenter or a fluent speaker of the native language. Being white is not right or wrong.
Thanks for your willingness to be honest. I have lived in Haiti now for 3 years- a 5’5″ white girl. I often struggle with the same issue. It has been a process and voicing this is not easy. But I am right there with you! http://www.jilliansmissionaryconfessions.com
Sam, why all the vitriol? I have full respect for your opinion and your right to express it, but a smarmy, snarky, aggressive attitude is ineffective and only alienates those you are trying to win over to your camp. By the way, you used I, me, my or something similar 20 times in your rant. Each time in a boastful way. “YOU’ was used in a an accusatory or condescending way 14 times. Any credibility you may have had all but disappears after about the 3rd or 4th “I, me, or my” for most people reading such a missive. Then when it becomes an attack, it’s over. You become a pariah and are cast aside without a second thought. Just thought you ought to know.
Thank you! Some sense, at last!
Sounds like you helped yourself more than anyone else. Just because you did a hard days work does not mean you made any sort of difference.
What a thoughtful, balanced response. Enjoyed it and am prone to agree with it.
Problem #1 is this title. All white girls and boys are NOT the same, come from the same back ground, have the same experiences, skill sets, education and common sense. I am a black man and I would not like if a black person said “the problem with black girls and boys” as if we all are the same due to the fact we has a some what similar skin color. #2 I feel Pippa was mislead by who ever took her to DR and told her she could build and lay bricks when she never did it in her own country. #3 Black and Brown people have NEVER called white people “White Savior”. This is a term created by white controlled media. We are aware that a very small percentage of white people colonized our lands and have been stealing our natural resources through military brut for 100’s of years. If anything they look at you as a WHITE DEVIL but just don’t say it. HOWEVER If you come with LOVE they will see the LOVE and embrace you. We know anything you offer to our countries is a small token of what has and still is being stolen or bought at pennies on a dollar through military brut force today. You OWE these countries a billion times more that you will ever give. 40% of the world’s economy comes from the Congo! Yes 40%! Just 1 African country. But its all controlled by American and European multi national companies through military brut. The worlds mass amount go gold and diamonds are from Africa not America or England, but this is where they are retailed. YOU ARE NOT A SAVIOR AND WE HAVE NEVER SEEN YOU AS ONE. Nor will we for building a school or library. You have to do way more than that like. Pippa now that know how to voluntour please do! The world needs you. I have voluntoured on Haiti, India, Liberia and Ghana and will continue. If anyone on this post has never please do and please speak to Pippa for her knowledge she has acquired. You are needed. Never feel you are a savior or guilty for what white supremacy has done to these counties. Just give love from your heart and YOU will be more blessed then those you are giving to. Every time I voluntour I feel like I was the receiver.
Thx Pippa for sharing your thoughts!
PEACE LOVE AND HIP HOP
Chad Harper
http://www.hiphopsaveslives.org
As a young white blonde teenager, I discovered how “useful” I was during my year long travels throughout the world. At one point, I was volunteering in Israel with the Sudanese refugees (or more specifically the children) at a local centre. Did I know anything about the culture? Nope. Did I know Arabic? Nope. I think I was fairly useless at helping out when I thought that this was clearly going to be my destiny.
My ambition in life was to always help out orphaned black kids in Africa. God truly reminded me that while the children had fun for 4 months with me, it was certainly an experience where I probably did little in the way of helping them adjust to a life in Israel. At one point, one of the mothers yelled at me to mind my own business when I was telling the children to go inside to bed. Furious in tears, I asserted that I had just as much right to tell them what to do, since the mothers were obviously doing nothing. Wow…I’m still ashamed of my actions.
What was the most useful part about my time in Israel? Cleaning toilets. I found that I was one of the best volunteers at housekeeping for the centre. I could scrub toilets, make beds, and vacuum like nobody’s business. And I ended up enjoying it more than working with the kids. And the best part was that the children still got to play with other teenagers who actually lived in Israel and whose families were part of the ministry centre. They knew the culture. They could help them learn Hebrew. A twelve year-old white girl who had lived in Israel for a couple of years was more useful with the kids than I was. And that was humbling.
This is not to say that I couldn’t be of use besides cleaning toilets. But I realize that I went into volunteering believing that I was going to change the world and make all children happy, simply by being there. And that may have been my mindset, had I only lived there for a couple of weeks. (I saw this happening with many volunteers who were in and out for a short time.) However, living for a good 4 months certainly helped me see things from a different perspective. The longer I was there, the more driven I was to learn Arabic and Hebrew, learn the culture, and better position myself to be useful.
I wouldn’t ever discourage people from doing short term missions, but would remind people to understand what they are really doing. As much as it can change the person for better, how is it impacting the culture they are working in?
For all of the people that think race has nothing to do with this: It does. This can be summed up with her point:
“I don’t want a little girl in Ghana, or Sri Lanka, or Indonesia to think of me when she wakes up each morning. I don’t want her to thank me for her education or medical care or new clothes. Even if I am providing the funds to get the ball rolling, I want her to think about her teacher, community leader, or mother. I want her to have a hero who she can relate to – who looks like her, is part of her culture, speaks her language, and who she might bump into on the way to school one morning.”
She is not saying that white people have no value. She is not saying that white people cannot do good for outside communities. What she is saying is that white people have a history of colonization. White people have status and privilege (as do rich people, straight people, this is not categorical, it is a spectrum, it is a web). We have to choose carefully what we use this privilege for. Using it to assert our privilege by barging into communities, asserting our wealth and perceived talents, and throwing our money around is not a proper use of our privilege. Holding the hands of children in developing countries and making them think they are our best friends, when we are leaving in two weeks, is not a good use of our privilege. Helping countries help themselves is. Supporting people (who may be white!) with the proper skills for the situation is. IF YOU ARE SKILLED, and knowledgeable about the proper ways to contribute to a community, regardless of your race, yes! Go help! Just know that these kids, these people, DO NOT NEED WHITE ROLE MODELS. They need to know that they are beautiful and useful and good just the way that they are. They need to know and see that.
Additionally, all of these people who say that it’s not about the people you’re helping, it’s the people who are coming to help, and how they’ll be changed by the experience: This is no different from white men saying that they need to sleep with an asian woman, or a black woman, “just for the experience”. Stop devouring minority races so that you can make your own life more interesting or fulfilled. Stop.
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I TOTALLY AGREE!
I am terribly sorry to disagree with majority of your post. I do agree that there are so many people who are doing the wrong work that ends becoming a nuisance for the locals, but to blame it on race is completely uncalled for. You made the decision to build a library in that area, whether it was someone else’s idea, you decided to go. You have most likely never participated in construction before, which will ultimately hinder your performance while in Tanzania. You having no experience as a construction worker has nothing to do with the fact that you are white. Anyone who has never performed a task like that will have difficulty their first time, whether black or white or any ethnicity. It was your individual decision to go on that trip, not your race. I specifically know of a 22 year “white” woman who is living in Liberia who is doing absolutely amazing work there. Her successes among the peoples there is nothing other than her God given talent and gifts that allow her to make a difference. She was born to make a difference their just as you were born to hold a more business type role in social change. You being gifted in those areas has nothing to do with being white, and crediting your skin color to those positions is actually slightly racist. To me it sounds that you wish you were given the talents needed to be successful on the field, but have to find outside reasons to justify why you were not called to it. I wish you would not consider race as any sort of justification other than a way to describe your physical being. By constantly giving attention to race, we are only delaying the progress being made in individuals classifying others by what their skill color is. I am sorry you had those experiences when serving across the globe, but please, reconsider why those experiences happened the way they did rather than pointing to a very illogical, and even racist explanation.
yes!! That’s what I thought… so you used your trip to another country to benefit your own life and your own community? Exactly the author’s point!!
Reblogged this on brandonlorick and commented:
This is soo great that the word great doesn’t truly tell how great it is.
Do you know the economics of the world and how most “so called white money” is generated. It comes from steeling natural resources from African countries. Ex Oil, gold, diamonds. Did you know the 3 minerals that are needed to operate all cell phones, digital cameras and computers all come from THE CONGO. Yes the Congo is responsible for 40% of the global economy. Just 1 African country. It’s the riches country in the world! But its being stolen by military force paid by american and european companies. So that “white” money is really BLACK! Know the world you live in PLEASE! Also colonization of all developing countries created extreme poverty, which is why they are still developing. Watch a doc called THE END OF POVERTY?
She said “and are generally understood to be predispositioned.” That’s hugely different from how you interpreted it.
She’s talking about general perceptions, not reality.
You’ll be glad to learn that where the white man stole, the black man followed suit.
Look at most of Africa’s countries. Where colonialism came to an end, those blacks who were put into power often only enriched themselves.
Even in my lovely South Africa, our current regime is more concerned with filling their own pockets than doing anything for the poor. Oh yes, fingers are quickly pointed to apartheid, but watch this space. Apartheid (which is made out to be the greatest evil that ever existed) is nothing compared to the communism that is slowly but surely sucking the life out of all skin colours in our country.
Please watch Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Ted Talk called, ‘The Danger of a Single Story’. This blog entry written by a self proclaimed “little white girl” is a perfect example of a single story.
It highlights, perpetuates and encourages racism. Here’s the definition of Racism: The belief that all members of a particular race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race.
Now, I was a little white boy who was raised in a community that reflects the lowest socioeconomic bracket in America. As a teenager, the thought of going on vacation to Tanzania for $3000 was as foreign to me as a Filet Mignon. Additionally, when I did eventually find myself on a development project in rural Liberia (age 19), the building and construction techniques I gained from my local friends were as valuable to me; as the skills I gave were valuable to them.
The blog doesn’t mention working in solidarity, global education, cross-cultural exchange, relationships, human-human interactions, or the biggest and most alarming; global dynamics of life in 2014. It encourages white privilege by highlighting it. The author feels that sitting in NYC, with a latte, writing blogs about her koosh upbringing, will somehow encourage other little white girls to be empathetic, caring, compassionate, educated, globally minded, or aware.
Ghandi once made a quote that has become the single most misunderstood and wildly over used saying of today. “Be the change you wish to see in the world”. It actually is paraphrased and smacked on the back of car bumpers from this quote by Ghandi: “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. … We need not wait to see what others do”. To the Author: stop treating yourself like your version of a “little white girl”.
I feel like you sorely missed Pippa’s point.Obviously, plenty of white people are good at construction. About half of my (white) family members work in construction.
I agree that using racial identifiers in this case maybe takes away from her point, but I don’t think race is the point. At its core, I felt her argument was about privileged first-world people travelling to third-world countries, feeling all great about themselves because they are volunteering and helping “those poor disadvantaged people.” She’s saying that, in reality, wealthy Americans often don’t know what’s best and that idea that we have to save others from themselves is damaging.
I don’t have any statistics, but I’m pretty sure most of the people who go on these voluntourism trips are white and they largely travel to places where the locals are brown — Africa, South America, India.
Outstanding insights. Continue to share them!
Vis-a-vis the race issue [nausea], obviously the concentration of melanin in a person’s skin is, in itself, irrelevant to issues of international aid. I would go a step beyond “white” versus “color” and consider that oftentimes when people in a developing country recognize a person as being from an affluent country, and the tangible identifier is that person’s physical appearance (i.e. “white person” = fill-in-the-blank). The history of imperialism and the current climate of international relations are also powerful factors in that dynamic. I think miss Biddle knows these things and assumed her readers do as well.
I think the point she’s making is that, regardless of physical appearance, being an affluent, educated, big-hearted person from a developed country does not automatically qualify someone to engage personally in international aid work. ***There are more productive ways to use our time!!***
[…] https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/18/the-problem-with-little-white-girls-and-boys/ […]
This article generalizes all international aid/mission work with the result of one persons single experience. Seems like the issue is that the group didn’t have a very good leader to teach them how to properly do work – as part of the experience is to learn how to do something you didn’t know how to do before hand.
This article generalizes all international aid/mission work with the result of one persons single experience. Seems like the issue is that the group didn’t have a very good leader to teach them how to properly do work – as part of the experience is to learn how to do something you didn’t know how to do before hand.
Such a great reflection… I have personally noticed two unfortunate trends in missions: first, as you’ve reflected on, the short term mission trip. I think it has become trendy, and as you’ve stated, does more harm than good. While it opens the perception of a young person, there’s too much chance that that person’s hero complex will smother out any good it might have done. Second, I’ve seen a trend in people doing ‘backpacking’ trips and calling them missions trips.
Seriously… it’s about relationship. Three days, a week, even a month, and you’re gone, is of no lasting benefit. If you’re serious about missions, go with a specific trade to improve a specific situation for someone OR consider going long-term and making it about THEM, not about you and the experience you want to have.
Thank you.
And thank the author, too.
I am (not visiting) in Africa too. Have been for four years now and still getting surprised all time by what I see. Still learning. Little (and not so little) white girls and boys keep coming here thinking they know everything… And that’s all but racist. Things are way worse, in a way, and way better, in another way, that any(white)one with a “big heart” (and no brains) could ever guess from watching TV while sitting comfortably on their couches. It’s only that those better or worse ways are their own (black) ways, and it takes a loooooooooong time just starting to understanding them.
Please, everyone: don’t come to Africa if you’re not planning to stay. Please, don’t come to Africa to have fun and feel better with yourselves. Try pot instead!
Read! Get an education! Think a little!
I think this is an important issue. The big business of voluntourism in aid and development starts from an assumption that global inequality is something we need to ‘fix’ through this or that project and community-based intervention. I think many volunteers are well intentioned, sure. Also, many are definitely less capable than locals at completing necessary tasks. I think that the question of who really benefits from any such trip needs to be asked, of course. I do appreciate what the author is getting at. However, inequality and poverty is primarily fuelled by the same governments and corporations that bring ‘aid and development’ money to the table. This charity is a poor (and tiny) compensation for the massive amounts of resources sucked OUT of developing countries simultaneously. This is all part of a system that works very nicely for the elite, supported by the media, and causes the public to accept poverty, inequality and vulnerability as ‘just the way things are’. This is the elephant in the room. Are we prepared to recognise the causes, as well as finding more effective ways to treat the symptoms? My main grievance with much of the debate on the issue of volunteers in aid and development is that we can effectively obscure the real problem…an economic system that continues to work to achieve elite agendas, inequal trade agreements etc. Focusing on how aid is provided and who by, without the context of WHY it is necessary, has the potential to misdirect the good intentions of volunteers, whatever colour they may be.
Thank you!!! I’ve worked in Haiti and the Middle East, in both places as a teacher. There were many times in Haiti when volunteers came through and I thought to myself, “We could have used the money that bought your flight for some much more useful purposes, like resources for the kids.” There are so many ways to be helpful if only egos didn’t get in the way.
What a weird article. Pippa, you seem well meaning but obviously shocked to find out you weren’t as special as people probably always told you that you were. I don’t think this has much to do with race and it seems mostly like you are suffering from a white guilt complex.
I’m sorry, but I do think you just proved her point. All the things you stated as being worthwhile were all about you, what you leaned, how it benefited you- right down to the awesome house you now live in. 🙁 It’s great that you gained perspective, but what she is saying is that it isn’t supposed to be about that. Aid should be just that. It shouldn’t be about the person doing it, but the person receiving it. As a wife to someone who is about to head to Rwanda, who really wants to share what he has done there (a project that IS 100% helpful and requiring of HIM to be there), I know my presence is not needed and would in fact be hindering. I have nothing to do with the project. I have no viable Kigali-Rwandan other than a few phrases. The money it would cost to send me to simply ‘be there’ for my husband could feed 4 large families for 6 months. Knowing that and not trying to go anyway is what she is talking about. If it doesn’t solely help, then it runs the risk of hurt.
HIGH FIVE!!! GREAT REPLY to someone who obviously did NOT get the point.
What if the focus of volunteer trips was less about the skills you offer, and more about learning about communities, and providing financial support to worthy projects and services in those communities? I believe there are roles for people who are not doctors or engineers, however we have to shift the paradigm. The value in unskilled labor is less about good brick-laying and more about working side-by-side for a day to make personal connections, and developing an understanding of other communities. That is the premise behind Give A Day Global: http://www.giveadayglobal.org Instead of just criticizing voluntourism – let’s try to reinvent it!
Reblogged this on Phil Vollman Speaks.
Kaitlyn- I took from it that she was supporting your thoughts in that we shouldn’t assume EVERYONE is equally qualified to go and serve- that some should and some should stay & facilitate, and that we should be thinking hard about which one of those types we are- not pushing to be the “goers” if that’s not our strong suit.
Thank you for writing this. I think that you hit on a number of great points. A lot of times our intentions are not reflected in our actions. There are probably a number of pros of going on trips like you did, but mostly to boost your own image, encourage other ‘white girls’ in your hometown to volunteer, etc. However, I often laugh when people go on these trips and clearly don’t have any skills besides taking a lot of pictures of tiny black children and posting them all over facebook to show how worldly and selfless you are.
Perhaps there is another approach. In many cases, people can volunteer to do the chores, which gives the people who live there permanently a chance to bond with the kids. For an example, a volunteer at an orphanage could spend time folding laundry and cooking, which would give the permanent staff or mom/dad more time to bond with the kids. A volunteer could make copy for a teacher to give the teacher time to instruct the children (seeing as most places don’t have a copier it can be difficult to distribute a worksheet to fifty kids). Volunteers can be helpful by aiding the permanent staff.
Another factor to consider is to not volunteer through an agency. Agencies are typically (of course not always) what supplies the “little white girl” volunteers who just stay for a week. Instead, use Google to find a place that is asking for volunteers. Then connect with the person in charge of that project! Talk to them about what they need. Communication is key.
Lastly, the impact the experience has on the volunteers should be taken into consideration. It is easy to calculate the cost of their plane ticket and realize how many mouths you could’ve fed. But the problem is that we don’t know where their stories end. These volunteers could go on to raise more money for the agency or aid in some other way. A good first experience may catapult that volunteer into life-long missionary or fundraising work.
Just a few things to consider.
This is a great article with some very important points to consider, but life can rarely be summed up so simply. There are all different situations and cultures and all different types of people in the world. Sometimes short term missions are what sets a person’s heart ablaze to give them an understanding and spark a lifetime commitment. Further, a long term commitment to a particular country or group can effectively include the presence of a person of different colour. We live in a global world and there is hardly a place which is no longer touched by multicultural trade or presence. Even if just in the form of media. At times the international influence is simply a worldly one and the struggle, particularly for christians to navigate that new world can be daunting. Like the bible says, iron sharpens iron and over time with commitment and a willingness to truly live in the culture you are immersed in, skin colour can and does become irrelevant.
Thank you so much for this well written article. I have done some international volunteering but afterwards reflected that I was not the best fit and by far not the best fix for the community in Haiti I volunteered in. The locals are the answer through sustainable development that is introduced by expects developing relationships and working ALONGSIDE locals and letting the locals empower themselves with their own expertise. Again thank you for such insight!
What the relation between what is said in the article and the fact to be white?! It should be “the problem with people coming from developping countries”. I don’t see the point to include some race stuff here! Or maybe it should be called “the problem with americans who think they will be the saviors in other countries but actually … they are not!”.
I am in agreement with Muskegger. I truly believe if the Lord has called you into missions, He will equip you will all you need to help. There will always be differences in culture but, in this article the writer focuses on the color of her skin as the problem. “being white is not only a hindrance, but negative” Seriously? Pippa, who made you feel ashamed to be white? “14 white girls”, “a little white girl”, the negative comments against the color of your skin is highly offensive. Pippa, what you truly failed at, was, not being skilled on HOW to build a building with bricks. There are books and even videos on youtube that instruct one to do such tasks. You failed in your trip to DR by NOT being fluent in Spanish, the color of your skin had nothing to do with it. Seems to me that you are the only one focusing on the color of your skin and my dear, it is hindering you. Get over it, you’re white, move on!
Sometimes the “little white girl” who travels to these places needs the lesson more than anyone. And maybe this trip that she takes will stop her materialistic behavior back home and bring awareness to her life as a whole so that she would grow up to donate $ and skills as an adult. My son started going abroad at 13 with Teen Missions International (a group that trains their kids for weeks before sending them in the field) and now he is planning to be a missionary. My younger son came home from the same program and started helping with local homeless programs in the USA. Maybe these trips are just ways to plant seeds in the minds of our youth so they grow up to make a difference.
Here’s a novel idea. How about we stay & help in our own country? There are plenty of people & projects right here. And the next one of you who tells me how easy my life has been because of my hair & skin color, better check yourself, you pompous twit.
You have a very good point. Examine where you’re going to serve, what your motivation is, and if you have the skills to actually help or not. Too bad you lost your point in a bunch of nonsensical babble about being white.
It’s not about training or leadership. She is right. I am worried of the God-like status that local people in Lebanon bestow upon Western (mostly white) foreigners who come to work in aid/mission. Believe it or not, when people in developing countries are fed day and night that whiteness is the ultimate dream (good life, imperialism, media, cool stuff to consume, etc), something make them very vulnerable when in their presence. There is a very visible hierarchy that cannot be described in words. It is so bad my friend and I are working on starting a consultancy for foreign NGOs who come to work in Lebanon. It will benefit both sides: locals and foreigners, so that none of this binary prevail in the long-run or in future collaborations.
Uh, no. A person feeling ‘called’ to help people does not mean that God will automatically make their $2000 flight to a developing country more worthwhile than that same money in the hands of someone who actually knows what to do with it. YouTube does not enable someone to deal with all the cultural, physically, and economic aspects of a development project, let alone enable an inexperienced person to properly build a building.
The point is, professionals and local communities work hard to gain the skis necessary to do such work, and just because it makes a wealthy foreigner feel good to do what they perceive as their religious work by wasting money on a trip to a place they know nothing about doesn’t make it good for the people of that place.
Great plan! Do everything with only yourself in mind… Everyone will benefit from that, don’tcha think??
Try again. When you “volunteer” under the premise of winning your own prize (conscience?), you aren’t helping anyone but yourself. Seems a little selfish to me.
I appreciate what the author is trying to say here, but as a long term missionary in the third world, I strongly disagree. When short term missions are done well, there are many positive results on both the sending and receiving end. This article is a somewhat simplistic commentary on one person’s experiences. And to include race in that is even more bothersome.
I’m a 6’2” white farm kid from a Christian family who works hard being an example of God’s unconditional grace and unconditional love to a group of people that society has, for the most part discarded. I have absolutely nothing in common with the ex-street kids I work with but we live together in community and have become a family. I’m here because I came here on a short term missions trip and saw the need for someone to be that example of love and grace. I’ve been doing it for many years and will continue to do so and I will continue to invite anyone and everyone from North America, white, black or green to come see what God is doing here and to be a part of it.
I wonder if the author would be doing the work she’s doing and raising the funds she’s raising, if she hadn’t been exposed to the need on a short term missions trip.
[…] of skills within that community, that long-term solutions will be created.” Except From The Problem With Little White Girls (and Boys) by Pippa […]
“This article generalizes all international aid/mission work”
Um, no it doesn’t. She is quite specific on the kinds of mission work she is critical of: the kind that sends teenagers and college kids with no skills just to waste time and resources, just so they can feel better about themselves.
“as part of the experience is to learn how to do something you didn’t know how to do before hand.”
No it should not be. At least it should not be central to the experience. people should be mostly there to put a skill they have mastered to very good use. Thus, if I have no knowledge of brick-laying, I shouldn’t be sent to a mission trip where brick-laying is the central task, it is a waste of resources, use my money instead to hire local brick-layers.
Reblogged this on Black Girls Work and commented:
I never thought of it like this, makes sense though. Should we just send money? Also, should I organize something for black girls work?
Yea Pippa… Why didn’t you Youtube “How to build a library?” I mean, how could you not learn how to build a building from scratch in 1 summer trip. Any Joe Schmoe can build a municipal building with some spare time and a few DIY books. If the locals, who have been laying brick and mortar their whole lives, can do it then why cant you do it as easily as them. Its manual labor after all. It doesn’t take any kind of skill, experience or intelligence to do it, obviously. The fact that most white young adults were not raised to speak Spanish fluently or do Masonwork, and should better use the talents and skill they were actually served, with has nothing to do with why you wrote this article. You are clearly suffering from too much white guilt Pippa. Please get over it or call UNICEF and get some white guilt aid comin your way!
Pippa, Thanks for writing this.
This is long, but before I get too deep, I want to clarify that I am discussing general international aid here, and not disaster relief. Disaster relief, especially in the first days requires a totally different approach that I am not qualified to critique.
OK, so for international aid, which is generally the voluntourism type… It is difficult to find an organization that is truly interested in selflessly empowering locals to solve their own problems in a sustainable way. This is why aid dependence is such a huge issue and why the international aid organizations like the World Bank and IMF are thinking about doing things differently.
I can’t tell you how many buildings in Kenya that I saw with a saying like, “Donated by XYZ Church” or “Funded by a generous gift by “. This is done because donors like to be recognized when they do something good. Problem is that generations of kids look around at all of these gifts and it warps their thinking. They ask themselves, “How do we build a school?” The logical answer, “We get money from others to build the things we have.” Point taken on your reference to race. In most cases, “Others” are white people.
In the comments here, other posters have made the point that not all aid organizations are created equally, and they are correct. Although there are very few that have done the research and are truly benefiting the communities they impact in a sustainable way. Once most organizations leave, the communities do not continue on a positive trajectory. For example, the local workers employed by grant dollars will be unemployed and looking for new jobs in an economy that is non-existent in most cases. It’s a false economy. A better approach would be to use aid dollars to grow a local and sustainable economy that didn’t get impacted by the shocks impacting aid organizations. When the recession hit in 2008, guess how that affected aid flows to Africa and the ability for people to donate or volunteer?
I commend your ability to recognize some of the issues with aid. It’s so easy to go into aid work thinking you are helping people when really the negative consequences are something you’d never imagine. In Kenya, I had a local driving me through a small village where a large aid organization started back in the 1970s. Before long we had 12+ kids under the age of 8 (and some just starting to walk) chasing our vehicle yelling the only phrase they knew how to say in English “Give me sweets, give me sweets, give me sweets!” I learned that the organization, in the 70s needed to administer medicines to the locals, but the kids were too scared of white people so the kids ran away (sadly, I made many kids cry with the sight of my white skin). The aid organization decided to give candy to the kids from their car windows to lure them to the clinic. To my driver’s knowledge, the aid organization does not do this anymore, but the culture of chasing cars to get a handout has been passed down to the youngest generation. Giving free stuff, even if it’s as benign as candy has lasting effects on a community including ruining what exists of a local market.
One thing that we have that individuals in developing countries don’t have is the opportunity to earn money. The opportunity to earn mountains and mountains of money. There is some logic in us staying right here and making lots of money to loan or give to organizations local in developing countries to invest in projects that will improve the economy and provide opportunities for locals to help themselves.
One organization that is acting in a sustainable way is Village Volunteers. The point of this post is not to give them a plug, but to show that there are some organizations doing this in a positive way. The founder of this org hasn’t been out of the US in a decade because she feels like she can do more good from here.
– Gives funds to buy land so a school can do bio-intensive farming to feed its students. That’s a one-time investment with payoff lasting forever.
– Gives funds to schools to dig wells to provide clean water for students
– Gave funds to start a water filter business where the locals manufacture water filters from local clay. They sell the filters to locals solving the problem of typhoid fever, buying fuel to boil water, and hours of walking to get water.
– The latest project is to start a women’s coop where they manufacture sanitary pads out the water hyacinth plant. This keeps girls from dropping out of school when they reach puberty and the business is sustainable providing opportunities for women to earn a living to support their families.
– As for volunteering, they have created a hospitality industry in the villages they partner with. The locals have built dorms for volunteers to stay in. Volunteers pay to stay there and they also pay the locals to make their meals. Village Volunteers only takes 5% of donations as admin fees, the rest goes to the village.
– Volunteers go to provide knowledge. For instance, I held workshops to teach the women in a microfinance group how to do basic bookkeeping and gave them the materials so they can teach each other in the future. I also did an analysis on the water plant to provide ideas on how to gain efficiencies in production and make the plant more profitable.
When volunteering knowledge, there is a lot of research to be done on local conditions before a potential solution can be offered. Before you volunteer, you have to admit that you don’t have all the answers and the way we do things in the developed world most likely don’t apply in developing countries.
Pease rename this article “THE PROBLEM WITH THIS LITTLE WHITE GIRL”.
Girl, preach!
I gotta disagree with the whole thrust of this article.
First and foremost the fact that the now “disillusioned” author is advocating arm’s length charity over ground zero efforts reeks of one-sided short-sightedness and an ignorance of the very mechanics of her own current viewpoint.
Sure, anyone who thinks their temporary presence as an unskilled worker in an aid/relief type situation is ITSELF going to be immensely helpful to the effort is misguided. However, many “voluntourists” recognize (perhaps post-trip) that the experience was far more beneficial and educational to themselves than to the locals. But guess what, that’s still a good thing. White affluent citizens with a little bit of first hand experience of how disproportionate the worlds wealth is has got to be better for everyone than the narrow bliss of ignorance and isolation.
That half of the equation aside, the money and resources voluntourism programs bring to local aid economies is immense. And it’s money and resources that WOULD NOT otherwise come.
It’s naive to suggest that these eager do-gooders stay home and donate their funds to local-centric aid organizations instead of embarking on the adventure of voluntourism. That’s just not going to happen.
Voluntourists are looking for a charitable adventure in exchange for funds. That’s the economy of it. Their expectations of messianic success are ultimately inconsequential.
I think that on balance, voluntourism is far better for BOTH parties than the alternative all-inclusive gluttony-fest in the Dominican Republic.
Reblogged this on Economics & Institutions and commented:
A worthy read encompassing race, culture, humanitarianism, the efficient allocation of resources, and how not to take ourselves too seriously. I commend it to you.
Pippa, this was a GREAT piece. I really relate to being a “privileged white girl,” constantly bombarded with messages that we can “save the world.” You’re right–our skills are much better used fundraising and organizing native volunteers. I applaud you for writing this–very brave and true!
Great article — I had to comment just to tell you I had similar feelings when I went on a service trip to Africa when I was in college (2004). It hit me like a brick (pun!) that I knew nothing about how to build the medical clinic I was sent there to built nor did I know how to provide medical advice to anyone in need.
I ended up being very vocal to my group about my opinion that we were not “do gooders” and only 2 people really understood what I meant. Those that understood, we would leave the site every day to instead hangout with any locals who would have us.
More can be learned from a culture exchange that goes two ways than by showing up somewhere and preaching your way of doing things.
I think you are right on the money! I feel the same as I did back then about this issue! You’re not alone.
You’re reinforcing what she wrote “experience … you learn something…” is all about the “You,” the Westerner. This isn’t just one writer’s opinion, it’s a well-documented pervasive issue in international “aid.” Americans spend over a billion dollars a year “going on mission trips” that have very little positive impact for the communities that are supposedly being helped.
We had a young missionary come back and relate a life changing moment to us. He said, after noble efforts they were passing out literature and bibles hoping to build a spiritual foundation. The man responded to the literature with keep it; my child is cold and needs a jacket.
Having helped on several building trips I will stick with what I am most useful at.
This post is so interesting and the topic is so relevant that it reminds of an annecdote that I heard about the great singer, songwriter and record impresario Sam Cooke when he first heard Bob Dyland’s “Blowing in Wind” he was so taken aback by the words that he was said to have exclaimed “imagine a white boy writing a song like that.” This is what propelled him to write “A change is gonna come.”. This beautiful and totally appropos post propels me to comment about what Teju Cole refers to as “The White Savior Industrial Complex.” As a person of Haitian decent, I have seen, heard, and read about this phenomenon. Every single day, numerous, multi-colored t-shirt clad saviors disembarque various planes to this very beautiful, but very unfortunate country, hell bent on “saving it.” The one question that I have to which I have yet to receive an answer: who is going to save us from our saviors? Teju Cole summed it up best, most of our saviors soujourns to Haiti and other developing countries not out of sense of justice rather “a deep desire to fulfill an emotional high.” Note how many of “our saviors” post numerous pictures on Facebook of them holding black and brown babies as though they are big game trophies. Note too how they prattle about “this is a life changing experience that I’ll never forget”, etc. In the mean time, many “Christian saviors” go with their Bible and with all the subtleties of that fool Pat Robertson, denigrating the indigenous religion of the inhabitants. In the case of Haiti, to paraphrase a Mexican president: Poor Haiti so far away from our Laoas and spirits, but so close to the United States. Proximaty is killing our culture. Gone is our Guede Nibo, in with Gospel Music. Gone is our ra ra. In with platitudes about “are you save”? Haiti and other developing countries needs saving, and if our saviors really want to “save us” please storm congress and tell them to stop dumping subsidizing rice to Haiti. Write Bill Clinton and tell him to use all his influence to undo what he did by forcing the then Pres. Rene Preval to lower rice import to close to 0 percent so that his Arkansas pals could benefit from selling rice to Haiti. Please saviors do that for me. I am sure Guede Nibo will bless you.
Thanks for this. It summarizes well the large critique of “mission trips” that often arises (and I largely agree with mind you). Love that you start pushing back on the white privilege and U.S. privilege that is there.
I do agree with what you are saying to a large extend!
However, I would like to add that there are times where you (I’m talking about the general “you”, as in “one”) can be WISE about your trips and recognize that you are NOT the Godsend that someone is waiting for you and YOU can walk away changed by a trip (while being open to serving in any way that the LOCALS determine would truly be of assistance…not just in the ways that YOU think best). I actually live in Guatemala with my family where we have a home for children with special needs and we participate in different ministries where children are served. Sometimes we find that visiting teams or individuals are far more of a hassle than a help. And yet, we continue to urge people to come because we believe that those from the U.S. (and other developed countries) need to experience these things for themselves. But we introduce the trip by explaining that there is little that they will do to change other’s lives, but that the goal is for THEM to walk away changed. And we give them tips and reminders to help them remember that we are NOT here/there to save the world but to live the love of Christ and allow ourselves to learn, grow, and be changed.
Just a thought to add to your post with which I very much agree! 🙂
I agree fully, Steph! I understand and agree with both of these perspectives! I actually just responded with a similar thought. My family and I (living in Guatemala) encourage others to come on short term trips to Guatemala, not because we believe that they can do a great deal to contribute to our ministry or change lives but because THEY will walk away changed. And for ALL of us, we should walk into the situation with a servant’s heart, being willing to help in whatever ways the LOCALS see best (those who are already leading, teaching, and guiding there).
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, as well! I agree with you!
My friend shared this on Facebook through medium.com. Awesome article, great title.
I’m glad you agree with me, Tracey Hayes, but I am sorry to say that I don’t agree with you. I think Pippa’s point that not everyone has the skills to actually be helpful is a thoughtful one – and frankly, I don’t think God or youtube is going to be very helpful on this one. I don’t think Pippa failed in her journeys – or whatever she called them. I just think she finally became acquainted with her humility.
I think I’m going to have to disagree with her to an extent, because based on my experience over the last several years with our NGO, the people that have come to the top to support our efforts most over here and while we’re in the USA are those that came and experienced Cambodia — and they had *nothing* to offer when they stepped off the plane. All they could do was whatever we told them to do, but the God of Creation touched them and changed their lives in a way sending a check could not. They are now bought-in, huge supporters, prayer warriors, financial givers, and sharers of the vision.
The other side of this coin — and one I fully understand — is from the parent organization’s side and the side of the community being exposed to the guests. But the impact the NVU (not very useful) volunteers have on those areas can be mitigated by the leaders of the group. Does that mean I babysit? Yep.
But I know that when I came to Cambodia back in the day, I had nothing to offer — but I came. Our life has never been the same, and here we are. This Big White Boy had his life changed by God because he was willing to step outside of his comfort zone.
And just to clarify — I’m not saying the “guest experience” is more important than the needs of the community being exposed to them. I’m merely saying there IS a balance, and it’s up to the guest leaders to maintain that balance alongside the community leader. Her post is very one-sided, and could quickly silence the Spirit in someone’s heart. I perish the thought of doing that.
I completely agree with you. It’s all about balance and leadership. If we do not see, how can we know and if we do not know, how can we help?
Couldn’t agree more. The past few summers I’ve worked at a summer outreach and we have many churches come volunteer and it amazes me how many are there just for the show. And on the flip side, many Christians have great intentions, but fail to realize that sometimes the best thing they can do, is just get out of the way.
How is the view from all the way up there?
I am a little white girl and I agree with absolutely everything you said. I think it’s so deep, so much deeper than just these tourists going around posing with brown babies, although they are the more grotesque and ridiculous examples of this mindset. International aid is nothing more than cultural and economic missionarying, and I believe in another 50 – 100 years (ie, when it’s too late) we will look back on it with the same horror. And you know, I almost got caught up in this myself, but thankfully recognized the glass-eyed, self-congratulatory smugness in these other “saviours” and got the hell out.
All the other “big hearted” white folk who want to make a difference: a real change would be believing that brown people are capable of making their own decisions (!), and if it looks like they’re doing a bad job of it, it’s probably because they’re still reeling from the last time we tried to “save” them.
And most importantly: there is a big difference between”saving” someone and taking responsibility for our actions. We as individuals may not have been slave traders, opium pushers, or colonists, but we surely are benefiting our cultural ancestors who were. So if we feel like we have a debt to pay (and I wouldn’t disagree) then maybe we should take responsibility, admit our immoral inheritance, and take steps to stop the ongoing blatant pillaging and subtle condescension.
[…] White people aren't told that the color of their skin is a problem very often. We sail through police check points, don't garner sideways glances in affluent neighborhoods, and are generally unders… […]
THANK YOU! As a former (proud) Peace Corps volunteer who was dedicated to sustainable development, I am so grateful someone took the time to say it (and eloquently at that!). I wish people could just read it for what it is instead of attacking it. The point here is well taken – whether we have useful skills or not, it is never a good idea to waltz into someone’s country and act like WE can help them. There are better ways to go about it, as she points out. Thanks again! Refreshing, honest look at voluntourism, mission groups and other such ventures (including Peace Corps if it’s not done thoughtfully and sustainably).
As a leader of short term teams all over the world for the last 4 years i can agree with you totally. Part of me wishes short term missions never existed. That if people were really interested in helping communities, they would stay a little longer, give deeper skills to individuals and families and then head on. Getting to know communities as opposed to lumping them in the “same same but different” category.” But, what i’ve found is that short term is the precursor to long term, so where does one find a balance between helpful, empowering and inspiration for something greater.
I’m expecting her to ensure she has the appropriate knowledge and skills before getting involved – she shouldn’t hold herself to a lower standard just because it’s the developing world rather than the US. If she doesn’t have the competencies she needs, she should either make the effort to acquire them or focus on areas that she knows well. There’s plenty of suffering in the US that she could attend to with less likelihood of making the mistakes she describes in Tanzania and DR.
Your comment caught my eye, as I conducted my thesis research in Lebanon & it’s not a country name you hear very often in a global discussion. Great points re: the cultural/racial hierarchy that tends to be reinforced by aid/mission work. I once worked with a Beirut-based organization called the Association for Volunteer Services of Lebanon–they might be of interest to you & your consultancy ideas.
Thank you for having the courage to write this article! I’ve personally never been into mission work, but my first trip abroad did involve voluntourism. And speaking of being unqualified (and inappropriate) for the work you’re assigned…I was an 18 year old white American girl working in an all-male drug rehabilitation center in rural India. Fortunately I came with a working knowledge of Hindi, so I was at least able to talk to the patients. But to an extent, that made things more complicated, as I then heard their problems but had no way of helping them because, oh! I’m not a drug rehab counselor.
In time, though, I understood that their addictions were related to the severely limited job market in the area. My parents are both in vocational rehab, and from a lifetime of hearing about the field, I was able to help the rehab patients sketch out some realistic vocational plans. The drug rehab counselors ended up liking this different approach. It addressed a problem they had also observed (and felt themselves, as members of the community), but vocational rehab simply wasn’t covered in their training.
To me, this goes to show that you might not know what you can offer in a volunteer situation until you find out exactly what is needed. International volunteering in particular is a great opportunity to learn more about yourself, and to humbly offer the skill sets you do possess to those who want them. At least that’s been my experience.
I traveled to Mexico with my church in middle school to build homes. I think we helped a little, but surely we helped less than a trained team of builders would have. The difference being, I was a 14 year old girl who took those images of need and love and hope with me. It stays with me even now. That was the real mission, I think. But I absolutely see your point and agree with most of it. Nice work!
Reblogged this on Esther Ju*Lee and commented:
good read.
While I agree with much of your posting, I must tell you that there are many parts of the world where you DO NOT want to travel if you are white. Parts of Africa, for example, being white in a black land will not only set you apart, but will set you up for ridicule, bullying, imprisonment, and even death. My trips to South Africa have been, at times, harrowing. Those folks have no clue I’m from Texas … all they know is that I am white, have money … and they’re going to take it from me. Don’t be so naive….
You guys have missed the point! She is very right in all aspects, she speaks honestly about what the people she serves think and feel.Try to look at the skin color comment and see the deep issues she is addressing. It means she is sensitive to issues many tend to not pay attention to at all. Missions requires dethroning yourself from a throne that a community is most likely to place you onto. Many people like that throne as makes them feel relevant and important. Serving means putting the other first, if you support the local to become better service provider of their own communities you have not only changed lives but your legacy will always be remembered.
The trouble is a savior mentality as Pippa said, many people possess this mentality as they go out to do missions. They want to do things that make them feel good about themselves, take picture and do a powerpoint presentation when they go back home. You remain little touched by what you did because there’s little humility involved and you fail to touch any lives either. You leave superficially happy and leave behind deep wounds. Well done Pippa. If we have more people thinking like you, we will start to see some serious transformation taking place in lives of people serving and being served.
You guys have missed the point! She is very right in all aspects, she speaks honestly about what the people she serves think and feel.Try to look at the skin color comment and see the deep issues she is addressing. It means she is sensitive to issues many tend to not pay attention to at all. Missions requires dethroning yourself from a throne that a community is most likely to place you onto. Many people like that throne as makes them feel relevant and important. Serving means putting the other first, if you support the local to become better service provider of their own communities you have not only changed lives but your legacy will always be remembered.
The trouble is a savior mentality as Pippa said, many people possess this mentality as they go out to do missions. They want to do things that make them feel good about themselves, take picture and do a powerpoint presentation when they go back home. You remain little touched by what you did because there’s little humility involved and you fail to touch any lives either. You leave superficially happy and leave behind deep wounds. Well done Pippa. If we have more people thinking like you, we will start to see some serious transformation taking place in lives of people serving and being served.
Well said MB, we need more people like you and Pippa. A failure to engage in a deeper understanding of the reality in missions as a failing endeavour due to superiority complex and playing god in the lives of the minorities is what has hindered holistic transformation.
Have you ever read “A Small Place” by Jamaica Kincaid? If you haven’t, I’d highly recommend it, it’s a short read but a worthwhile one! Your post resembles it a bit. And thanks for your good thoughts, something many are thinking but very few are brave enough to voice.
interesting rhetoric, Chad (neutral comment). Pippa, thank you for your point of view and perception. I, too, have been on fewer mission trips than I would have liked; helped build a large add-on room at a church near the border in Mexicali, Mexico.
The dozen of us high school-ers and chaperones/staff and leaders tasked us where our stronger points were while the leaders and local pastor’s men used levels; string or yarn to line things up from nail to nail, etc.
Sometimes I think it simply takes a project manager’s know-how or skill (generally from prior experience) to place volunteers in tasks best suited to each person and best-benefiting the overall goal.
I don’t think we should feel badly about good intent(ions). Sometimes there becomes an “aha!” moment, a light bulb that goes off that tells us we might we inferior for the task(s) we’re working on.
***Chad – I would LOVE to see 40% of the world’s resources coming from the Congo. How are you measuring that? Gross Domestic Product/GDP is how most measure a country’s wealth http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29
Even when diamond export comes to mind, e.g. Blood Diamond, wiki shows
“Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) has suffered numerous civil wars in the 1990s, but has become a member of the Kimberley Process and now exports about 8% of the world’s diamonds.[4] One of De Beers’ most celebrated and priceless diamonds, the D-colour 200 carats (40 g) Millennium Star was discovered in the DRC and sold to De Beers during the height of the Civil War that took place in the early to mid-nineties.
The Republic of Congo
The Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) was expelled from the Kimberley Process in 2004[18] because, despite having no official diamond mining industry, the country was exporting large quantities of diamonds, the origin of which it could not detail. It was also accused of falsifying certificates of origin. The Republic of Congo was readmitted in 2007.[18]
****and, yes, Blood Diamond puts a sorry state of a picture on mining diamonds and the industry. ***aleady checking our your site, hiphopsaveslives.org
Chad – you have many valid, well-written points and I’m grateful for the perspective. I do think I speak from the same point of view as Pippa, though, when I suggest that she does NOT believe that white people ARE saviors but instead that we ARE taught to feel like we can be – by the media, the church, the volunteer organizations. I think this article is about her realizing that she is not and could not be a savior and that it is ridiculous for white people to continue telling each other that we could be.
Hi
I think your responce was fair and detailed. I shared this post on my fb, and it sparked quite a heart to heart amongst my friends, who r involved with shirt term missions.
I am South African, social worker and life coach by proffession. I couldnt help but notice the air of experiwnce and knowledge in the backdrop your msg. As such, I wish to pick your brains on an educational programme am starting amongst at risk adolescents. If u wouldnt mind, please e-mail me on overpower.addiction@gmail.com. I can then fwd u the paperwork I have so far.
You see, I think these programs, when well facilitated, help little white girls and boys arrive at your point as you have in a way that is integrated in the experience. When miserably facilitated, it’s all crazy. But the first thing to do, is to pull the ‘I’m useful’ rug out from under them in a thoughtful way that manifests responsibility for the inevitable fallout. And that is hard, important work. And requires that service programs abroad Don’t have to stop going, but stop selling the experience that this isn’t. Sell the self change, sell the personal transformation, make sure those little boys and girls behave themselves and if you go on your own, commit ( but don’t force), or if for any multitude of reasons, if you can’t hack it– get out of the kitchen… Be a tourist and go home.
Reblogged this on Living Not Existing. YOLO right?.. or are all the yoloists dead?.
[…] I have literally never heard of Pippa Biddle’s blog until this week, but she wrote something that suddenly blew up all over the internet. It’s especially timely for me, having just returned from Africa. And it made me all the more thankful to have gone to do what I am able to do. We did not have a bunch of third world people trying to “make a mission trip” for us white people. The Problem With Little White Girls (And Boys) […]
Exactly! Thank you. The title and first paragraph have no connection to the rest of the article… I know Americans who weren’t white that went on trips to places for a week, weren’t part of the culture, didn’t speak Spanish etc. I also know white people who live in the DR who are very much a part of the culture and speak fluent Spanish or creol. I went on a missions trip and we passed out thousands of Bibles, the living word of God. I don’t want the peoples whose lives were changed by that to remember me every morning, but I do hope they remember fondly when we gave them the Bible and shared the gospel with them, and remember the day they accepted Christ as their Savior. I think of the beautiful, amazing people I met there every day.
[…] Read more from Pippa Biddle here. (@PhilippaBiddle) […]
Years ago in Nicaragua, I heard a lecture by an amazing Jesuit in exile from Guatemala. He talked about how great it was for North Americans to visit Central America, learn about the issues, show solidarity with the victims of the global North’s policies and add a little balance to resource flow. But, North Americans needed to learn that there are plenty of talented and smart nationals who lack the resources. Displacing them in service is more sign of being a charity junkie. It is sacrifice to give so that others may work. It feels good to be living out the hero narrative. Therefore, there is a place for North/South engagement. The transparency from folks visiting keeps projects legit. The energy created is very effective for fund development.
Excellent article. I firmly believe in this. Use money to pay someone who knows what they are doing. Selflessness in annonyminity.
Please forgive me if I’m repeating something already stated above, I admittedly did not read all of the previous comments.
While reading this article, it reminded me of a book I read not long ago about this very topic. It’s called “When Helping Hurts”. Excellent intro book to the very problem you’re describing here (written by Christians to Christians).
http://www.amazon.com/When-Helping-Hurts-Alleviate-Yourself/dp/0802457061
There’s also another organization I’ve been learning a lot from lately called “Poverty Cure”. Their message is essentially that the poor aren’t the problem causing poverty, they are the solution to poverty. Aid definitely has its time & place, but perpetual aid causes dependence & economic slavery, and is extremely destructive to economies & the marginalized in society.
http://www.povertycure.org/
Thanks for the post 🙂
I read this book during my volunteer year — and by the end of both the book and the year, my perspective on volunteering changed significantly! Definitely an insightful read.
Have you Matt Phillips and Paula Rondon read a book called “Dead AID” by Dambisa Moyo? If you like those you mentioned, you will like this one as well.
As I read in other comments the problem is much deeper than a skin color problem!
First most of the young generation that choose to do volunteer programs are not really pushed by a desire to help or to learn something, before someone criticize me I did not say everybody but unfortunately most of them. This kind of program are seen as a cheap way to travel, and of course they are very attractive to the eyes of a young generation that is a traveling generation.
The problem is that most of them see it as an holiday and not as a life experience. They are most of the time not prepare to the reality they are confronted with, they are very young and until then might have had their parent doing everything for them. How are they prepare to face such a situation? Well they not, not because they are white but because of their education! I am a white girl, I was raised in a traditional Portuguese family and my mum made sure I learned since a young age plenty of things because one day I would be an adult, I would need to be responsible for my person. I had the keys of my house at 10, started to live by myself at 17 and left home at 25 with 400 euros in my pockets and went to another country and started my life. Due to my course I am dealing with a much younger generation than me right now and having working as a nanny I ask myself everyday what kind of generation are we educating and what are we teaching them.The ones that are lost without their mobile, the one that wonder how to boil an egg, the one that think that the only important things in life are to post where they travel, to have as many friends or followers they can.
These programs can actually be very educative, because they confront people with real problems in life, and I like to believe that most of the youngest who participate in them come back home more mature and with new approaches to life. I would rather encourage people that are not prepare for the reality they going to face because they will learn something. Do not assume because you are not good at something you are a waist of time, if you are willing to learn and effectively learn something how can that be seen as a failure? The only failure are the ones that go there and decide that it is too hard for them, they do not belong there and do not have anything to learn with other cultures as they will be back to their old life soon.
Who cares what a guilty white girl thinks.
As Ayn Rand said
“The worst guilt is an unearned one”
You fail to love yourself
The only criticism I have on this piece is that it shouldn’t be so race specific. Any child from America should think about this. It is important for children in other countries to see people from their own countries doing positive things and not relate America with being savors. No mater what color skin the help from America comes from.
You make a lot of good points. However, let me add another perspective. There are many places in which a “little white girl or boy” can go reach out to children and adults of their own color that are lost. I agree with many of the statements you made about how the color of our skin and the language we speak separate us from other cultures. Yet, there are millions of white people in Europe who are lost without a Savior, hungry for something, and in need of someone to share the Love of Christ and God’s word with them. I agree aid is need in the places you mentioned and in other places where people of a different color live and I pray that more and more people go there for aid. But, also there is a lot of work to be down among the people of your own color too. All this to say that there are many ways of sharing the Love of Christ and reaching a lost, hurting, world for Him and so if an African, Indian, etc. trip is not the trip a person can go on, I pray they remember there are millions of other people that need YOU as well! Thanks for writing this piece after all it has a lot of wisdom. Also, thank you for your service for the Kingdom of God. I agree with encouraging people to know about the culture they are going to visit or try to help, but instead of encouraging them not to go if they don’t have the right skill set, maybe we should encourage them to go to an international place in which they do have the right skill set? 🙂 Please feel free to contact me if you like!
Why are left wingers obsessed with race?
Well said. Thanks for your insight.
good read
I don’t intend for my reply to be an attack but it’s frustrating reading material designed for the masses which convolute issues that most people are unfamiliar with and in turn promoting false notions that are then repeated throughout the net. This article is very narrow minded in its perspective of the effect of direct aid by a white child and the analysis is insufficient at best. The article claims its addressing the issue of the white person, but then she goes on to indicate that a black child from her school was considered “white” in the third world context. So at its very root this article is taking issue with class status, which is a completely different discussion specially when addressing grass root/labour based aid. But to her benefit lets ignore this and look at the white child’s presence in the third world. The presence of white children (a first world child) in the third world is not for the immediate benefit of the third world. After all noone would actually contend that a child who’s only skills are developed in an academic environment (middle-school level) is of any direct use in a third world. So what is their role? I would argue that it is for the benefit of promoting empathy in the child (whatever their color) and to put in context their privileges versus the detrimental state of the third world. This in turn will foster the child’s desire (after having seen the issues) to assist the third world when they are older and have the adequate skill set to do something. The author of this blog would not have had the foundation to put herself in the position she is today if not for her childhood experiences. Our society is immune to UNICEF commercials that illustrate the state of the rest of the world. Hearing about issues hardly resides in us. Children in the first world aiding in the third world provides the direct understanding required. However, I do applaud the author for recognizing that solutions in the third world need to come from the community and its people. That role models need to be from a child’s own community in order to embed the underlying psychological message that the goal is to achieve success through education/skill/etc as oppose to achieving a color or first world status. As such the detrimental factor comes from a first world individual’s attempt to implement first world solutions in a third world OR the placement of a first world individual in a leadership position that can be equally served by a person from that country. The determent is not from the presence of a first world child…in fact their presence is exceptionally significant in foster future generations. Their presence promotes understanding of issues at the ground level as oppose to latching on to issues read about in articles written by first world academics…some of whom have never even visited the actual countries.
It’s true that often little white girls on missions trips cause more problems than they go to fix and cost more money than some local girl doing the same job, but without the little white girls there would be no exposure for much of the missions needs around the world and no future little white girls like you going back to those places to make a real difference. So it’s a toss up problem. Missions trips should be well planned to be cost effective and the great girls and guys that make those trips should be well orientated with good follow up… from a little white girl who went to the mission field once on a crazy trip, went back and stayed.
[…] Partner Organization, Learning Service, and it comes perfectly in time after a blog post titled “The Problem with Little White Girls (And Boys)” went viral this week. We are so excited to be joining forces with another online community that […]
This is a very insightful post, and while you have some great thoughts, I would like to challenge one of your points. The lesson to draw from your experience isn’t that you shouldn’t be there. It’s that maybe there were better ways to plug your team into projects like building a library. When it comes to short-term missions, we shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. For instance, you are right that your team shouldn’t shouldn’t have been laying bricks. We sent a team to the Dominican Republic for a construction project, where they hauled 1,500 cinder-block bricks and tons of sand up three flights of stairs of a school while the Dominican craftsmen did the technical work of setting re-bar and laying the bricks. Other Dominican students joined in with us and we worked together. It was a great time of cultural and relational exchange as we worked together, and it saved the contractors from doing the grunt work so they could work faster and use their expertise more efficiently. The point is, these trips need organization and pre-planning by someone who has the experience to know the pitfalls of doing it wrong. Teams should be plugged into work that meets their skills and abilities. We shouldn’t just stay home because we feel unqualified, because ministry is about people. Jesus said go into all the world, not, “go if you are skilled, but skip it if you aren’t.” Yes, we believe training and preparation is essential. Experience in leadership and knowledge of what works and what doesn’t is crucial to building an effective team. But those connections you had with the children are part of opening up both your eyes to other cultures, other people and what is going on in the rest of the world. God is a multi-tasker: He was doing a work in you and in them. It’s not about being their savior. It’s about being obedient and stepping out to connect with people. In Colombia I met a pastor who 20 years ago accepted Christ at a rally done by an American team, and went on to be a pastor in his community, disciplining countless people. He was grateful the team came, instead of skipping it because the team wasn’t skilled enough at their dramas. One person’s eternity was worth that team going. God uses the unqualified to do His work. Sometimes we don’t know the impact that one touch will have, either on us or the people we encounter. We don’t need to close off our borders to mission work and stay here because we may be white and inexperienced or wealthier than other people in a developing world. Let’s interact and be the kingdom of God together. So I would stay, instead of rethinking your trip, rethink how you go about it and use an experienced organization or leader in the planning and training process. Partner with an established ministry whose work will continue after you leave. And be prayerful and strategic about how you go about it.
well said!
wow! This is exactly right! thank you!!!!!!!!!
Deogratious (Full of thanks to God, I believe?),
I haven’t read Dead Aid, so thanks for the tip! In the non-fiction narrative Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown, the author, Paul Theroux, also takes foreign aid to task. It’s a great book to read, because it is vivid travel writing combined with incredibly incisive analysis.
Interesting read, but her experiences are the fault of poorly-planned volunteer organizations/missions and not a failure because she’s white. They could have had an actual carpenter with them to build the library properly the first time. They don’t need building skills, they need to be told what to do in the right way. I hope this doesn’t discourage able-bodied (white) people from helping underserved counties because she went on a poorly-thought-out mission that doubled the work.
Refreshing. Thank you for being so honest about aid not always helping.
This is an interesting set of comments. May I just add some of my own.
One. Pippa Biddle. Stop beating yourself up. You went with good intentions, as far as you understood and were guided by others. Even if you made a few mistakes, you have obviously learned and because you care enough to.
Two. It was up to those in charge to make sure that you were properly prepared. You were a young person and, to an extent, they let you down. Cultural understanding is difficult and you should have had more help to understand the impact of your presence as a westerner, but not to have hang ups about it. You should have been helped to transcend mutual differences of perception. Actually, you seem to be doing this by yourself now. Success!
I agree with many of the commenters above. As a white woman who has been on two 10-day mission trips in my 30s, one to the DR, and one to Panama, I relate to what the author is saying in that you don’t “solve” anything in the 10 days that you are there, but I would also say that isn’t the point. Our “project” in the DR was building a playground for the children in the village. It was originally going to be a school, but we couldn’t get permits. I have never built anything in my life, but there were several contractors along with our group, and they were able to show me how to mix concrete and lay bricks, and do some digging. Mostly the men did the hard physical labor, but I enjoyed participating. What we did that week was put on a “VBS” camp for the kids of the neighborhood, and the response was AMAZING- we nearly has a mob the first day. We spent a lot of time playing, doing crafts and just just investing in the people there- but perhaps our agenda was different- being spiritual in nature rather than merely medical and economical only. The local people of Food For the Hungry in Santo Domingo have continued this ministry and are still involved and invested in the people of Margara- I do believe that we had an impact on the lives of people there- and it was certainly life changing for me! So this White Girl AND her 3 year old daughter who went along and still had vivid memories of the trip (which is weird), respectfully disagrees.
Here’s a comment from my colleague Vicki: “I think there’s so much in this that is meaty and brutally honest. The whole idea of certain skills being needed is absolutely true. But Pere Walin (Father Walin DeCamps, head of St. Andres and the St. Etienne pastor for years) said the most important thing of all for us in Haiti was to go–to be a presence, to show Haitian people that they are remembered and prayed for. Yes to hiring locally. That’s one reason we didn’t try to build the school–to do so would take employment opps away from Haitians. But our kids will make school benches and whitewash the inside of the building, because being of tangible service is important.
It would be interesting to ask Jorge Munoz about his experiences building houses and doing construction in Nicaragua.
This is all so freaking complicating. I think this also gets to the point of building long-standing relationships and not doing “voluntourism”–what a great term. When Johnny goes to Haiti, he is greeting friends of 10 years acquaintance, and we are greeting friends by extension.
Thanks for sharing–very thought-provoking.”–Sarah
You make an important point. Unless you are one of the fortunate few who have received training, basic survival skills are disappearing from developed countries. I once asked a class of ninth graders if they knew which direction north was. All had lived in the same city their whole lives and not one of them knew what direction north was. I knew because going to work each day I could see from which place the sun rose and going home I could see where it would set. Easy as boiling an egg. So if young volunteers could stay in developing countries long enough to to have the locals teach them how to, say, build a brick wall properly, then it would be helping “us” as well as “them”. Some with their new found skills could even go to other communities in following years and actually give some real help, all the while keeping in mind that the real goal is help them get to a point where they no longer need aid.
Sorry, I don’t agree with this article in anyway, I though it was very poorly written and very poorly thought out. Not everyone is a helpless spoiled boarding school girl like her and she CANNOT generalize her experience to every other missionary/humanitarian just because of the color of their skin… total crap! Sorry lady but you are just that same old spoiled white girl and you will never make a difference with that attitude!
Wow, this is super thoughtful.
I wonder how many people who have devoted their lives to meaningful careers in development and/or poverty reduction first got their calling through a service experience in their youth/young adulthood. Or turned philanthropic to these causes in later life. Or developed and practiced citizenship that reflects knowledge and perspective gained from these experiences. I’m not saying that all “voluntourism” is perfect. One cannot learn true citizenship and social responsibility without some actual practice of these skills. So let’s not throw out the baby with the bath water.
I suspect that, in principle, the “white” angle of this story metaphorically refers to education/class more than race alone. Should all the other colored volunteers stay home, too? I struggle with this, though…because having said that, and as a white woman who spent 7 years abroad doing meaningful education and development work, I do know that race is a deal-breaker for some. After a time, I discovered that the cross-cultural part of my experience was more about breaking down stereotypes than creating them. Perhaps this is naive and/or cliche….but I still feel that this is valuable.
(I am white and a woman, but not a little one…not sure what the point of the “little” was in the article except further self-deprecation?)
Finally, let’s assume that a portion, however small, of a voluntourist’s fee goes to the host organization for materials, supplies, etc. I imagine the struggle of any non-profit facing the question of whether to either accept unskilled youth volunteers that come with a cash donation or not utilize these volunteers and therefore not get the much-needed cash donations either. Does anyone win if the answer is the latter? Does anyone lose? I suggest that in most cases, no one would win, and both parties stand to lose.
[…] This article has received quite a bit of buzz, and I sort of feel like I could write a variation of it myself. End point (with which I agree): mission trips change the people who go, and that’s all good and well, but the $1700 I spent on a flight to Gaborone could have much better served that community than my feeble attempt at charades and Bible lessons for three weeks. […]
The point she is making is that African and other oppressed people are perfectly capable of self-reliance. The fact is, our parasitic capitalist system, founded on genocide and slavery, requires on the continued exploitation of most of the world’s population to benefit mostly white people. This means we expropriate, for example, 85% of Africa’s resources, taking them out of Africa and out of the hands of African people, creating poverty and all sorts of ills. Then, after we have stolen these resources, we come back in as white saviors and throw a few crumbs their way, through NGOs and missionary work. This undermines self-determination. Pippa Biddle should join the Uhuru Solidarity Movement and take a stand of principled solidarity with African liberation and the liberation of all exploited and oppressed groups. Reparations from everyday white folks in the form of material support and action is the key. White people need to go in their own white communities and win other whites to turn back the resources to those we have stolen it from and help overturn this brutal system of colonial violence and oppression. http://www.uhurusolidarity.org
Thank you for your article. I was a PC volunteer in Africa (and even though I am black, I, too, was considered white!). I encourage any American- skilled or not so skilled- to go out into the world like you did. The good that you did cannot be measured in bricks & mortar, perhaps, but you allowed others to see your humanity & allowed yourself to see theirs- regardless of color/nationality. That is the good you gave the world. We have enough people to build walls. We need more people to represent the best of us- as Americans, as Dominicans, as humans. I would love every brown, white, black person to step outside of themselves and realize that we are all special. Well done, my dear!
From a purely beneficial perspective, what you offered was not very adequate. What you don’t seem to account for is that these experiences made you aware of what you were good at and also created the willingness to help in a capacity that you knew would give back. My hope is for my own children to provide as much as possible in the short time they interact with others in missional and outreach opportunities, but more importantly understand the need and figure out what they can offer to make a difference.
Wow, great insight and perspective. Not quite sure how you took all that away from the post.
I would like to add to your argument from an economic perspective. I have done face-to-face fundraising work in the past and one of the obstacles is to get would-be donators to realize that giving money is significantly better than them participating. Many people, when approached for donations say that they don’t like the idea of giving money because they would prefer to do and see the work themselves. They would talk about how they went on that church trip to lend a hand in Africa and how they would prefer to do that.
From here I would begin my lengthy explanation of how I understand where they are coming from but that ultimately it is incredibly inefficient for someone, no matter how skilled, to spend thousands of dollars going to Africa and back for a week or two to help out when there are already highly trained professionals on the ground. I know there are already such professionals there, because they worked for the organizations I was fundraising for, in this case UNICEF, MSF, and Amnesty International. It makes no sense to send anyone from North America to help out in developing nations, period (unless they are going there to live and work fairly permanently, filling the role of a proper on the ground professional that we would send money to).
So yeah, voluntourism is never ever really helpful because they could always get significantly more benefit out of the money being sent directly to pros. In this day and age almost all of the people employed to do development work have advanced degrees and are already there. Your dollar stretches like 10 times as far by sending it to them than by wasting money and increasing your carbon footprint by flying there to “help”.
I would tell people, hey it is great that you want to go there to help, I really admire that. The question is, do you want to help 10 people or 100+ with the same amount of money?
There is nothing wrong with going on a trip and calling it that, but let’s not pretend that we are going there to help with real development, because we aren’t. This argument is from a purely economic standpoint and has nothing to do with race or culture. I have never heard a decent argument against this reasoning.
You or anyone else from the first world will never ever be as helpful as a trained professional with an advanced degree already on the ground doing development work. It is an indisputable fact that sending such a professional (through an organization they work for) money will help 10+ times more people than you going there. I dare you to try to argue against this.
I believe that you are unfairly attacking individuals who want to do good deeds and experience parts of the world they never would otherwise. Volunteer travel allows people to witness and experience cultures and societies that are not readily available, let alone found in a Frommer’s guide.
Your real gripe is with the institutions that organize these trips. For instance, the organization that planned your work in Tanzania seems to be very lacking. I’m not very clear on why these illusive men had to undo and redo your work while you slept instead of overseeing the construction in the first place. Such volunteer tourism institutions should be able to accommodate for all skill levels, have experts on hand to guide the projects and if they cannot, they need to re-think their policies or projects. Potential volunteers should also take the time to seek out effective institutions.
More importantly, witnessing the severe poverty that exists in this world allows people to become much more invested in our global society and continue to give to charity and advocate for institutions that work to irradiate such desperate poverty. Being told or reading an article about poor people is much different from actually meeting the children and families that benefit from these programs. One slightly inefficient trip can be the catalyst to a life long commitment to supporting world charities.
Volunteer tourism is not perfect by any stretch but it is a valuable resource for people who want to learn about the world and help. This is hard to come by so I would hope you wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss it in the future.
In my own reply, I shared that I believe that this idea (that you just shared) is quite true, but that I see the value of people going on short term trips to learn and grow themselves…and then respond accordingly. My family and I live in Guatemala and, at times, we host teams/families/individuals coming on short term trips. And although we have seen how these groups usually do little to help us or the people around them long term, those with servants hearts (that are willing to help in whatever way OTHERS see best) ARE indeed able to help in some ways, but mainly….THEY leave changed.
Truth be told, most of us who have grown up in the U.S. do not have open eyes to world beyond our country/continental borders and so nothing of true need. And this is problem because it keeps us from acting on the behalf of others. I am a Christ-follower, and I believe that we are to take the whole gospel to the world, which means, yes, the good news of spiritual salvation and eternal life, but also the good news that we can share at this time. And that includes physical provision and love for others. Until our eyes are opened…we don’t act! Or we don’t act in a way that would every be sacrificial for us…because we just have no real understanding!
So do people on short term trips make a huge difference or have powerful influences on others’ lives? No, not in that span of a trip. But in the long term…sometimes, yes! So we (my family and I) encourage others to take these trip, but not for the reasons that many have in their mind.
So, I don’t know if you agree with me on this or not, Devin, but just to be clear…I wasn’t arguing with your argument (because I agree with it). I was simply adding additional thoughts. 🙂
The reasoning is not incorrect, just incomplete. I have seen people changed on short term mission trips. Changed for the world community and for their community upon return to the states. I have seen relationships formed that then had positive consequences after the tripper returned home, but did not forget. I know people who have returned from a short term trip and then devoted the rest of their lives to mission work. I have witnessed nationals moved to learn that professionals from the states would come to their country to work under their leadership. There are many more positives from these trips, when conducted correctly, that cannot be achieved by asking someone to simply give money. And, the author’s obsession with race is troubling. That logic would suggest my kids should not respect and look up to Ghandi, Mandela, or Yousafzai because they do not share a look or live in then same neighborhood.
Kudos for being brave enough to identify a huge issue with modern international development practices. The title is catchy as well although I think something like “The Collective Delusion of Development Tourism” might have been a bit more appropriate given the topic. I was lucky enough as a business major to have the opportunity in my program to take numerous courses in my universities International Development Faculty, not a place one wanted to be vocal about being a business major. I found the ordeal very disappointing for a wide variety of reasons but chief among them was the issue you outlined here. Namely, modern international development seems to focus as much on spending money, usually provided in large part by tax payers and donors who believe their money is going to help the poor, to create an “experience” for those doing the alleged development as on actually developing something.
It’s all great and fine to talk about an “experience” and how one can learn more and do a better job providing development assistance having travelled and experienced various regions. The reality I would imagine is much different. I doubt many “little white girls” ever see the inside of a Kenyan refugee camp or venture into areas where a costly military presence, along with training, would be required to guarantee their safety. Even the shocking poverty they likely do see is nothing compared to what would exist in the region, but cannot be seen. How could one claim to understand poverty or the development needs of a region if you’ve never seen more than the surface of the problem?
The cynical side of me wants to say that I think this need to see “everything” but everything in the context of nothing too terribly shocking or dangerous is a way to justify passing a costly trip off to tax payers and donors. Spending the morning digging a well, spend the afternoon experiencing local culture and food sounds pretty good to me and is essentially the relationship I see many university International Development charities promising perspective volunteers. Far less exciting, but likely far more useful would be forgoing the money used for your own plane ticket and instead paying for a doctor or engineer to travel or buying enough building supplies to build a compliment to that library.
But then again, and this WILL ruffle feathers, modern international development aid charities and proponents have as little to show for their efforts and billions spent as the IMF and World Bank managed to accomplish during the time they spent trying to use neoliberal economic policies to develop countries out of poverty. Modern international development sprang up to combat that failing ideology. Only time will tell what will spring up to replace the current mindset.
Brilliant! This post completely speaks my mind! I see so many instances of this occuring where I am located. Thanks
Reblogged this on A Bit of a Rant and commented:
“It turns out that I, a little white girl, am good at a lot of things. I am good at raising money, training volunteers, collecting items, coordinating programs, and telling stories. I am flexible, creative, and able to think on my feet. On paper I am, by most people’s standards, highly qualified to do international aid. But I shouldn’t be.
I am not a teacher, a doctor, a carpenter, a scientist, an engineer, or any other professional that could provide concrete support and long-term solutions to communities in developing countries. I am a 5′ 4″ white girl who can carry bags of moderately heavy stuff, horse around with kids, attempt to teach a class, tell the story of how I found myself (with accompanying powerpoint) to a few thousand people and not much else.
Some might say that that’s enough. That as long as I go to X country with an open mind and a good heart I’ll leave at least one child so uplifted and emboldened by my short stay that they will, for years, think of me every morning.
I don’t want a little girl in Ghana, or Sri Lanka, or Indonesia to think of me when she wakes up each morning. I don’t want her to thank me for her education or medical care or new clothes. Even if I am providing the funds to get the ball rolling, I want her to think about her teacher, community leader, or mother. I want her to have a hero who she can relate to – who looks like her, is part of her culture, speaks her language, and who she might bump into on the way to school one morning.
But why not use locals to do the work instead of going there yoursleves to do it? Surely what you are gaining is what the author is talking about, feeding into your saviour complex. Were the people sent there qualified tradesmen? If that was the case then perhaps I could understand. if they were just westerners out on a mission to feel good about themselves then I feel that your case is a direct example of what’s wrong with the mentality of “helping the poor”. If you really care, contribute in a useful way
unless the builder is a qualified tradesman with years of experience in building say, for instance, earthquake proof housing in an earthquake prone zone then yes, go ahead. What purpose does some random westerner serve by going to a country and picking up a shovel or a brick? I feel they are doing so to make themselves feel good. With the money you pay to go and do physical construction act you could pay three men yearly wages to suport their families and they could potentially construct multiple libraries. I think this is what the author is getting at here
Obviously, the problem isn’t with you or the colour of your skin. The problem is with the organizers who misused your talents and the people who tiptoes around your egos by relaying your bricks. If someone was running that service with half a clue, they would have put you in different positions where you would be of help. Don’t paint all white volunteers with the same brush. I did volunteer work in New Orleans and I did all kinds of things, from security at the volunteer centre to rebuilding computers (I’m a computer tech by day) to serving meals to other volunteers and members of the community.
[…] The Problem With Little White Girls (and Boys) at Pippa Biddle – Yes yes yes yes yes. Great thoughts on short term missions. The title is a little misleading, but yes yes yes. […]
Very Well Said, We need to take a principled stand in our own country about minding our own business. Our greed creates poverty all over the globe, we wouldn’t need to think about how to manage the destruction left in our wake if we didn’t cause the problems to begin with.
If capitalism is good, then shouldn’t it be good for all ?
I read your blog with interest. I am a full time missionary in Honduras. My role is that of Volunteer Coordinator, managing the short term mission teams who come down, typically for a week. I have several thoughts, in no particular order:
The library project you described was poorly conceived and managed. Clearly, it is a waste of time, money, effort to do a job poorly and have the locals redo at night. We have alot of experience in doing construction projects well, mainly because we rely on the Honduran construction experts to do the hard stuff. We do the very menial work in support of them. I fear, however, that many mission projects are like what you described. It takes a lot of work to organize a project to be beneficial to all parties.
It seems that your view of the best way to help the developing world is fairly narrow. What I read is, “What we have to offer you is money. Period.” You does acknowledge that the locals are much better able to manage projects and programs, given the resource. I agree with that wholeheartedly. Our organization has 2 North Americans. The entire leadership team is Honduran.
Ironically, I think your conclusion and subsequent approach smack more of the “little white girl/boy” phenomenon than actually trying to help on site. It appears that you view the situation as flowing one way. This is what WE (white folks) are going to do to help YOU (non-white folks.) You don’t seem to recognize what THEY can do for US. My life, and the lives of many of our team members, have been permanently changed by getting to know the Hondurans. Spending time with the Hondurans has changed our view of other Americans, too. They have blessed our lives immeasurably.
I don’t see anything about the value of relationship in your blog. Our organization is outstanding and unique in placing relationship first. We meet each other as fellow, beloved children of Christ. Brothers and sisters. Equals. Those relationships endure beyond time, distance, and affluence.
Speaking of Christ…You make no mention of you experiences being faith based. Perhaps that is the difference. There isn’t enough money in the world to compensate for holding a grieving mother and praying for her, albeit in a different language. Or having children lift their hands as they pray for you on your birthday. It matters not that we don’t understand the words, the action is eloquent and speaks to the heart.
Exposure to different cultures enriches us immeasurably. I imagine you would agree that travel expands our horizons, opens our eyes to new things, helps us put our own lives and culture in perspective. But do you extend this benefit to the developing world? I have seen so many young people (and older ones too!) go back to the US transformed. One young woman readily credits her first mission trip for changing the direction of her life. How many more people will be helped as she moves into a non-profit career? Another is in South Sudan now to bring education opportunities to refugees. It started with a week in Honduras. Would sending a check do that?
Although well meaning, I am not sure you understand the value of being seen and heard. Homeless people in the US say that all the time. It means so much to the Hondurans that we SEE them, we HEAR them, we CARE about them. They appreciate the sacrifice we make to spend time with them. Our presence is about respecting their dignity. They aren’t pitiful, helpless people we throw money at. They are precious children of God, worth our time, worth our attention, worth our love.
There is personal growth that happens on a well-conceived mission trip. You learn to submit to authority, you practice humility and patience. You begin to discern what “first world problem” means! You experience unconditional love, both receiving and giving. You experience the joys of sacrifice. A medical brigade just left that had several youth who gave up exciting President Day weekend ski trips, etc. to work in clinics. They left full of joy, not resentful that they missed a vacation.
Finally, most importantly, Jesus told us to “GO.” The great commission isn’t a check! The mission field is where we meet God face to face. So many have encounters with the Divine? There are so many miracles they have witnessed, hugged, received? They are part of miracles for someone else. Jesus was very clear. He sends us out to be His hands and feet, His heart.
Pippa, sending money is important. We couldn’t do what we do without it. Field work isn’t for everyone. You are using your God given talents and passion so well and I thank you for that. I simply ask that you leave the door open for others who are called to serve in a different way. God bless you for your work!
[…] The Problem With Little White Girls (and Boys). […]
You actually running away from the most important thing that can can do for these children, which is to inspire them. You probably never explored the possibility that her presence can inspire those kids. Why these kids’ hero must look like them? Be encouraged, you can always improve your work but do not give up.
You are a very smart young lady. I think you need to check out GFA Gospel for Asia, the founder has a free book. KP Yohanan is the founder. He points out how many people can be helped if we simply help the natives to help themselves.
I just started to read the article and started to laugh inside. It was the part about, each night, the locals having to teardown and rebuild the walls the students had spent the day building that made me laugh and connect with.
I went to Nicaragua through a church orgainisation. I was part of a second group of volunteers. I was not there when the first group arrived, but I was lucky enough to hear the stories from the two Americans that were working in the project who had already been there a year or two. When the first group of skilled tradesmen from Canada arrived they thought they would be teaching the natives how to repair and expand the second floor of the high school. They soon learned that the Canadian methods don’t work in hot, humid climates.
In Canada prepared concrete mix has the consistency of cookie dough. But down in Nicaragua that dough would harden before you could pour it in the forms. The local contractors showed them that it needs to be more like runny pancake batter or soup. They also had to learn how to build forms that would hold the soup. Cookie dough will not leak through a 1/2 inch gap in a concrete form but pancake batter will.
My job while I was down there, as an ‘unskilled labourer’, was to chip off all the mess the ‘Skilled Canadian Tradesmen’ had made on the side of the wall where their forms had leaked all over. They were a proud bunch of old geysers so I had to hold my tongue as they instructed me how to do various tasks that I already new how to do. Since the natives knew more than them, they had to find someone to instruct and feel superior too.
By writing this very article, you yourself sound rather arrogantly like the “white savior” – in fact, perhaps you are the leader? You will even save the white saviors from themselves! Great use of the word “white” by the way – why not say “little white girl tries to help poor black people” – that’s what is implied, right? Only black people can be poor, and only white people volunteer. Why bring race into it at all? Does it make you feel better? Better advertising for the blog, perhaps?
This article is dangerous.
Fine, so you can’t lay bricks and didn’t speak very good Spanish. So you chose the wrong volunteer placements. Big deal. But you contributed to the local economy, educated yourself (what is actually wrong with that?), and you had the *opportunity* to do something amazing. Some do this – some stretch themselves and creatively find ways to go beyond their assigned volunteer “tasks” – others may not. But seriously – if this is what you feel about certain volunteer placements, you must utterly, utterly despise tourism? Going to another country and sitting around all day or taking pictures of fluffy animals while someone from the local area serves you drinks and cleans up after you – SHOCK HORROR! Many, many poorer countries rely heavily on tourism.
What happens when you go on a volunteer placement? You need food, accommodation, transport, guides. You may even go on some “tourism” trips (again where is the sin in that, you are helping the local economy).
So I tell you what everyone – don’t volunteer unless you are highly skilled. Instead, just go to a hotel in a rich country and drink beer or go to a casino and have a gamble. That is far more noble.
OK so maybe don’t apply to volunteer as a doctor if you are not in fact a doctor.
But seriously – who do you think we are? Colonel Kurtz?
I have spent a long time living and breathing volunteering and I am not “skilled” but I have made an incredible difference to people’s lives. Sometimes you just need to open your eyes to the opportunities around you…beyond your assigned volunteer task. Make friends, talk to people, engage, be part of the place. You learn how best you can help. If I followed your preaching, several people would have absolutely nothing right now.
In some parts of the world, believe me, nobody is coming to help. No charity is coming.
Whatever race *anyone* is, it doesn’t matter – the worst thing you can do is nothing here. It truly is. If by going there you piss off a couple of people by having them put up some bricks again – so what, you will have contributed desperately needed funds to that local economy…even if you sit in your hotel room / accommodation all day watching Blood Diamond on repeat you will have done far more than just sitting at home or going to a boutique hotel in an already rich country. Volunteer organizations employ local people. Coordinators, drivers, cleaners, cooks, and so on. Don’t blast this stuff on the internet without thinking about your actions – what is the point? Who really cares? Let inherently good people go and volunteer, contribute to the local economy – your article could have been about “how to be the best volunteer” – “how to avoid the mistakes I made” – “contribute to the local economy, go and volunteer, learn something about yourself, choose the placement wisely, make friends, listen, learn, contribute in any way you can. If you find the placement isn’t for you buy a football and go and have some fun and make some friends while you are there. Learn the most you can about yourself and with any luck you will have made a friend and someone you can support personally throughout your life and have a deeply rewarding relationship with. The worst thing you will probably do – unless you try and be a doctor when you are not – is upset a few people. The best thing you could do would be to save someone’s life. In actual reality, you will probably not leave a lasting impression on the place, save the valuable contribution you made to the local economy, and you supported jobs in that place while you were there.”
Instead, this was all about you, and getting attention by using a controversial title. I sincerely hope nobody listens to you.
I am sorry to disappoint you, but you are not the leader of the white saviors.
Reblogged this on eagleinthestorm and commented:
This is an excellent post, and just what I needed to read right now! I love how missions is taking a positive swing towards training local missionaries, and out-of-country missionaries coming as tentmakers.
What do you think?
And what about people that don’t share your faith? Only Christians are worth your time and love? Oh sorry, I forgot, the real “Mission” of the missionaries is not to help the people but to covert them to Christianity and the damage that you have cause by spreading your religion is irreparable. YOU and people like YOU have created conflicts in countries like South Sudan because you created a faith based separation where there was none before. And how very kind of you missionaries to go back to those war torn countries to “help” the generations of people that now suffer from you “work”. If you really wanted to practice altruism then I suggest you try helping people who do not practice your faith. Without an ulterior motive. Take a long hard look at your reasons for going on these missions. “To Save Their Souls” ?? No. It’s to spread your beliefs. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Who cares what Ayn Rand, the pseudo-philosopher, says?
[…] The Problem With Little White Girls (and Boys) […]
You are operating without enough information. We have several programs in our ministry, all of which are open to anyone. Our motivation is the love of God. Thousands of people come in Honduras to hold medical clinics, teach in schools, run Children’s Homes, provide micro loans to the impoverished and more, all without checking for the beneficiaries’ baptismal certificates. The old hymn says it well — they will know we are Christians by our love. Some, of course, are planting churches and inviting people to participate. However, we are all human and we make mistakes and poor choices at times. It sounds like you have had a bad experience with some Christians. I am very sorry for that. I hope some day you have a better experience that at least allows you to let go of some of the anger.
Ellie, there’s some truth to what you say… but it isn’t the whole truth, and it mostly isn’t the present truth, especially of the mainline denominations who comprise the bulk of the missions in the “developing” world today. Not at all, in fact! So you need to be more balanced in your criticisms, and work with a full set of actual facts.
The missions that have been in Africa and South America and Asia for a long time— Catholic, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and so forth— have mostly, and for a long time now, realized that the results they were getting were not what they’d hoped, and they’ve largely corrected themselves. But even about the past, you might also have a look at http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/january-february/world-missionaries-made.html.
Speaking as a former “missionary” who lived and loved in two countries in Africa— and would go back in one minute flat, if opportunity arose— i never had any interest at all in “converting” anybody, and most of the other missionaries i knew felt the same. In fact I actually *refused* to baptize people, because i didn’t think they were in it for the right reason, which would be that they really connected with Jesus Christ and not with the amazing ability of European donors to provide what a friend of mine called “sugar”. If it was “sugar” they wanted— school feels or whatnot— well, let’s just see what we can do about it. How would their “conversion” or not be relevant to that? Do you think I’m that arrogant, or stupid, or disrespectful of my own religion, that i would sell it like that— and for that matter, so cheaply?
Also, it’s unfair to blame missionaries, wrong-headed as 19th-century european (and eurocentric) missions could be, for Africa’s (etc) current wars. To be sure, the European churches certainly did play a role, often unwitting, in colonialism… back then— but it certainly is NOT the churches of the past 50 years that have supported US or French or Chinese or corporate efforts to control the uranium, diamonds, and coltan, say, in Congo, or the oil and minerals in Uganda and South Sudan and etc.
In terms of “helping people who do not practice [our] faith”, all of the missions i’m aware of in Africa, Asia, or South America do in fact run schools and hospitals that serve EVERYBODY, regardless of creed. The question simply wasn’t asked and never came up— ever— in the clinic that was attached to the diocesan center where I served. I personally still direct a small nonprofit fund that helps Uganda kids graduate from high school (a rather forgotten population). Of course I’m curious about people’s beliefs on a personal basis, in the same way that I’d be curious about your own, but religious beliefs have never been a criterion that my organization has used for anything at all. If you’re in high school, and you need school fees, come and talk to us. We’ll do what we can. [And if *you*, Ellie, want to help us with whoever comes through our door next, please contact me. I’m sure i can connect you with a nice Muslim boy or girl who cold sure use your help to finish school.]
The real problem in “missions” today is with fundamentalist and “evangelical” groups like the Rick Warren and Scott Lively organizations that go, say, to Uganda or elsewhere, to fight their fundamentalist and very right-wing American culture wars by proxy. THEY are the ones who, with CIA support and Koch brothers’ money, are stirring up homophobia and all kinds of other nasty religious insanity in Africa today. And the damage they’re doing to African traditional culture *is* truly immeasurable. And if it’s not that, it’s the other prosperity-gospel ‘evangelists’ like Benny Hinn and Creflo Dollar (doesn’t the name tell you everything?) who are spreading their message of delusion and despair. Those men are pure evil and corruption— but you should distinguish them from Christianity, even though they’re cashing in on the name of Christ. If you can’t, please contact me and i can provide a few pointers that may help. But if, as Jesus said, ‘by their fruits you shall know them’, you will recognize that those charlatans aren’t involved in schools or hospitals even for their own membership, let alone any others. Precisely THEY are the ones who are into “saving souls”— and turning them into pro-Republicans supporters of corrupt dictators who are perfectly willing to murder 10,000,000 Congolese to ensure the smooth flow of conflict minerals to the greedy Western corporations that make it possible for YOU to own an iPhone. You do own an iPhone or other cellular product, don’t you? The churches today are often the only people on the ground who are actually trying to alleviate the problems YOU (sorry, i mean, WE) are causing in the world today.
One value I can see for short-term missions would be that they can, in fact, correct mistaken, even if understandable and well-meaning objections like those you’ve expressed— and more realism is good for everyone.
This critic of Ayn Rand is not only uncalled for but also proves your ignorance of her philosophy.
Aside from the obvious racism it really sounds like the problem was with you and not volunteering as a whole. You went for the wrong reasons and were unprepared and picked poor programs. This perpetuated the spoiled brat goes to another country because they think they are such a gift but then actually has to work (gasp!) stereotype to the letter. It’s really insulting to those of us that chose good programs and were not so arrogant to think that they could step into any situation and expect to be carried through. And that’s not even getting into you trying to cover up your own personal ignorance and arrogance with racist classist stereotypes. For all the problems volentourism has (and there are a great deal some of which you have unknowingly described here) race and gender have little to do with it. It seriously sounds like you are disappointed that the actual volunteering got in the way of your white savior fantasy. Like you went to get the pictures with the smiling kids and bragging rights. Things like this give volunteering abroad a bad name. Make no mistake your race has nothing to do with your incompetence. It’s not white people that are the problem but people with this attitude in general. You have the ability to help and to hurt and this hurts. Own up to your own personal failings but leave the excuses out of it. I understand getting yourself into a situation that is way over your head but for goodness sake don’t hide behind the dark side of voluntourism. There are lots of great articles on the dangers and downsides of volunteering abroad but unfortunately this is not one of them.
Couldn’t agree more. It’s really sad and detrimental.
Why are you adverse to considering the implications of race?
Going to another country or a neighborhood other than your own here at home on “mission” is the most worthless thing a person could do. No one is more lost than you are and your “sharing the Love of Christ” is less than worthless. Firstly, it makes you a raging hypocrite: Jesus said to feed the poor and care for the widows – if after you’ve done so they want to listen to your fairy tale, knock yourself out. Secondly, it’s 2014 – people know about Jesus and if they want to read delusional “testimony” about why they should also believe the same fairy tale there are plenty of opportunities in all the places you’ve named. And finally, why in the world would an omnipotent and omniscient God, who loves all his children and (for some mystifying reason requires them to believe in his son, who is also him, and that he killed to save them from a hell he created..) wants them to hear his “good news”, need YOU? Can’t he just give the message directly? If you care about people, give them what the actually need, not what satisfies your insane and narcissistic need to indoctrinate them while they live in dirt houses and die of preventable diseases.
Thanks so much for sharing! This post sums up my life’s frustration. When I was a child my family moved to Belize to do a year’s volunteer work and the lessons you spoke about have been my life’s song since. While I still live in Belize, I am tired of seeing so many North American, missionaries or humanitarian workers come with good intentions, but basically continue a sort of economic and spiritual colonialism. You my ask why I am still here? That is something I am trying to figure out.
Thank you, Matt. I posted above and as a pastor creating connections between the community and my congregation in ways that will be of benefit, while affording dignity to those assisted, I am thrilled to learn of this book! I do not like to reinvent the wheel, yet thought I would need to write something for my congregants to read before I “let them loose” on our small city! Many thanks.
Peace in Christ,
pjw
You lost me with the god talk. Try writing person-to-person.
If you want to get into fair trade, social enterprise, CSR and models of doing business, you can contact me, too, Pippa!
You didn’t read the post.
Have u thought of visiting Nigeria?
I don’t think it’s mutually exclusive. If little white girls don’t go to ______, will there necessarily be a _____ girl to take their place? Does it even matter? They have local people in their lives every single day, why does the girl who wrote this article assume she’ll become such a huge part of someone else’s life and memory?
Couldn’t agree more. Fab read 🙂
Humility and realism are good, but there’s a benefit the article is not considering. Some of these programs may not help the intended much, but they educate the participants. I’d like to send my 12 year old daughter to build crooked walls in El Salvador so she’d know more of the real world outside of the comfort, security, and 6th grade girl drama she lives. For starters, if people know nothing of the lives and struggle inhabiting most of the world, they’ll think nothing of the villages getting droned by the Pentagon. But definitely find a program where the participants go to learn and help where they can, not save.
Pippa – Since you have written this blog, which obviously revolves around you as the center of your own universe, you are setting yourself apart from these communities from the get-go. Labeling yourself is what is happening here, and this is about how you pereceive yourself as an outsider. To blame it on your skin color or stature is preposterous. If you don’t take notice of other people’s color and it doesn’t register to you, then you can teach them to lalso think the same way. If you have been globe-trotting for so long then the affluent white woman stereotype is one you are not only complaining about but apparently reinforcing with your actions. This blog has made that reinfocement permanent and sadly become you own self-image. Since I have never experienced what you have in all my charity work in Africa, I can say honestly that your perceptions are all based on your own self-image projections, not in reality. Why the blog? Just to feel important and build yourself up or to really help others?
I totally agree with you. But sometimes, we really need to take these trips to open our eyes to the way things actually are. Then, we can make the kind of changes you’re talking about.
If you’re capable of doing the work, you’re capable of doing the work. It has nothing to do with your skin color. Because you’re white, you’re useless in these situations? No. It’s because you’re not trained.
I don’t think it’s mutually exclusive. If little white girls don’t go to ______, will there necessarily be a _____ girl to take their place? Does it even matter? They have local people in their lives every single day, why does the girl who wrote this article assume she’ll become such a huge part of someone else’s life and memory? .
[…] of the things that came up during my trip was this article by Pippa Biddle critiquing voluntourism […]
You are someone to be noticed. I am glad of your efforts but fear for your safety. Just be very careful. I could be overanxious but I tend to have safety in mind as a precaution..
Awesome post! I also want to add that there are plenty of people right down the road who need aid. I think a lot of people find that if they give a week a year of their time for a mission trip, it satisfies their need to feel like they’ve done something good. Yet, we could devote way more of our personal hands on time to people living in our own neighborhood, who you can’t escape with a plane ride. I do not agree with the notion of doing “good” to benefit myself (helping me change, or feel good, etc.). Doing stuff for others should be an unselfish endeavor.
Reblogged this on Antonio Santos's Blog.
This was a powerful read because of your honesty and experience. Understanding how to truly help seems to mean getting out of the way and not leading with ego.
“I am flexible, creative, and able to think on my feet” NO YOU ARE NOT. With all due respect, you couldn’t figure out how to build a wall. A WALL. You’ve accepted the pablum that a BA degree makes you “magically good at all things”. Clearly, in your case (as in most cases) it was a worthless phony accreditation. Please open your eyes to the overpriced bag of poo that the educational/industrial complex fraudulently sold to you.
….btw: the reason those uncredentialed Tanzanians were able to build the wall ? because THEY are “flexible, creative, and able to think on their feet”
[…] The Problem With Little White Girls (And Boys). Actually helping people is more important than letting white people feel like they’re helping people. […]
Reblogged this on She is a woman and commented:
Interesting article
Reblogged this on zealmark's Blog and commented:
just thought the article was great, what do you guys think
[…] sure that they ‘needed’ me to be the one doing it (a similar topic was covered by Pippa Biddle recently). I then came to realise that this question had wider applicability than just […]
I feel compelled to comment here, because so many of these comments are spiteful and condescending. I enjoyed reading your post. I don’t know what points are valid, as I have not volunteered abroad. What I have read is that you are 21 and this post is merely one stop in your process of growing and learning. While you have some life experience, I hope that you also have a strong enough sense of self to sort valid criticism or suggestion from this comment mess of personal and political agendas. Most readers will recognize that it’s a blog post, not a UN treatise. Best wishes in your future endeavors!
Reblogged this on maybeitsmyadd and commented:
Perfect perspective.
Can We Stick To The Thread?
@jackgott: Puh-leez. Does it have to resort to this? A person expresses honest and contemplative thoughts about what her life has taught her and she makes herself very vulnerable by expressing so honestly what her experiences have made her think, in a blog to the world, perhaps even in hopes of having others add to or even help her and others grow, discuss and further process those experiences in a positive direction, in search of solutions, rather than keep on winding up in the negative pits into which we so repeatedly fall. She took the time to write much more than a little six-sentence snippet about advertisements being sold by a “fraudulent complex” (part of which I happen to agree with you) and opened a discussion of great interest, a subject of which you seem very eager to terminate. Furthermore, as I interpret her thought-provoking essay, she did make certain claims about being “magically good at all things” (your words, jackgott, not hers) but she did make it perfectly clear that her skills were quite useless within and are best to be used outside of the countries she was trying to help. Lastly, seven years seems likely not to be the sudden emotional outbloggings of your local teenager. A local’s horrific recounting of flush-less toilets and two wasted weeks, but thank by the mercy of god has just now returned still protected, watered and fed. From some foreign country. Not that they are a dime a dozen, bless them all, let them pour out their souls. Hope they grow from it, but on this particular web thread I find it interesting to read the thoughts of someone with seven years of experience, because I am not completely decided, perhaps never will be decided, about the issues described by pippabiddle. Be Black, be White, be skilled, be linguistic, o.s.v. But it does help to discuss the issues in order to reach some sort of balance. Speaking of issues, jackgott, instead of inserting some hints of “the overpriced bag of poo that the educational/industrial complex fraudulently sold to you” (your words) and whatever other genius conspiracy theories you may have, into pippabiddle’s thread of real-life personal experiences and reflections, keep in mind that there are plenty of blog outletts in which you are capable of starting your OWN thread of personal experiences and reflections about complexes and just about whatever you want.
BIG *SMILE*
We have to make up for what the right-wingers do not.
You are a wise young woman. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Thank you for writing this. I studied International Development and Social Change for my undergrad and traveled/volunteered/interned in Ghana, Guatemala, and Israel during that time. Upon returning to school for my senior year- I was so disillusioned by everything I was taught and completely decided that development was not for me. The way that you are trying to continue to help make the world a better place is the sustainable, productive way.
Again- thank you for writing this.
@..”After six years of working in and traveling through a number of different countries where white people are in the numerical minority, I’ve come to realize that there is one place being white is not only a hindrance, but negative – most of the developing world…”>>If nothing else I wish more people in our country , United States, realized this sentiment. It is very, very true..You learned a extremely valuable & real life lesson that one can only pray you’ll spread the message..Wishing you good luck in your future endeavors..2 thumbs UP to WordPress for sharing this with millions
just in case you ever want to leave the womb, and actually build something of value on planet earth: well, now you know the path. Step 1: Ignore those who say they want to “affirm your identity” or “make sure your voice is heard” or tell you “you’re magically special..just like a unicorn!”. Anyone babbling that to a woman in her twenties is seeking infantilize you, and prevent you from doing the hard work of being an adult. Their motivations vary, but it’s usually some version of rationalizing their own failure to grow up and/or produce anything of value. Step 2: Appreciate the extent to which you are unprepared and untrained. There’s no shame in being ‘ignorant’ of a skill set, indeed we’re all ignorant of 99.99% of them. Have respect for those jobs that your professors considered “icky yucky dirty wirty”…there are a lot of bright people out there, and different types of intelligence. Learn to respect them. If you want to have a great experience in a third-world country and do some good, take time to learn what they value and respect. Imagine if the approach in your Tanzania experience had been “hey, we’d like to be your apprentice.. We’ll bring materials, and do the hard labor, at your direction. Please teach us.” Step 3: If you ever take the time to do this, I can promise you a level of personal fulfillment and connection with others that is otherwise unapproachable. It’s worth it.
Reblogged this on Lune-atics and commented:
This is tucking amazing. READ THIS SHIT!!!!
Gee….see I assumed she wanted to be treated like an adult. Very different from your approach.
Wow, I really appreciate your honesty in this. Living in San Francisco, I’ve just met scores of young ladies who had done their pilgrimage to Tanzania to “help” or were planning to go. In SF, many just seem to do it to get a good photo for their OkCupid profile so they can reel in a male dogooder trust fund heir or Doctors without borders surgeon, but I do know some have good intentions. However, a cross country plane ticket eats up the equivalent fuel/carbon of a year of an average American driving. What can we really do to help people in a week or a summer? I’ve always advocated people giving to the United Way…a large organization that allocate funds based on need, merit, efficiency relative to their peers. As good westerners, we need to think about how we can encourage our own giving, and support for government international aid, to really help economies in these countries…without a personal or direct spiritual reward for ourselves. We really can get so much more money for our buck if we are truly selfless and can give money to reputable charities that can truly help in the longterm development of local economies and infrastructure using experts and locals.
Thank you for sharing this! I think sometimes good intentions are not best intentions, and it’s important for us to consider what would be best. Please continue to share with this honesty.
Your honesty and bravery is refreshing. I am sad that you will read many of these comments. When I was about your age, a woman told me to beware of older adults in your field because some will want to see you fail and will take pleasure in tearing you down. I thought she was paranoid. The aggressive rhetoric and personal attacks displayed in the comments section remind me of the truth in that woman’s advice.
Your thoughtfulness is inspiring as is the work you have accomplished in the Dominican Republic. Best of luck in everything you do.
This is a really fascinating article and a really important topic. While I agree with you that whiteness hinders positive and sustainable growth in parts of the developing world, what does this mean for non-white people, also raised in the West, who are similarly privileged and distant from the issues at hand? Is this really about whiteness or class/privilege? Or is it some combination of both?
-Valentine
Flux: Encountering Adulthood
http://www.fluxforum.com
You are wrong on many points but I do want to thank you for your actual efforts in visiting other countries.
I’ve lived in rural Thailand for the past 10 years and visited many times before. I’ve also been on Church missions to build churches in rural, interior Brazil, lived in the Marshall Islands for two years and traveled to many places.
Yes. There are some disadvantages in being white in many countries– just as in some instances being white in the States is a disadvantage. In developing countries foreigners—often referred in slang as some type of Frenchman—pay more for almost every product they buy. That is until the foreigner learns some of the language and learns how to bargain. I’ve even found the many of the people are so honest I asked them what a natives of the country would normally pay and they tell me. I usually offer a bit more because I can afford it and they also enjoy the interaction with a ‘whiteman’. Please understand that when I say ‘whiteman’ I refer to almost every foreigner regardless of color.
When I went to Brazil I had no actual construction skills and even the people who did where daunted by the type of construction used in this foreign place. But, we, men and women, learned quickly because we adapted and let the local experts advise us. Building the church was a permanent sign that people from another part of the world had come to visit and work and care about them. The amazement could be witnessed on the faces of the people, young and old, at whitefolks working in the same manner as they worked. Almost unheard of. They saw us smile and give kindness and bits of sweets to the children, aided in repairing cuts and scrapes and in the end—and I think most people who participate in actual mission work would agree—we, the church-people, took much more away with us than we offered, in the form of opening our eyes and feeling the Spirit fill us with the goodness of people who have very little but are willing to share with us.
It’s the same in Thailand. I have a small farm and at first the village would come out to watch me work and sweat. They were amazed at the amount of sweat that came from me until I explained that this was normal for a whiteman. Now they sometimes offer to help but most often they go about their work while I do the same.
I understand what you are trying to say and you are a blessing for the work you do, but learn from an old man, me, that building something or repairing a structure is worth ten times all the face painting and trinkets in the world. I pray for your efforts and outlook. You are blessed..
I just want to say how great I thought your story was. I think your work with the children is wonderful and is a blessing. I just want to thank you for doing it if no one else has. I hope you can keep it up for many years because I know that those kids are very grateful for your help.
Melody
Personally, even Ms. Biddle’s new-found “humility” comes across to me not so much as instructive, but rather attention-seeking and self-congratulatory. A desire to be noticed and admired might have been her motive for becoming a volunteer all along, and now perhaps such a longing is merely expressing itself differently?
Reblogged this on a traves de la lente de mi camera.
Very well thought out. God has given you great discernment and wisdom in how you work with missions.
I appreciate what you’ve said in this post, but I don’t think this is the perspective of most volunteers to third world countries during or after. However, if this is what you were left with then it’s what you were left with. But having grown up in a country where I met many white people doing missionary work, as part of the Peace Corps and part of the US military, language barrier or lack of information regarding the culture didn’t seem to be having this effect. Sometimes it’s the attitude we affect about the challenge we are having, not the challenge itself.
I personally don’t think that people need to be wonderful little volunteers, armed with everything perfect. In my opinion, that can create another type of problem. With your challenges, you were probably much more ‘human’ to those you encountered. Though I understand, as it meets health, human may be beside the point.
Lastly there are no ‘perfect,’ volunteer assignments as there aren’t jobs? Challenge rears it’s head. Take care.
I am sorry, but I disagree with this. I am tired of people trying to make me feel guilty for being white.
Reblogged this on My Unqualified Opinion and commented:
Wonderful eye opening article, and it’s very true for all the damage white colonialists have done in africa, we have a killer PR campaign running. I think this “white saviour” has a lot to do with it. Yes Africa might need a helping hand, in the background. Africa needs to be given the chance to find it’s own feet and principles, dictated by it’s own people and leaders.
Africa is strong and has been around for a long time. She will rise again.
Very well put. Thank you for posting this. I agree with most of what you stated here, mostly the part about American’s “white savior complexes.” The United States capitalizes and exploits even the most honest of efforts. You paid $3000 to travel to Africa to help build a library. Sending a bunch of 17 year old kids to Africa who have no idea what they are doing is a ploy for money far more than an actual humanitarian effort. On another note, great job for realizing that Dominican adults from these children’s lives will be far more impactful than you. However, now I just fear that you have turned into a white capitalist instead of a white volunteer…
You made some interesting points. I enjoyed reading your article.
I agree with much of what you have said. “The white man’s burden” has been too big a deal in the world for far too long. However, I will say this much. My desire to go abroad to teach English is not rooted in being somebody else’s “hero” or “savior.” I am not a Godsend by any stretch, and I know that. However, I am getting a degree in education, I am going to be highly qualified in my field by the time I go, and I care about other people being able to get an education and learn more about their world. This is not to toot my own horn–I say this as a reminder that not everyone who renders service abroad does it so that they can garner respect and admiration despite others’ detriment. The desire to provide love and help to those who have less is a good thing, and as much as it sometimes needs to be utilized more appropriately (I’ll grant you that), I would rather see a desire to help people of any skin color than serial neglect of those who struggle in the world.
Thank you for posting. I certainly agree with and appreciate your desires to serve others and (more importantly, really) to help them serve themselves. You are a hero to me! 🙂
Dear fellow blogger: There is an extreme difference between treating someone like an adult and blatantly insulting them to their face. Your confusion of the two is not encouraging. I am not saying that what you say does not hold merit–it certainly may–but you do your credibility no favors by disregarding human civility. Thank you.
Reblogged this on Destination Sunshine and commented:
Wow. What an amazing post and story! Must read.
Great article. You spoke well for many of us out there,
What is the point of going there and help people if the skills are already there? For 3000$, how many workers could you hire to build the wall? The knowledge and skills are there. But instead of really helping the country and its people by hiring workers to do the job, wealthy people pay to work there. It doesn’t make sense.
How would you feel if somebody paid to take your job and do it for free? Would you thank him? Go in Tanzania for holidays, not to steal jobs from the locals.
An interesting perspective. Have you read “The Blue Sweater” by Jaqueline Novogratz. It’s a story dealing with just this dilemma; a spirited, educated, white, American girl who goes to Africa to work on empowering women through micro-finance. Non-fiction. It’s an autobiography or a memoir. Based on your story, I think you could get a lot out of this book. I was assigned this book as a reading for an International Studies class I am taking at Portland State University. Check it out.
No. All you know is that they can build a wall. About their creativity, etc you know nothing and should assume nothing.
It would be interesting to hear about your experience. Why not share some key points? What is for you a sustainable, productive way?
Very good article, you have a very good heart and mind. However, I think deep down by far most white people think they are superior to the rest, non-whites. Even ‘nice girls’ who are white think that -consciously or unconsciously. This is a very deeply ingrained belief of white people…so when you as ‘white girl’ go there to a country of people with difficulties that are different than yours (and many much more pressing) and presumably to ‘help’, (by the way, the assumption is that you can help, is that not already arrogant considering your age and circumstances?). Then there is your unconscious belief of superiority which expresses itself in tacit ways in your interaction with everything there, without your even being able to stop it. I have seen this in whites who move abroad and though polite (this is part of being a higher white) suddenly adopt an subtly arrogant attitude toward the locals that they would not have in their own countries. The tolerance they may adopt is actually arrogant and ego-feeding. I come from Venezuela, look ‘a bit asian’, and have lived in Europe for many years, also in Asian countries. I have had plenty of (both successful and not very successful) interaction with whites.
It might have been, because almost everyone, especially Western people, has that. But she has good intentions nonetheless and she is evolving.
Reblogged this on bnetburnley.
Reblogged this on Grez Suziö.
I certainly agree. I cannot believe that a person who has the means to help a community in a third world country can’t even speak the language. If this was a plan to actually help others, a better plan would have been devised. The young lady did not think past her own nose and did more damage than not. Now someone else will have to undo her mess. The world is not your playground and people are not your toys.
Reblogged this on The World's Chronicle.
No, it’s because they’re trained to build walls. You needn’t heap so much scorn on others, you pretentious know-it-all.
I think some people who go on those trips go more for the feeling of “having done somthing” than actually doing something. Feeling like you’ve broadened the perspective.
You’re probably right, though, it would be better to just send the money.
Reblogged this on thatingenue.
Sorry, I strongly DISAGREE that sending money is constructive. Many poor countries are economically crippled by aid, which undercuts local farmers and businesses and perpetuates dependency on outside donors. If you really want to help, purchase products from those countries (and not just handicrafts!), invest in profitable businesses in those countries, or go as a bona fide tourist and spend your money there. Donation does NOT lead to development.
OK…now, do you have anything constructive or of any value to say?
Really well- written and providing a lot of food for thought!
I read Dead Aid. Moyo is a Zambian economist trained at Harvard, and she has several concrete alternatives to foreign assistance for investment and building poor economies.
Reblogged this on y7isallabout and commented:
thats not the point here but whole world created a racist generation like blacks hate whites, whites hate blacks and goes like this. I wish that those fancy bad aliens would real and come to destroy us so we can finally understand we are all same and human, because it seems books not worked pretty well by so far.
The mention of race may be a distraction from the more important point about aid and volunteer-tourism, which is very valid. In my experience in Africa, black Americans are treated just as foreign as white Americans, with good reason. White skin does not make you a genius capable of solving the problems of others, and black skin does not give you the knowledge and experience of growing up African. Only speaking the local language and demonstrating a familiarity with and respect for local culture gets you respect in return, whatever your skin color, and that takes months or years to earn. You won’t get it in a short volunteer excursion.
Thank you so much for writing this. I am currently working in Myanmar and am very much “a little white girl” who struggles with this every day. I have learned to try and make myself scarce at projects that I may have organized, designed, or helped gain funding for, simply because my presence is so detrimental to the point. My advice to anyone who volunteers is to come with a plan, but be ready to change that plan.
Well said Pippa, I admire your honesty.
Really refreshing read and very well written too!
Althougu I have never met you and do not know you, I am so very proud of your introspective release. That alone tells me you have a good heart and spirit. Keep up the good work and the good writing. As a middle aged black woman, your post madebme think 8f this topic from an entirely different vantage point. Thank you.
So great to see you out serving and letting God work in your heart. Have you read Jeff Goins’ book “Wrecked” – it may help you keep processing what you learned and what you’re feeling. I know it helped me put into words so many of my mixed up emotions. We also work with some great organizations like Operation Christmas Child, Bless Back Worldwide, and Sports Outreach Institute which have really helped me see how we can best help. I think people have to go and see and understand the need and feel that tension you felt in the field to better understand what God really wants to do through them. Thanks for sharing your story!
This is so true. So many volunteering trips are more an excuse to see another part of the world and come back with better self-esteem than actually about helping the people there. I agree with this totally. (Now I’m trying to picture what it would be like for a group of Chinese youth who don’t speak English or know American culture to come try to help out in poor Detroit neighborhoods.)
Hey Pippa, I really love your honesty here. I can appreciate how difficult it is to critique your own work especially when it is voluntary. Many people get so sucked into the experience of these trips that sometimes they can become a selfish exploit. I really agree that there is a specific role for aid in developing countries and just because we come from developed countries, it doesn’t always mean that our presence in the developing world is a gift to the people there. Keep up what you are doing and keep helping humanity in whatever way you can!
Peace be with you,
Light in a Glass
I wish the people who were traveling all over the world to help the suffering would redirect their efforts to Hunts Point in the Bronx, or Detroit, or the south side of Chicago. There are so many people here in the US who need help, and who don’t get it because helping them is less glamorous than going to Tanzania.
Reblogged this on awesomemetilda and commented:
This is great!
Thank you for this. I think this post shows remarkable maturity.
I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya then Liberia and found myself feeling quite burnt-out by the end of my time in sub-Saharan Africa. I was disappointed in my own inability to “help” and felt that it was a personal failing in many ways. I also felt quite cynical about the rampant corruption and the ability for international aid to do any good at all.
I’m only now starting to accept what you’ve already come to understand — that aid can be very effective WHEN DONE CORRECTLY. “Correctly” means accepting that real change has to come from the people you are trying to help. It means realizing that sometimes being on the ground directly “helping” is no help at all, even though it might sound lovely to people back home and look fabulous on Facebook.
Thanks again for the great post! I’m sorry to see all the criticism — don’t let it get to you!! People can be so mean sometimes . . .
Easily one of the best pieces I have read on international volunteerism in the ‘developing world’. While you are definitely to be commended for your hard work and sacrifice, you’ve also hit the nail on the head in stating: ‘Tanzanian and Dominican children need to see and experience role-models that look like them and speak their language’.
I can only pray I live long enough to witness a day when skin color, of any hue, ceases to be a problem or hindrance. We’re all human first and foremost…
I used to complain about capitalism, until I lived in an African country without it. Under a marxist military regime there were no companies, no business, no jobs, no products – it was desperate poverty. It’s better now that commerce and business are allowed, people have much more of what they need, and don’t depend as much on foreign donations and aid workers.
…might I also add that LOVE and the desire to lift the spirit of another…is a universal thing. If offered selflessly, the degree to which one is fluent in the language of a particular culture may become less important…
Beautiful. Your comment reminds me of a certain Taoist philosophy, the goal of which is ultimately to reach the Tao. The philosophy goes something like this… There are many ways in which to reach the Tao. What one must learn to do is first to chose one of the paths leading towards the Tao, follow it with dedication, and the further one learns to stray from that path, the closer one will get to the Tao. Now if I could just get my morning cup of coffee…
I think everyone is America should learn a trade even if they never use it it’s still good to know. That’s what I did and it has helped me in my life travels.
I didn’t see anything in her blog post about proselytizing. This is not about using one’s material advantage to push one’s religion onto the poor. That’s just another form of colonialism under the guise of assistance. If you work overseas and are religious, you must keep your beliefs to yourself, acknowledging that the beliefs of others are just as valid as yours. The poor do not need your religion.
Yay!! and the wool is lifted!! I am feeling ecstatic after reading your post.
Very well written and very accurate, it is incredible that you are organizing a summer camp for those in need. However, in order for you to have your eyes open for what needed to be done, didn’t you need to go on this journey? Were you not impacted by the traveling you did? Perhaps you were not good at building a library, but perhaps you wouldn’t have raised the funds if you weren’t traveling there, perhaps you would never had known what its like to do hard physical labor, you wouldn’t have seen with your own eyes what needs to be done, and that you have the resources and the privilege as a white North American to help make these things happen. Perhaps while you were abroad you inspired a little girl, but even more importantly you were inspired, and that is what led to change, I am not easily convinced that you would be where you are today if not for your early volunteer experiences.
This was perfectly written. Thank you so much for sharing this!
[…] Originally posted on PippaBiddle.com. […]
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I liked your blog. It’s great work you’re doing. Don’t feel bad about not building things. It’s important to know that a lot of good work can be done by just being a tourist; spreading kindness, sharing stories, being a catalyst for change, and reminding the rest of the world there is some good “out there!” Zulu Delta
Here is a small sample of my blog
http://zuludelta45.net/2013/03/09/ataturk/
This article was thought provoking in that it made me rethink all of my own volunteer time and the impact (or lack of impact) that I really had. Thank you for the new perspective.
Except for your little rant about imagined white privilege, very right on. Sounds like my Peace Corps years. As an engineer with almost 20 years of experience I was the only on in our group of 20 (mostly right out of college, no experience or relevant education, and definitely all Waite) that was of any use or managed to accomplish anything in our time there. The others mostly spent time organizing worthless seminars, lots of feel good activities and traveling and partying with other volunteers. While most of them were well-like, few of them garnered any respect. Some left a very bad impression of Peace Corps and Americans in general. peace Corps really needs to screen it’s volunteers for those that can actually contribute something concrete, not just have a big adventure and claim to have been “doing something” at taxpayers expense.
Reblogged this on Philosophers_Society.
Love this post! It makes a lot of sense!
Reblogged this on Lantanagurl's Rambling Mind.
This is a wonderfully honest take on the subject. Despite it all I think you’re an “unsung-hero” but a hero nonetheless. Keep up the passionate work!
There’s a lot here that I agree with, but I do have to join in with the folks who are taking some issue with your cavalier use of the word “white.” I am white enough if you squint and close one eye, but am also the scion of a very financially straitened working-class heritage, like many people in this country. To use limousine-liberal terms, I’m a Bunker, a lunchbucket, one of those people — along with the Bubbas in “the flyover” — who are conveniently dark, rural, or poor enough to look down on but white enough that the LLs won’t lose their liberal cred for doing so.
We could have built that wall. I promise you: take a crowd of those awful, terrible, racist Bunkers and ignorant, NASCAR-loving Bubbas in the flyover, and drop us down in the middle of Tanzania, and we will either build the wall, or pay a bunch of locals to do it while we cook them some food.
So while I do get the cluelessness of privilege and how whiteness intersects with it, I also want to call you out on the word a bit; I’m sorry to tell you that your skin color does not allow you to “other” poverty or financial struggle quite as thoroughly as you think. The reason why I’m a bit snarky about this is because the voluntourism “I shall go to darkest Africa and shed some White on the people” types tend to react badly when this is pointed out to them, informing us “Bubbas and Bunkers” in a truly mindblowing display of twisted logic that we are terrible, horrible racists for daring to say that poverty, struggle, or lack of resources is not so far away from you as you think.
Just going to play a game with part of your post… See what it might bring up. (I’m not trying to pick on you particularly– just the first mission post I saw)
——–/-////-//–//begin—-/-/
I’m a 6’2” white farm kid from a Satanic family who works hard being an example of Satan’s unconditional awesomeness and unconditional hedonism to a group of people that society has, for the most part discarded. I have absolutely nothing in common with the ex-street kids I work with but we live together in community and have become a family. I’m here because I came here on a short term Satanic outreach trip and saw the need for someone to be that example of hedonism and awesomeness. I’ve been doing it for many years and will continue to do so and I will continue to invite anyone and everyone from North America, white, black or green to come see what Satan is doing here and to be a part of it.
————-end —-
How did reading that flip make you feel? If you believed something else and someone attached ‘help’ to ‘salvation via Satan” — what would those feelings look like?
If you can’t flip the words that drive your purpose to another, and be cool with that, there might be something important to sort out to do the work better.
Good post. Everyone should know what they can really contribute.
I’m sorry but i really don’t understand you are helping people why does it matter what color your skin is
But I feel as though it is just considered “poverty” to us, in America. Yes, Africa has several health problems with malaria and HIV, but who says they want business, jobs, and products? Granted, this is speculation. I’ve never been to Africa or talked to an African about the direction they want to see their country go in, so I respect your opinion. I just hate that fact that we, as Americans, always think that every place in the world that does not have business and money is in need of our help. Some cultures are just different than ours. Last point – capitalism is not a regime that reduces/demolishes poverty. The US poverty rate is out of control and I believe one of the highest in the world for developed countries.
What a refreshing point of view. Super interesting.
I think this piece is very informative and very well written. Thank you.
Really well written. Props to you for being able to admit this. Nonetheless, even if the $3000 spent on your trip could have been better used, there was still value in you going. Not for the work you did there, but for what you realised and the ideology you are now spreading.
Great insight… and that surely makes sense. But the whole idea of this camping or international volunteering is – although you as a person may not be contributing initially but just you putting an effort and seeing it first hand will motivate people like you to consider helping people/countries/firms in need. This is a great step and I totally understand your point of view but if it wasn’t for that first steps you wouldn’t be helping less fortunate people this day? don’t you think so?
“The poor do not need your religion.”
The last sentence of a comment usually is a summary, sometimes even an ultimatum, towards which the rest of the commentary is aiming. I make no apologies in advance, while giggling with cramps around my face, unable to resist stating, as a response to that last sentence, “Neither does anyone else.”
This comment rang a bell with a product line I found – Runa tea, it is backed by a non-profit whose purpose is to help local farmers grow the tea product in Ecuador to create an avenue for business for them. I’m not intending to make this an advertisement but their business model is a really reasonable way to ensure the money goes where it needs. It’s always hard to know if they are a scam, but being a registered non-profit subjects them to some scrutiny, and they are very thorough with details and pictures on the website. They were also tabling and giving out samples when I first encountered.
I live in a startup hub and these kinds of ideas are gaining traction. The experts (professors in economic development) I’ve learned from agree with your sentiment, and see entrepreneurship, “seed” money and facilitating commerce is the way to go, they don’t even suggest it needs to be non-profit, but it’s also lower risk being a managed non-profit rather than direct entrepreneurship for the producers (farmers in Ecuador) since the training,resources and business model is provided right out of the gate and entire communities are targeted. However, though a higher risk, putting the full means of production and distribution within the producer can make a for-profit a win in the long run. Both are theoretically preferable to dumping aid or peace corp type gigs.
Chinese youth helping out in poor Detroit neighborhoods! Damn! That is a friggin genius idea! That could actually work. I guess that is why no one has really attempted it before? Watch out, DC, you could be next.
I do admire people who dare step out of their usual boundaries to find a new, more meaningful life!
To clarify, David Stewart, I was really agreeing with what you wrote, and sometimes I let my humor get in the way of my sarcasm. What you wrote provided excellent imagery for me, trying to picture a group of polite tiny quite spoken youth in the middle of Detroit trying to explain in a foreign language that please don’t shoot us as communist socialist terrorists during these troubled times because we are actually here to try and help you rebuild your society during the next ten days.
Kudos! Danielle! During a really down period of my life I told a really special confidant that I felt that, “i’ve just come to the realization that I am just the F!”#¤%&/ result of all the !%¤W#”¤R #”¤#¤ that has ever happened to me!”
Maybe his unexpected response to my outburst could be appropriate on this thread.
“You are the impending investigation of all that will ever happen to you.”
Thanks for your thoughts. I don’t remember saying anything about sharing religion. I remember thinking that the beautiful blogger was sharing something of herself with others. I’m sorry you misunderstood my thoughts. Easy to do though. I hope you’re having a great day!
Your blog and post were so interesting to me. I pray that one day the color of Anyone’s skin does not apply to the finished project. We may get it one day, but need a few more generations of kids who look up to their surroundings and do not judge by color. God Bless you for your work..
Reblogged this on Tarek Elbakry's Blog.
Reblogged this on rararasputin2014 and commented:
This is sound advice, I was considering taking part in a teaching period in Tindouf , Algeria, and I will say you’ve given me much to think about.
I am not sure how I feel about this blog post. Reading the many responses to the original post provides a great discussion starter for any group planning to take a trip overseas to do volunteer work. As many students at our college are getting ready to leave on ICOs I am wondering what their thoughts are on this blog.
Amazing way of looking at it. I never would have understood that point of view had I not read this post. Thank you for this.
This is an amazing piece. Getting the local economies going sometimes requires disaster relief, but the only true way to help any economy–ours included–is to infuse it with innovation and sustainability. Great post!
JACKOTT; You assumed correctly that she wants to be treated like an adult, However certain statements made by you make it clear that you do not believe that she IS and adult. For example, take the puerile statement you wrote to her:
“Please open your eyes to the overpriced bag of poo that the educational/industrial complex fraudulently sold to you.”
I do not consider this condescending statement to be something that I myself would normally say to an adult, not to mention the opening introductory statement you made in your next message to her, full of fatherly advice, which she herself had just got done explaining to you (and all of us can plainly see that you in your 3-step program towards… whatever.. are trying to usurp this fountain of knowledge from her and claim it as your own source of wisdom);
“just in case you ever want to leave the womb, and actually build something of value on planet earth: well, now you know the path. [Step1:… Step 2:… Step 3:..].”
So, in summary, when you write, “Gee….see I assumed she wanted to be treated like an adult. Very different from your approach” you are blatantly lying while also trying to implicate that I have less respect for her than my writings would indicate. Unlike yours.
It just occurred to me that you have yet to enter the conversation. You haven’t even first listened to the discussion. Your behavior so far has been to tell people what they are, what they are not, and what they should do. Thanks, but I already have two Fathers.
Finally, someone understands.
I strongly disagree with this article. Why: The author is describing the missionary experience, as well as the Peace Corps experience – mostly white people going to regions of the world inhabited by dark skinned people – doing good works. Be proud of helping others, no matter where in the world you go. We live in a global, interconnected world where Africans listen to US music, American’s emulate European fashion, and the Chinese are building public infrastructure in South America and Africa. Stop worrying about some kid looking up to a white person, or lamenting that locals aren’t the only ones helping locals. The world is a highly interconnected place and you are not in any way spoiling the local scene by your skin color.
Yes, you can do good work in the US as a white person. And YES, you can do good work over seas as a white person. Match your skill set to the task – but do not fall victim to “white shame.” Be a good global citizen and help out where you can.
Totally agree. I am currently volunteering in Ecuador, but with a local family who need help with there business. I have never felt so helpfully in my life, everyday I can see how much I am making a difference and it is the most fulfilling feeling ever.
Very interesting article, thanks for sharing! Much of what you say rings true with my own experience in the Peace Corps several years ago. However, as you have poignantly demonstrated through this article, much of the value of traveling and volunteering in developing countries is the perspective that YOU as a volunteer gain – disillusionment and all! I think the message by schools, service programs, NGOs and GOs needs to change — instead of being told that we will be a “godsend” who will improve people’s lives through a few weeks, months, or even years of work, we should be told that we may not necessarily help, but will certainly BE helped, and will learn a new perspective that we carry with us into whatever career path we take. Did my two and a half years as a Peace Corps volunteer change the lives of the people I worked with? Maybe. Did it change me? Definitely.
I think a lot of people mis-interpret the whole volunteering in third-world countries as something rewarding. One of my best friends had gone to Africa a few years ago with a religious group to teach english. She came back with a completely different view on developing countries. Like you said, you weren’t wanted there because of your skin tone, and the same was for her. Kids didn’t even want the help she was offering because she was white. None of them wanted anything to do with what she had to say. None of them liked her because she was white.
This is one of the most open and scathingly frank article about White acts of benevolence. Reading through the comments, one can’t help to see how many “Whites” are going even paler. White supremacy has led to many injustices to both those who believe and live in white supremacist mindsets and the ones in the developing countries who have been whitewashed to believe that even novices from the white world are experts and angels from heaven. One thing needs to be acknowledged: we all have something to learn from each other and this writer has captured it all! Kudos for brevity and doing something which very few from the white community would do – even those who claim to be social justice oriented!!!
Moreover, finally, someone posted something that may have been on many minds for a long time but nobody posted.
Precisely. Thank you.
[…] a clear perspective on something I’ve often wrestled with. Here’s the original article: https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/18/the-problem-with-little-white-girls-and-boys/ The heart of the article is […]
Reblogged this on TATIANA VILLANA.
Gosh you’ve hit a nerve if there are 400+ comments on this post. May I suggest: some links on your blog to local leaders in the countries whom you highly respect and want the rest of the world to know that they are the real leaders in their communities?
After all, if you say it’s not you that should be in the limelight nor provide leadership long term, then take the next simple step to showcase the leaders and engage in dialogue directly here on your blog.
I am a trained librarian (there are library information science programs at the college and university level in North America) and it’s not just about setting bookshelves anymore. Literacy includes computer literacy and teaching critical thinking skills. I would never dream of constructing a library. I am not an engineer and have in fact worked over 15 years in engineering libraries and information management. My construction skills pose a public safety hazard!!!! (My partner is a civil engineer.)
Volunteer with your eyes wide open and only offer skills that one has true strong trained and work expertise. The developing countries want advanced complementary skills for their local university-educated folks, not basic skills from North America.
A sister who is a physician did volunteer for a few months in Dominica…a tiny, poor island in the Carribbean.
Excellent blog post that is honest and seeks to learn in humility.
[…] Pippa Biddle on coming to terms with the privilege inherent in the color of her skin as a ‘voluntourist (Seriously blog gods, we’ve been writing about “voluntourism” for ages now, stop auto-correcting it to ‘voluntarism’!!!)’: […]
Reblogged this on diaryofabrokenlife.
Beautiful and insightful piece. Congrats on being Freshly Pressed 🙂
I am hugely behind the idea of native people doing the work – train them and let them do it. SO much more effective. I worked overseas for 12 yrs. I get it.
I just loved and appreciated this! I think you came to the right conclusion. It does better profit a child to have heroes and community leader to whom he can relate. Thank you for truly being selfless and putting the needs of the people you help first. Thank you for posting this. I will share!
thanks for sharing
Great job! Check my blog if you Want http://www.theflagstyle.com 🙂
Oh, to have the problems of the privileged. I do realize that this story is not intended for me and yet I find it very interesting. This is like a window into the life the privileged white people live. I honestly respect your desire to give back. Only a few get to do such meaningful work for no pay. I am white here in the good ole U.S. and wish I had the dilemma of how to best channel my international volunteering efforts. How about putting some of that good intention, effort and $$ here at home? The U.S. is headed towards earning the title “third world” with the growing division in the distribution of wealth. I do realize that volunteer work here doesn’t come with the worldly resumé esteem that volunteering abroad does. Or maybe you do volunteer here too, but it’s just not part of this story. Either way, this was an eye opening read for me. This struggle is virtually invisible in my life.
This made my heart swell. It’s so rare and so refreshing to see such honesty and genuine selflessness. Thank you for sharing this!
The only skill set that is needed by a mission teamer is that they have a servant’s heart. I’ve had skilled folks come here and many times their agenda gets in their way. Humble folks, they are the most valuble folks in the world, bar none. I have had our share of both. My wife and I have an extended family of AIDS kids, that we have raised for the last ten years in Haiti.
What a great article and brutally honest. Thank you for sharing this. We need to know how we are of real help IF we really want to help or do we just want to soothe our egos. Good on you for telling it like it is!
Reblogged this on Traces of the Soul and commented:
Wise words, take heed…if you really want to make a difference find out where that need is and not just jump on the band wagon to feel good about yourself. A very honest and real article…
Reblogged this on Cher Shares and commented:
Food for thought. In an age where we need to use all our resources sparingly and “smartly”…here is an honest account on what helps and what does not help. Those who volunteer know that it feels good to give…but it is not about you or me…is it now? It is about helping where you can truly make a difference and not soothe egos or boost our self-esteem (although that will happen anyways when you are giving from the heart…really!) Have a look-see here…this writer tells it as it is…for real! Cheryl-Lynn
Thank you for your honesty, and for your heart.
Reblogged this on bluestgirl.
Thanks for writing I enjoyed it.
Reblogged this on SERENDIPITOUSLY yours.
Great article. It really makes you think about how you are best to help and your right being a weight to the progress is not a help. Your article has made me rethink trying to get myself & my 7 yr old daughter out there to “help”. In most instances we would be a hindrance if we went. Well done & done with such insight & tact 🙂
Although I appreciate your view, I couldn’t disagree with you more. I have been on two mission trips to Nicaragua. During both of them I witnessed poverty that I never would have been able to imagine otherwise. It is one thing to be told that there are starving children in the world and another to hold a child in your arms that may or may not make it to adulthood. In your article you completely disregard the power of witness. I didn’t do anything in Nicaragua that made a lasting difference. No little girls wake up every morning thinking of me. However, when I went home I was able to inspire others to donate thousands. Many people share your opinion that it the money would be best spent if it was just given to the people in need instead of sending “voluntourists” to go over on what many see as a glorified vacation. You cannot solve the issue of poverty by throwing money at it. People need to care. By sending children to see that not everyone has the luxury of having a roof over their heads, having a pair of shoes, or knowing where their next meal is coming from you are teaching the next generation to appreciate what they have and fight against the inequity and injustice in our world. You may not have made a huge difference when you were in Tanzania or the D.R., however, your actions upon returning changed lives and I believe that you are a better person for your experiences.
I went to Nicaragua with my mother when I was fourteen. Although the most productive thing I did there was hand out meals, my entire view of the world changed. I am now in nursing school and considering spending a few years of my life bringing healthcare to people in rural areas who otherwise wouldn’t have access to it. I was also able to raise thousands of dollars with my church to send to programs there. It’s what you take out of your trip and what you do when you get back that counts.
I am beginning to think that the money you raise and bring to the community you are volunteering in is the reason they really need you. But they let you stay and try to build things and talk to people so that you can bring more money down next time you visit. they help us feel good about ourselves. That is the energizer for the fundraising…
Good points – but I think there’s more to consider. When we go out into the world’s places of need thinking we have the ability to make it better, at best we’re probably kidding ourselves. We may be making it worse. When we go into places of need knowing we are in need ourselves, we can enter into relationships as equals, learn from one another, and return transformed. Too many “white savior”types are stubbornly unaware of their own poverty.
I completely agree. A lot of people sign up for these programs more for “personal growth” or resume builders or to do genuine good but don’t think about the true implications. I completely agree that being surrounded by peers in your own community who look, talk, and can communicate with you in more ways than one is a huge factor. Thanks for this fantastic post!
Reblogged this on Global Frolic and commented:
It is a funny thing, to be welcomed with open arms and simultaneously loathed because you are white. Arriving in a third world country with white skin is a sign of money, of wealth, of course! You just stepped off an enormous aircraft that the people begging for your money will never set foot on, never even see the inside of the airport, or know what those G-forces feel like. In an area where government aid comes in the form of 10 kilos of rice a month, it barely feeds families and villages. They send their children to the streets to beg for money and sell bracelets in local restaurants and beaches, anywhere a white person may roam. Instead of going to school and getting an education, the children learn English from their dealings with tourists, they learn math from haggling, they learn how to determine who has money and who doesn’t. They read expressions, body language and judge from a place of experience.
I myself have purchased bracelets, sarongs, trinkets from these children. I cannot ignore my impulse to help them, to fulfill the “savior complex” inside of me. I can blame my parents, both social workers, for my helping gene, or I can blame the fact that I was simply lucky enough to be born in an affluent country with white skin. Regardless, whether it be volunteering or simply giving, I weigh the pro’s and con’s of giving away money. Am I perpetuating the problem? Giving them money will only further their desire (and their parent’s) to send them back to the streets every morning, forgoing school altogether. Is my tiny contribution worth missing out on a life of education, the promise of a future outside of hustling for tourist pocket change? I don’t know.
This article addresses something very important. Anyone and everyone who has volunteered or is considering it in the future, think about how to use your resources more effectively. It’s not about us, it is about them, however I feel that we confuse that far too often.
This is a wonderful post. I took a cultural missions class, my last semester in undergrad. Our required text was a book titled, The Monkey and The Fish. The premise of the book was exactly what you’re describing. We go to countries thinking that our tactics are helping when they are really hurting the other culture. We have to understand them, truly understand their culture in order to make an impact. I agree with a lot of the points you have made and I hope that more ppl are like you and I in our revelations of truth. True social change will only happen when we love ppl for who they are and “where” they are.
Reblogged this on Vantage.
Trust me- your work makes a difference. Sometimes, all children need is someone to talk to them, to cheer them up. All help does not have to be practical – things make a difference at various levels.
Reblogged this on invisible (no longer) and commented:
As someone interested in international development and aid, this is an issue I think of often. Fascinating and important food for thought!
Well Said Allison McLeod, I agree with you. If more poeple go, (even if they are a hindrance while they are there) more people can come back and find a place where they can be more effective. Nothing can replace the testimony and experience you live through while being there.
I like your article and agree with everything you said except the last paragraph. I would ask you on thing? What do you think would happen if 1000 voluntourists (like yourself) went to all these places and came back and pledged commitments (like you did)?
Think about it and I hope you post a reply to it in the near future.
I liked this article, it raised issues that had never occurred to me before.
A lot of this could be changed by simply reorganising much of aid in terms where there is not a white savior but somebody that teaches local how to”save” themselves
Anyway very interesting points
He must increase, but I must decrease.
I agree with you to a huge extent. But I don’t think the problem stems from being white, it’s more of a ‘superior’ group coming in to help that’s a problem to me. I went with a notion I can help because I know more; I can give because I have more; I can teach because I have more knowledge and am more worldly. I came back humbled. The villagers I were with had no use for what I had. They lived off the land. They were contented and happy with simple joys. We introduced medication which they will have no access to by the time we left. We brought sweets and cookies and treats but only gave the children dental problems. During our stay, a temporary shelter was built for us. By the end of the volunteering term, I think I took away more than I actually gave. I learnt more about life, community living and love than I ever did in my city life. I didn’t help, I went to be helped.
Amen, Chad. There is a certain arrogance in assuming that one’s skin color is such a significant and supremely important part of one is to others. Much more important is a willingness to serve one another with love and devotion and friendship. We are all part of the human race, and travel connects us with one another, and helps us share our cultures.
The mistakes and assumptions of our ancestors has shaped the world, but let us prayerfully consider how we might humble ourselves to serve one another and not to feel guilt for what we have no control over (the skin colors we were born with),
very well work done…keep going…i liked it…its nice…as am a new blogger in this world and i wrote just 1 blog (story) (http://mindtechnorms.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/when-god-granted-tittus-to-go-to-earth-for-1-day-part-i/) and unable to find my viewer as like you, can u please help me by reading my 1st blog what wrong with my writing…is really something wrong with my writing or am just expecting too early…your helpful comments will really inspire me… and please follow me…
Really interesting post on a topic I have often wondered. I am always perplexed by the “going to build a school” trips from people I know who have absolutely no skill in that arena.
Great post.
Very well written! Totally agree
this is kinda touchy, and i feel the essence of being a human. reading through it makes me think there must be something with our color why is given, it be with a pupose 🙂
*it must be with a purpose.
Good post; I think to many people do something charitable and are self-satisfied with themselves just for doing something.
Great diversity awareness here, enjoyed your humility around what “making a difference” actually means.
Wow!!!
Thanks.. 🙂
Reblogged this on TanzaTere and commented:
Very interesting insights.
Hello Pippa, thank you for this article, upon which I just stumbled.. I have been pondering on the subject of “development aid” myself for only a bit now, having come to Tanzania almost four months ago, and I am finding your thoughts very insightful and, if I can say it like that, very mature.
Wow, that is profound.
You know you should look deeply into the work Jehovah’s Witnesses are doing and how they are organised to help regularly and when disaster strikes.
See their news blog at http://www.jw.org/en/news/ .
They are so organised even their website is coordinated to update WEEKLY in over 300 languages. There is no other website quite like it.
Volunteering with an open mind means you learn a lot about yourself. That is good. But you are absolutely right in that it doesn’t necessarily make a difference where you volunteer, depending on where you go and what you do.
And a lot of people seem to forget that there may be greater opportunities to help, if that is really what you want to do, around the corner from home. You don’t need to go far to do good. And westerners who come to a country to volunteer (and pay a lot of money to do so) often expect (and sometimes get) special treatment and have special arrangement taking away the focus from where it’s really needed.
Thanks for a well written article/blogspost that really makes you think
I think you need to consider that what you have done for yourself and for others is inspiring. It’s not about skin colour, it’s about helping out. Whether that assistance is big or small, it’s still a willingness to help. Don’t think that that doesn’t go unnoticed by every one in that country. Sure they may think you’re incompetent, but they appreciate that you have tried to help. Kids tend not to because they are like any normal kid from UK, America, China, India; they just want to act like a kid.
I think you’re being too critical on your own abilities, and other Western cultures because we are innately ignorant. But that is not our faults. It is only our faults if we chose to remain ignorant. And clearly your ignorance is gone, and these experiences have opened your eyes.
But I do think what you’ve said is true and thoughtful. You are really clued up.
As for a child looking up to you rather than their mother, or something, is probably unlikely. You’re a temporary thing in their life and your impact was only a building block, not a permanent marker.
I’d image lots of us think about going out to do charitable work somewhere in world, at some point in our lives. Most of us don’t get off our bottoms and do it, for whatever reason, but admire those that do. Great, valid and informative post, giving us another view point to think about.
I can also understand the points Allison McLeod makes. Particularly that going to some of these places, seeing the poverty and devastation first hand, has a long lasting affect. One that lives with you for the rest of your life and colours your passion to help and motivate others to do the same.
Great post.
Reblogged this on Ponderment and commented:
If you’ve ever volunteered internationally, it really makes you think…
Interesting views on your work. You still achieved what you set out to do and learnt valuable lessons along the way. Look up Zimbabwe and consider doing some work here….just a thought to brave white girl!!
Unfortunately charity is big business.
is good to to be a tourist but u have to learn how to treat every one equal no matter your race
Thank you for this post. I’ve never done any international volunteering, so this was a helpful perspective for me. I volunteer in my own community and teach ESL. I’ve been thinking about trying an international program. I will be much more informed and truly think about where I might be helpful after reading your post.
You may not have helped in ways you supposed but better that than negative funding for military patriarchal crap that is backed by large political machines. Congratulations for being so aware 🙂
I’m “african american”, 6’3 and probably would have been more out of place than you in any of those situations…I don’t know how to feel right now.
You are beautiful! And I hope you understand I am complimenting your whole self.
Long live and prosper. May you touch a million lives…
BP
Reblogged this on kustormize.
Nice article. Ian
I liked this post because last night I watched a presentation by one of my fellow church members about his trips to Africa with a group of fellow engineers to build and repair electrical infrastructure in Liberia after the war there ended. His pictures were powerful but his remarks even more so, especially the contrast between their culture and ours. I was glad to hear that one of the most important points of their organization’s mission statement was that they always stayed in contact after doing their project which always included training the locals to take over the maintenance of what they showed them how to build. The locals had their personal phone numbers and a way to contact them with problems 24/7. These guys are high powered electrical engineers with busy lives, but they never abandon anyone. They have worked on hospitals and schools, providing hope for whole countries. They only take people with them who are proven experts in the field of building electrical infrastructure, and have dealt with illness, local primitive living conditions, culture shock, and language difficulties. They are amazing. I also have a cousin who works on trips to Vietnam and China teaching English to students there, and remains in constant contact with them to continue tutoring them after she leaves. Most of her students are college students or teachers there and want to learn the language in order to deal with the modern foreign world now moving into their cultures.
I wonder if by making such trips, people come back with a new reality in themselves. Suddenly they understand. Perhaps they are motivated to get training to help. Perhaps at some later time they support orphanages and carpenters. Our church sends people to these places…and they come back changed. And they then support those who do the real work. We do send carpenters and roofers, along with money for supplies to build churches, orphanages and dig wells.
Reblogged this on .
I must respectfully disagree. Your work in Tanzania was not a failure because you were white, it was a failure because you were a teenager with no experience laying bricks. A group of black teenaged girls with no experience laying bricks would have been equally ineffective. A wealthy, educated black attorney with no experience laying bricks would have failed as well. An experienced bricklayer who just happens to be white would have been able to do the job. Race has nothing to do with it.
I recently graduated from nursing school (second career). In a few years, when I have broadened my nursing skills and gained some experience, I hope to go on a mission trip where I can serve in a clinic. Should I limit my visit to a white third-world country? I think not. Should a black woman with a burden for orphans not be allowed to go rock babies in an Albanian orphanage? Of course not. Those of us with skills to offer and a desire to serve should be able to go wherever we want.
Reblogged this on Punkonomics.
Pippa, I commend you for starting a conversation! Great post.
Sounds to me like the problem has more to do with the Hubris of the affluent than race, I’ll bet minority sorority girls can’t lay bricks or speak a second language fluently either. The fact is while doctors and nurses can afford to go abroad to volunteer (and many many do) The other people who they need to go help are people like me and the 2 Mexican guys on my crew, bi-lingual construction workers. I however can’t afford to do that so I am limited to volunteering locally. Race issues won’t ever go away until we start to truly look past it as a reason for anything. I get her point but she speaks from rich white guilt and tries to blame her ego and inadequacies on her heritage instead of her privileged upbringing.
Well said. Please tell us how we can help your organization. How can my family and my church help? How can we start something like this within our own community to encourage that “teach a man to fish” mentality?
This is a very honest and true account of the only time where being white hurts you. In developing countries, being “white” is not just about the color of your skin but also a social status. I actually had a Professor in college that was from Tanzania. He had said that after 8 years of living in the US, his accent had changed and when he went back to visit family, people treated him different and called him “white”. Wild perspective. Thanks!
Well. I don’t think I ever read those first lines written by a white person before. But then maybe I am just not reading enough. This is life and it is what it is. Your experiences give you ‘new eyes’, had you not done this you wouldn’t be the person you are today, sharing out loud and making a difference. Being given that extra life lesson by parents because of the color of your skin is a survival skill for non whites. I often wonder if such conversations take place in white households. And if not, what do you get taught instead. Thanks for sharing, on more ways than one.
I love your thinking behind this. I have grown up as an IMB kid. My family has hosted many teams of short term missionaries. And I have since been a part of many mission trips. And I have often thought, have these people really helped much? And the answer has often been no, for several high school americans. But now as I work in student ministry, I still think going on a short term mission trip to a third world country is often one of the best things a young american can do. Not so much for the work they are doing for others, but for the work God does in the hearts of these americans through their service. Young first-world minds need to serve and they need to see that the world is hurting. If HS students just sent money to places in need (although that is great too) they would not have benefited themselves from such an amazing trip. So much growth comes from broadening your perspective on the world and from serving in general. I’m sure even you would not be doing the work you are doing today if it were not for those short trips.
Reblogged this on Brookie's Blog and commented:
Excellent read. Want to provide assistance abroad? Read this first and consider how you can beat help those you want to help!
Its encouraging that you are able to assess theory via practical experience and bold enough to accept your shortcomings. If the ‘foreign’ Non Governmental Organizations, well-wishers and developed country governments followed suit, then positive growth and development would me more common/evident among developing nations.
About the only “positive” or benefit of short term missions trips (other than ones done by truly competent people with particular skills such as doctors or construction workers) is for the person going on the trip, not the people the Westerners are allegedly “helping.” That was your experience. Even your case, however, is probably the exception. Most Westerners who go on such short term trips only come back feeling good about themselves but do not make any particular changes in their lives. Short term missions trips are horribly expensive. To really make a difference, instead of spending thousands of dollars on the trip Westerners should give that money to organizations that are actually making a difference.
Reblogged this on steffabravo6.
When we took high school kids to Mexico to build homes, we trained them before we ever left on the trip. We taught them the basic skills that would be needed and then gave them a basic construction project to complete. As is usual in these cases, the skilled ones rose to the leadership positions and the rest learned how to follow directions and work as a team. Nobody was re-doing our work once we hit the work site. Everybody contributed and came home with sore muscles, a new appreciation for their comforatable homes and a changed view about volunteer work. From the sound of your trip experience, it doesn’t sound like anybody had a clue of how things go once you are on-site. We had experienced adult leaders that had made the trip before and knew what to expect and what to do. We also had experienced teens making their 2nd, 3rd or even 4th trip to set an example for the rookies. It really comes down to having the right people in the right postions with the right motivations.
Reblogged this on My Grass is Always Green and commented:
Although I am not white, I might as well be, and I feel so similarly to this girl it’s kind of crazy. So rather than write my own blog I figured I’d repost hers. #considerthis
Reblogged this on The Palladian Goat and commented:
Well said…. Something I’ve learned as well overseas.
stop
Exactly! So many times, I’ve set to volunteer feeling all high and mighty at the good deed I’m about to do only to realize, that I am massively incompetent for the job. It is a very difficult decision to make but sometimes it’s better to donate and leave it be, rather than insisting on helping out. Sometimes.
I don’t think the issue is a race/ethnicity issue. I think it’s a cultural and socio-economic issue. I’m not white, but living in a first world country I have the same gaps in understanding and relation when I go to places like Malawi, Botswana, or Thailand. I’ve often felt like my trips have been fruitless in regards to our main purpose for having gone. My trip to Thailand especially since it was supposed to be a relief trip after the Tsunami. The over-regulation of the organizations organizing the trip, our young ages, our lack of cultural and linguistic understanding of the country we were visiting, and a lack of actual skills needed to do what we were supposedly there to do. It isn’t a problem that the majority of the short term missionaries were “little white kids” but that we were ALL first world kids who had no idea what we were doing. And yes, we got in the way, we didn’t accomplish what we were there for, and our perceived value was over exaggerated to where we were unaware of how much we didn’t help. Did we have great experiences, meet great people, learn things? Of course. But the idea of how much a group of American (or any first world country) kids can actually accomplish and benefit a third world society across the globe is over inflated and detrimental to really everyone involved.
Reblogged this on Young African Pioneers.
Hello, I am not sure if the tittle is right (I am native by the way) but I understand the text. I am from the frontier between Peru and Bolivia, I’ve studied with classmates that after died for malnutrition, and although I don’t consider myself poor I’ve passed times, weeks, without food. But I feel lucky to not have received “help” from ONGs or volunteers. I am so sorry but the help make that the people don’t use its skills to be better persons but to wait for more help. In my city that hasn’t that help we study science and we build and have commerce because we have no choice and we know that we can. In another cities instead, where there is international aid, the children are poor and the families hasn’t goals to be better because they are “fine” with the help.
I am not against help but I would prefer that that help would be conditioned to an effort to the beneficiaries to be better, something similar to a scholarship.
I am not clear what race has to do with the poster’s concern, but I do identify with her concern in regard to the continuance, though in a new form, of the last century’s elitist British right of passage in which the wealthiest would visit the Empire’s colonies.
While such experiential tourism obviously expanded the experiences, horizons, and in short the resume’s of the wealthy who would later lead Britain, such experiential tourism did little for the localities visited.
[…] Originally published on pippabiddle.com […]
Agreed.
“Help” is often helpful only to the image crafting of the wealthy who are not so much giving as they are purchasing pretense of philanthropy. The recipients by contrast frequently develop a “cargo cult” mentality that traps them in poverty.
Help for the sake of help is not helpful.
Said another way, help in the absence of a growth in the individual resilience of the recipient is not help but rather cultural imprisonment.
Great article. While traveling through India and Southeast Asia, I too experienced what it’s like to be “the other” for the first time. During this trip I wasn’t doing mission work, just attempting to immerse myself in other cultures. But, as is true for any traveler, it was difficult at times to convince people that I was legitimately interested in learning more about them and their culture rather than fulfill the bullet points of some hidden agenda. I experienced some seriously uncomfortable yet enlightening situations that really helped me see the world – and my place in it – from a new perspective. If you have a minute, I’d love for you to check out my wordpress or travel blog!
http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/kellyhodo and http://www.kellyhodo.wordpress.com
Thanks!!
Now take a different approach: being these countries’ biggest problem the lack of education and highly trained professionals, maybe the main problem is that they are not capable of using this potential.
I agree that’s why I only signed up for cleaning rivers or forests. There were camps helping children with disabilities in Japan but I thought that was a real job for someone who spoke japanese and was trained in order not to harm these children. Your point of view is quite original I think, it’s so “obvious” for some that they are going to help even though they don’t have the skills required.
I do agree with your thoughts on volunteering, mostly. People should volunteer locally. However, I do not agree with the whole ‘white savior’ thoughts. If they don’t want to think the white’s are saving them, then don’t accept the white folks money!
I disagree, for the simple reason that the more people meet, interact, and (try to) help people not like themselves, the better off we are. Had you not gone on your trips, you would not have found your calling working with this camp in the Dominican. A friend of mine turned a trip to Kenya into his life’s work, moving to Nairobi and starting a family there. Even though his “only” skill was as a bicycle mechanic. Furthermore, I know Africans who met American contacts on such programs, and were able to use such contacts to attend university in the US, and return to Africa and apply their skills as teachers and doctors. I also know of Americans who used skills gained volunteering in Africa to become community organizers, leaders, and doctors back in the US. The desire to help others is not arrogance, regardless of the color of our skin.
If you’ve not already read it, I highly recommend WHEN HELPING HURTS. It is one of the reasons that I now work for an organization (Medical Ambassadors International) that does development work in third world countries instead of the traditional relief-based mission model.
While there are many causes of poverty, the biggest one is in the worldview of the poverty-stricken who have been taught by well-intentioned missionaries that they have nothing to offer and that they need the white man to come and bring them things instead of taking initiative to use the assets and giftedness they have from God to climb out of poverty. And every time we go and give away things, we perpetuate that worldview.
Community Transformation projects. Check them out here: http://e3partners.org/communitytransformation
I really got involved in this blog, I was going to say ‘enjoyed,’ however it seemed wrong somehow. I honestly see things differently for reading this article of personal experience.
How true it is that only people of like minds/cultures can truly help one another on such a personal and detrimental level. Seems almost crystal clear as I read your words.
Through trying to help, we can get fogged and disillusioned into thinking ‘we are doing the right thing.’ Yet, how education in the wrong place are so apparently a hindrance.
I’m applying for voluntary work. But I’ve decided to stick to what I know, with people that I understand. As a mother of Autistic children, I know their needs. And I do not speak other languages well enough to work with multi-cultural backgrounds. I do however support charity from any culture of life.
Thank you for this well thought out, empathetic and beautiful post. I hope many read this. It deserves an audience.
Really well said.
Being white didn’t hurt you. Being unqualified fir the job you were trying to do hurt you. Talk about dopey self-loathing.
I get drawn aback when I read sentences opening this way, “I don’t think the issue is a race/ethnicity issue. I think it’s a cultural and socio-economic issue.” The world we live in today and all the successes we see are molded after the Primitive mode of accumulation. It is accumulation by dispossession. The latter can take many forms which a number of us do not even consider. Normally, all we think about is material but it goes way beyond that. I am a black African man living in North America and race is a huge issue. I know many people would say, “I am not fighting about race or colour but the cultural concepts/or supremacy” but I kind of think all this is wrong. It is all about racial supremacy and when we talk about socioeconomics and politics of the world, we should not forget the foundations upon which they were built and how they are now perpetuated. One of the comments talked about the writer’s experience tells about her (and perhaps her team mates’) lack of maturity. I find these comments really confusing. I believe that the writer attempted at the very root of the disparities we have around us. I do not want to be personal but some of the comments are of of nature that takes us back to the world we should leave behind. We need to get out of our skins of oppression and those of the oppressed to deal with the elephant in the room. The image of the developing countries is disheartening in North America, including other so-called first world.
This is a great discussion and I would suggest that the owner of the blog can literally write a book with all these diverging views! Go Girl!!!
This is NOT true! This kind of a reaction is that which covers the evils that has been committed against other races around the world by the white race. If she was unqualified, she would have not written such profoundly. “Seeing is believing” so the wise said but she did not just see it, she experienced it and she saw something many of us do not see!
I think this is a complicated topic. On one hand, I think intentions themselves are important and that the intention to help others is good and should be encouraged. I also feel like it’s ok to yourself want to feel good about helping others, and that that is the very definition of selflessness, that it transcends both your own self and the self you desire to help—both feel happiness. On the other hand, I sympathize with the question of whether the actions actually produce a result that is meaningful. If you’re burning a bunch of jet fuel just to feel good about yourself for making a nominal effort to help others at best, or getting in the way of them getting real help at worst, and then spend the rest of the weekend sitting on the beach, maybe focusing on building your own skills and finding a charitable outlet for those skills close to you would be more beneficial. That said, the author never really makes the connection of how race specifically is a problem, I think because that’s not really the point. If you’re qualified to provide the help that is required, whatever that may be, your skin color shouldn’t matter. I had a “voluntourism” experience just like the article describes in grad school. I went to Cambodia for two weeks to volunteer with an NGO to help monitor their parliamentary election. I wrote down my report in English which maybe a few people read and otherwise just took valuable time away from party representatives. I saw Cambodia and Angkor Wat, so it turned out to be more of a vacation for me than any real help to anybody there—”Voluntourism” in the true sense. I also taught English in a Japanese elementary school and nobody cared that I was white, because I could provide the help they needed, and in that case, I could make a difference because I had put the years in to developing the required skill. I think the best thing I feel like I’ve ever done to help others was build a nutrition website, which took years of just learning things, building skills, and just working really hard. But it takes time to find things like that and really commit to them, and maybe a bit of exploration is necessary to get there. It definitely was for me, and I’m sure I wasted plenty of people’s time along the way. That’s just my own experience…but I think it gets to another important point, that everything doesn’t have to be grandiose. Small acts of caring in everyday life add up to a happier world: hold the door for someone, give someone your seat on the subway, buy a homeless person a meal. I think we can have a tendency to externalize things or trivialize small actions, when opportunities for caring an love are often very simple and right in front of us.
Reblogged this on evolvedmindbodyspirit's Blog.
[…] This post originally appeared at PippaBiddle.com […]
If, instead of going, you had sent the money it cost to take the trip, the construction work could have been done more inexpensively, and most likely with more skill. That being said, my takeaway from the article is not that white people are unskilled but, rather, more along the lines of what a previous poster said: the real value of these trips is in the changes to the participants. Perhaps the author of the article would not have amassed the experiences that led her to do her current work and to write his piece if not for the trips.
[…] This post originally appeared at PippaBiddle.com […]
Few people are able to make such an honest and critical assessment of their contributions.
For those who are interested in wildlife, the environment, and unemployed veterans, we always need volunteers regardless of where you are located and what your skill level is.
Rudy Socha
CEO
Wounded Nature – Working Veterans
http://www.woundednature.org
rudy@woundednature.org
Heidi Baker is “white” and Wikipedia has more info on her. She’s worked long term in various global locations. Mozambique is her home now for 30 years. She chose to educate herself about the needs of the people. She consistently puts words into actions. She doesn’t claim to have all the answers. She knows the One who does.
Really refreshing to see that view from a white person’s perspective! But you must be admired for at least trying to help.
Pippa, I’m an American Indian sex trafficking survivors and I absolutely loved your article. Please keep up the honest introspection and your efforts to be a true ally. I very rarely see anyone that describes him/herself as an “ally” who also exhibits an understanding of their privilege or recognizes that they could be much more helpful if they utilized their best talents “backstage” rather than in the spotlight. When any of those being “helped” tries to suggest such a thing, the common response is “not ME!”, accompanied by complete denial of privilege and a verbal assault on the person that reminded them. Those of us on the bottom of the privilege pile are very greatful for allies like you.
[…] in elementary school at the turn of the millennium. I find that kind of interesting, actually.) Philippa Biddle writes a blog post on “voluntourism” and has 1 million+ page views, 10K+ likes & tweets, and over 300 […]
Reblogged this on Kmareka.com and commented:
Interesting perspective…I like the honesty and humility.
[…] The Problem With Little White Girls (and Boys): Why I Stopped Being A Voluntourist […]
I have a sun allergy, travel poorly and refuse/am unable to carry things heavier than twenty pounds. I regularly send money to aid communities in starting farms. Up until I read your article I felt like I was a bit of a disappointment as a Christian for not heading to far flung countries to offer my grouchy, jet lagged, feeble help. I think you’ve got a wonderful point. I’ll continue signing checks and sleep a little better now.
I have a sun allergy, travel poorly and refuse/am unable to carry things heavier than twenty pounds. I regularly send money to aid communities in starting farms. Up until I read your article I felt like I was a bit of a disappointment as a Christian for not heading to far flung countries to offer my grouchy, jet lagged, feeble help. I think you’ve got a wonderful point. I’ll continue signing checks and sleep a little better now.
[…] ‘white saviour’ complex recently, much of it following a thought provoking piece on the problem with little white girls (and boys) posted by Philippa Biddle. As this is an ongoing interest of mine (two papers I wrote on […]
Reblogged this on vocessinfronteras2 and commented:
Google the group exercise called ‘privilege walk’. It can lead to really insightful observations.
Reblogged this on bifalo.
I’m astounded that this is considered some huge insight by those posting comments here. Just because the author of this article is an insensitive white person who was naive enough to pay for her “foreign country experience” doesn’t mean everyone who happens to be from North America is as culturally ignorant and selfish as she when they endeavor to be a world traveler.
This is so beautiful! I also learned that the ‘white saviour complex’ is not helpful at all, and that there’s a cultural arrogance people with a western education and bias have which makes you think that what you have is better or more helpful. It was quite a knock at one point, to my identity and perceptions of who I was. Am glad I learned it though because it opened me up to the wonder of different world views.
Such a thoughtful article, thanks for sharing!
well this is a good way of thinking but, i don’t think its just a problem with whites, but with all foreigners giving aid and maybe just a little more so with white ppl.
I love this. I am an African schooling in. England, and I must admit it sometimes pisses me off seeing people look at Africa as one huge charity cause. I admire that everyone wants to help, but training local volunteers does more,,. And in this regard, I agree with you. I however am glad for the various charities improving lives everywhere across Africa and beyond.
This is so thoughtful. People need to start thinking about how communities can help themselves, and it’s really lovely that you’re working on that. Best of luck to you!
Reblogged this on Hear Thy Youth and commented:
Perspectives like this are important.
There are ways of being involved in responsible, ethical, sustainable, impacting volunteer placements if you travel with reputable NGOs who practise good development work and who partner with local organisations to achieve long term change in communities. The responsibility falls in you as the traveller to do your homework and research the opportunity correctly. There is a big difference between voluntourism and going overseas to volunteer with an established, reputable, professional NGO.
http://www.tearfund.org/en/about_you/go_overseas/about_tearfund_go_overseas/why_go/ (keep an eye out for our new international hub starting in Nashville, being set up especially for US volunteers).
Great piece and perspective. As someone said, don’t be so hard on yourself. Sometimes though, the simple fact that you left your comfort zone to travel all the way speaks that someone is concerned about me and that brings joy to these kids. I often suggest that it’s better for ppl to sponsor the programs and projects and then after completion can go in on a service trip to see the work and encourage the people to maintain it and try to maintain themselves. It’s not a waste…it just needs to be done differently. Thank you for your service to humanity.
I am laughing while I am crying. While reading your post I was reminded of a friend, a brilliant biologist, who years ago was seeking a job in the U.S. His face made him clearly identifiable as, well, very “asian”, but he had been raised his entire life in the U.S., SPEAKING english. During one of his interviews, he was asked, “Where is your accent?” Completely confused, he asked, “What do you mean?” The interviewer said something about how people looking like him always have an accent and he wanted to hear what his accent sounded like. Fortunately, this remarkable “asian” turned down the job and as a result became one of my biology professors while I was studying at another, more universal, university.
Well written! I agree.
[…] I posted “The Problem with Little White Girls (and Boys): Why I Stopped Being a Voluntourist”, I guessed it might get more eyes than usual. It’s a controversial subject, I used blunt […]
This is most likely the most sanguine, perhaps even sober, response left on this thread…
Set a goal.
Make the plans,
Find the right people.
Make the correct preparations.
Proceed without jumping into a foreign situation, waving your hands, shouting, “We’re here to help!”
LOVE your post, INDYMIKE.
Uhhhhmmmmm…….
Okey……
Inspiring. Where did you post the second half of your diary?
This is a very articulate way to put this. I think it’s hard when we want to help and want to have the experience of helping. My approach is to start volunteering locally and build up a skill set before going abroad. I don’t want to get myself in too deep and discover I’m just not helpful.
Too many do thing just for image. Just to say I did it. Another stamp on the prestigious piece of paper. Very Good points.
What was wrong with my last post was it too real??? Was it the fact that I pointed out that whites are truly the Minority in the world at %9, was it the fact that I pointed out that European is the one to blame for Africa misfortunes or was it the solution to petition the European countries to leave Africa alone…its was very well thought out…wow!!!.. I see the white privilege is in full effect, the truth is that , Europeans are the major problem not poverty in Africa. Africans have lived on this continent for over 20,000 years while the early Europeans were still rummaging around the frozen landscapes killing each other for the minuscule resources on the peninsula…what help can they European possibly bring to a race a people who have all the resources and food they need?…None …Leave Africa alone ..they dont need you there….
Perhaps ‘we’ decide what is hurting though, based upon a false idea of what normal is? If that is the case, playing the ‘oh look at the downtrodden’ to make us feel better, to make us feel closer to location a Jesus ideal of helping an unfortunate is more of a to-do thing instead of a real-view one. We had to educate the Native American too…I think that maybe people do not learn. Who decides what is good? Who decides what is doing good for a group–altruism doesn’t work.
what if ‘they’ don’t have a problem and it is our consumerist better than society that must decide that someone we deem as less-than ourselves simply MUST need….
curious to know why my post was not approved. It was not intended as spam- but as a place for those who want to help where it is needed and will be appreciated.
I think that the author was trying to express that the admiration part underlies efforts and can cause harm. Maybe I am wrong.
Hi Rudy,
Your comment was marked as approved and should be visible.
Cheers,
Pippa
I tech!
Thank you – I could not find it. If you share your email, Ill send you a connection request on Linked In.
Love this comment! So profound!
Native of Gabon. Highly agree with your point. Though there are strong hints of over-exaggeration. Yes – colonization and neo-colonization, for the first has been, and the second still is extremely detrimental to our continent, however, let us not forget awful leadership has further destroyed most nations on the continent. Yes Western nations have had a lot to do with that, not just Europe. International aid is a shifty business – IMF, World Bank not to go into too many details (read up) – but it is time for us Africans to stop propagating this fatalistic “discourse of the victim” and look at our blatant shortcomings. With a unified and strong African Union, social reforms, good will and professionalism, among other factors obviously, our continent would be far better off. The same goes for the rest of the “South” (as opposed to the “North”) or ‘third world countries”.
one love
I loved the article, but also agree with Zachary. I wouldn’t have as much compassion or desire to help support the hurting around the world if I hadn’t gone on any mission trips. people can TELL you about the conditions outside of the your bubble, but until you see and experience them for yourself, it’s not something tangible.
Yeah, um, read that folks? Leave them alone! You read it here first, from none other than Maurice Levite… Africans do not want our help!
“what help can they European possibly bring to a race a people who have all the resources and food they need?…None …Leave Africa alone ..they dont need you there….”
So the next time you see starving children with bloated bellies, or AIDs victims hooked up to IVDs, or women that have to hike five kilometers each day in order to obtain enough water and/or kindling to keep their families alive…
while your own children are yelling in the background…
just keep in plain mind the wisdom of Maurice Levite: What possible help can you give to Africa? They have all that they need! Leave them alone! They do not need you there! Above all, THEY DO NOT WANT YOU THERE.
At first I thought this post was about race and white privilege, it was very refreshing to see that even do it does address these issues briefly, it is not about that. But about the work that is being done and I agree 100%, this should be the goal, to bring programs like these to the country at need, and to educate enough people so that one day these programs could be run by people who are in touch with the reality of these situations. Isn’t that what its all about, being able to educate and break barriers so that one day we can be able to sustain our own needs? I’m from DR and I thank you immensely.
Interesting points which have made me think about my forthcoming charity trip. The charity i will be working with though have taken your thoughts on board.They set up a school, now run by Gambian teachers and they are soon to open a health clinic, which will be run by Gambian people. The charity is called BACE, Building and Assisting Communities with Education. I am travelling with them to The Gambia in a week’s time, thanks to a travelling fellowship run by my employer, benenden hospital. See more on my blog called Someone Else’s Shoes – http://www.someoneelsesshoesblog.com
When you decide to run for president, Maghan, you’ve got my vote.
Wow! That’s a good one. Let’s try this, Africans reclaiming all the wealth that has been stolen from them by the white regimes over the years, how would that affect you?
This was shared with our team from our Operations Director at Groundwork Opportunities (GO), which operates an international volunteer program in East Africa and Southeast Asia. At GO, we invest in local leaders who have the capacity to end poverty in their communities. I am the community manager at GO, helping our efforts in public support and project growth.
First off, we agree with her blog’s general objective. At GO, we’ve as best we can, explained to volunteers that “there is no lack of labor” in these communities they intend to visit. That said, much of our focus is to inspire Champions to fund these projects with very tangible costs , and what better way to do so then to allow volunteers to witness the impact themselves. Champions are people who start an online fundraising campaign on our site, where 100% of funds raised go directly to a cause focused on tackling the root causes of poverty.
Aside from a few exceptions, we’ve moved away from sending individual volunteers out in the field. Too often there is too much hand holding without the gain, and as the blogger would argue, it’s leaves negative impressions on project growth. We’ve really noticed in the past how it’s impacted our partner in Cambodia, who as of this year, was taking 4-5 volunteers in a month. His focus on community development began to decline due to time spent hosting and managing international volunteers.
We’ve chosen to host delegation trips, which greatly alleviates the stress on our project partners. Because now they are focusing direct attention on a group of volunteers for a select number of days (10-12 people + 2 staff) rather then consistently supporting single individuals over an entire volunteer season. All expenditures covered by the volunteers, neutralizing all expenses from partners and GO
Anyways, in the end, if you are a voluntourism organization or company, I think there a special maturity from the volunteer to strongly consider. I love this conversation because it’s constantly being evaluated.
Best,
Thomas
Wow, good insight! I have thought about these very same things on trips I have taken around the world. Coincidentally I’m listening to an audio book called “When Helping Hurts” at the time I came across your blog. It’s from the point of view of Christian missionaries, but the author talks about how he learned to better help communities by not being the “white savior”.
Great discussion happening here! This article was shared with our team at Groundwork Opportunities (GO for short). At GO, we invest in local leaders who have the capacity to end poverty in their communities.
I definitely agree with what she’s saying. We always try to as best we can explain to volunteers that, “there is no lack of labor” in these communities. Of course, we’re very interested in also inspiring Champions (those crowdfunding on our site) to fund these projects led by local leaders, and what better way to do that then the have them witness the impact in the field for themselves. This past year, we were sending, at any given time, volunteer to East Africa and Southeast Asia.
Aside from a few exceptions, GO has moved away from sending individual volunteers out in the field. Too often there is too much hand holding without the gain, and as the blogger would argue, it’s leaves negative impressions on project growth. We’ve really noticed how sending 2-3 “mzungus” per month to a project inherently impacts project productivity by our partners. Now we direct our volunteer focus to delegation trips, where 10-12 volunteers get to see the impact in the field from seed capital raised by GO Champion, and our partners aren’t overwhelmed with managing 1-2 volunteers at any given time who are expecting red carpet service and attention from them.
In short, I think it’s the responsibility of the voluntourism organization or company to strongly consider the volunteer’s level of maturity and experience in the underserved regions of the world. This conversation is always being evaluated at work, and it’s a pleasure to here everyone’s thoughts.
Hi Pippa, Would you please delete this comment? I reposted because the server wasn’t responding in my last post (see two comments above). This would be greatly appreciated!
Thomas,
Are you referring to the comment you posted at 3:21pm?
P
Oh my God, SABANYA! That would, like, do something completely forbidden by Satan! It could ultimately have the extreme effect of making us all into something like… dare I say it… EQUALS. Who the F!”# wants that?
Luv ya, Sabanya. Hope my humor has the positive effect intended :o)
Reblogged this on jeankellyr.
I love this. I grew up on and around the mission field and experienced first hand what happens when white people come in to “save the day” and know little to nothing about the people group they are trying to reach. Missions and aid are great – but I don’t think there is enough emphasis put on educating yourself beforehand to understand how and where you might be most useful. You make a lot of good points here. Bless you!
[…] I too was there studying East African History and Culture during a semester abroad. Biddle’s post that went viral last week shares a thoughtful reflection on the nature (read: problems) of […]
The situation and advice given is cranial in its focus. Nothing will change or influence any impoverish group or country by human efforts. You may feed them for a month but that’s it. Your comments did not mention trusting God even one time, for the daily, weekly the end result. You want real blessings for people? Go with the Lord, for His purposes, with His guidance and see what happens!
Reblogged this on GoodOleWoody's Blog and Website.
[…] THE PROBLEM WITH LITTLE WHITE GIRLS (AND BOYS): WHY I STOPPED BEING A VOLUNTOURIST […]
This is Fantastic! ( or at least a step in a good direction). My line was that my role as a volunteer program runner was to keep the ‘impact’ as close to zero as possible… The folks that came never saw how much of the staff they disempowered while on a women’s empowerment project. Because the actions they took always ‘felt right’
Really glad to see some organizational shift in this regard… And see a model that can actually be ‘sold’
“Was it the fact that I pointed out that whites are truly the Minority in the world at 9%”
Well, for one there are no “whites” really, in fact Europe is divided into many different racial groups who would be very displeased by the notion of being summed up as similar to other racial groups (ie Irish and the Scottish being paired with French and British persons).
“European is the one to blame for Africa misfortunes or was it the solution to petition the European countries to leave Africa ”
That maybe so, but Africa has a long and violent history around the time Europe was in development, by the time of colonization Africa had not changed much sense the first of the human migrators left to central Asia, and from there the rest of the world some thousands of years ago. But what you’re saying by leaving Africa alone after this long history is like saying lets do what America did to Cuba and just cut ties (imo I wish we would). But look at what the French forces did for Mali not too long ago, they came in when asked and kicked Al qaeda ass.
“I see the white privilege is in full effect” I see you have a scape goat there. And it looks like a dead horse.
” Europeans are the major problem not poverty in Africa.” No. Just no. THIS is white privilege. Not understanding what’s really going on, which is actually called “Privilege of Distance”.
“Africans have lived on this continent for over 20,000 years while the early Europeans were still rummaging around the frozen landscapes killing each other for the minuscule resources on the peninsula…what help can they European possibly bring to a race a people who have all the resources and food they need?”
More than 20k, like around 80-90 k, regardless, there was not enough food or shelter to go around. That’s why they left in the first place, going to central Asia, then spreading out (some going to Europe, Middle East, Australia, and others going up Russia to Alaska and being the first native Americans /myans etc). “What can Europeans bring?” Fucking trade. Yes, economy, it’s so basic. But similar to how Norse Vikings traded with Middle Easterns for Gold while they give exotic furs and meat, modern Europeans can offer Africans even more. Much of what allowed the civilized world to evolve was societies going through struggle and enlightenment, many happening in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East (though many wont admit it but the Middle East is on that list).
Basically, you’re just flat out wrong.
“The Problem With Little White Girls (and Boys):”
Already extreme, and childish sounding title. Because it seemingly doesn’t correlate to the first half of your article. It’d be better as “My hardships with help others” as it seemed more like the problems of the work you and your friends tried to do for those who needed it rather than what the title seems to say; White people can’t do anything.
But the rest of the article was nice, proof for others to look over before they wisk themselves away to do work they surely have no idea how to do.
Really appreciate your thoughtful reflection on this important issue, Pippa.
Good points! Good article! People need to consider what the volunteer trip is for and if they can do it. I know your article was directed at bleeding heart white people but it really is applicable to anyone going on trips of this sort. Ironically, a person contributes more to the mission by staying home if he or she does not possess the necessary skill set to be a productive/efficient member of the team!
Reblogged this on Pretty Rich Thoughts and commented:
Very insightful post, which I mostly agree with. Traveling should be approached differntly and we should be more aware where and for what purpose we come from…
As someone who has volunteered in similar settings to you this post echoes many of my thoughts well. I do however think the benefit of young inexperienced people volunteering is it gives them an understanding of the complexity of aid and development which may serve as the catalyst for going home and gaining skills to allow them to make more meaningful contributions down the track. The challenge is to work out how to give the young and idealistic exposure without causing detriment to local communities.
[…] the moment is solely hoarded by you, that can do more harm than good to the cause. Pippa Biddle’s article about her experiences volunteering overseas highlights this exact point, and was such a joy to come […]
Reblogged this on Jordi's Blog and commented:
Part of the reason why I stuck to backpacking instead of volunteering, but backpacking does not help my own negative-impact thoughts on communities abroad.
What about white Africans? Indian Africans? Arabic Africans? You must remember Africa is a continent not a nationality and there are people born in that continent from all sorts of races (and have been for hundreds and even thousands of years, if that matters). I understand it to be an American convention to conflate nationality and ethnicity but if you want to project sensitivity for the concerns for the welfare of people in developing nations, then you can start by respecting that your social conventions on race and class might not actually be consistent with their view of things at all.
Poverty is the problem, not race. It is a function of economics. Race plays a part, of course, and that is a sad fact that will hopefully reduce over time as it has done for the last hundred years.
Not that I completely disagree with you either, I think Africa could use a fair shake, there have been atrocities, there still are. Elsewhere in the developing world France did make the first black republic (Haiti) pay them back for 140 years for “property” loss when the slaves rebelled, long after the abolishment of slavery elsewhere, these are horrendous facts but perhaps people who are born in Africa, of all sorts of races, think the same thing. If people on this comment thread can call themselves North Americans, I don’t see why a person of any ethnicity born in Africa, who live and contribute to the continent cannot call themselves African just because you said so.
Men taking apart the things that you’ve done incorrectly, and fixing them while you sleep? That’s called “women in the workforce”, and it’s the new normal. Oh, and only white women (and women in general) have an easy time “sailing” through police checkpoints – males of any race can be subject to the patented cop “nut grab” and alpha dog b.s. routine at any time. Your ignorance would be staggering, but you’re not the first girl/woman/womyn who has volunteered her inner thoughts, so it’s expected.
Men taking apart the things that you’ve done incorrectly, and fixing them while you sleep? That’s called “women in the workforce”, and it’s the new normal. Oh, and only white women (and women in general) have an easy time “sailing” through police checkpoints – males of any race can be subject to the patented cop “nut grab” and alpha dog b.s. routine at any time. Your ignorance would be staggering, but you’re not the first girl/woman/womyn who has volunteered her inner thoughts, so it’s expected.
I feel like if you have this mindset you are really missing out on life changing experiences. Perhaps you can’t help build a house for them. That doesn’t mean you can’t make a difference with the people you meet. That doesn’t mean you can’t light up their day. That doesn’t mean your day can’t be lit up by them. Don’t be worried you can’t make a difference just because you see your self as incompetent. You may be surprised! I certainly have been in my experiences!
“Well, for one there are no “whites” really, in fact Europe is divided into many different racial groups who would be very displeased by the notion of being summed up as similar to other racial groups (ie Irish and the Scottish being paired with French and British persons). ”
Scottish people are British. You are confusing England with Britain. England is not Britain, Great Britain is called that because it is the largest (great meaning large in this case) British Isle. As such, Scottish people are not only part of the UK (a country of countries), they are very much British as they inhabit Great Britain.
Also, not to be picky, but that American view of nationality = ethnicity = race isn’t really how things are viewed in Europe. Some Scottish people are Caucasian, just as some Irish people are. For those people, they are the same race, although their ethnicity differs somewhat as ethnicity has cultural factors attached.
I just googled something to help you understand the difference, I hope you don’t take it as an insult and actually read it, but I do understand these “truths” in one part of the world might not be consistent with ones in your part of the world, and I can respect that, so perhaps you can respect my viewpoint also: http://www.diffen.com/difference/Ethnicity_vs_Race
I agree with her and I can see her point in the examples she gave. But I go to the rural highlands of Guatemala with a surgical team and I know for a fact we’re helping in a way no one else either can or will. When you can remove a gallbladder that has been making a person sick and in severe pain for the past year, or when you can do a c-section on a laboring mother who’s baby is in a transverse position and will never be born and both baby and mother will die in the most horrible way if you don’t do the emergency surgery, you know you’ve had a lasting impact on a person’s life in a tangible way. So not all missions are a hindrance to good will.
i could not agree more with this article. i met a small group of australian women in timor leste that had taken it upon themselves to volunteer in a small community there, teaching dance and other arts to the local women. a more ridiculous thing i have never heard of and as a mechanic i was made to promise to return to teach the local boys about motorcycle engine repair and maintenance. most of these smaller communities need injections of information that can be adapted to suit local cultures and conditions so they can continue to work with the resources they have readily available while the occasional injection of money to kickstart initiatives and businesses. unfortunately allocation of money is rarely transparent or balanced.
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I appreciate the honesty in this piece. And I still hope there are more people like this coming to Sri Lanka.
Religious missionaries are the biggest offenders. To many times I’ve seen wealthy, suburban christian private school kids running around the world, posting on facebook about how they’re helping people in Uganda, while they don’t even know how much they paid for their flight ticket.
Hey, this is my blog. I haven’t done anything with it in a while, but I thought I would share some similar experiences.
http://doctorswithborders.wordpress.com/author/doctorswithborders/
[…] https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/18/the-problem-with-little-white-girls-and-boys/ […]
What Would you say about South-South partnership? I am an Indian.
A few weeks or month ago, a German TV network reported about voluntourism of German people, who basically went to African countries to add something to their CV. For me it was astonishing that people believed they could do something good within a few weeks in a country they don’t know. And afterwards these Germans complained about that the people they “helped” were not even thankful for the help they got.
I think a lot of the problem is that these volunteers don’t prepare themselves well and aren’t willing to stay for years to really acquire the skills. It takes at least six months to become proficient in the language. In my opinion, volunteers like this should either be sought out for their specific technical skills before they come and have interpreters if they don’t speak the language, or they should plan on staying for at least two years to develop the language and learn the necessary skills.
This resonates well with me. 2 months in Madagascar and 6 weeks in Peru. By the time I was in my 2nd week in Peru, I couldn’t handle it anymore. We were too condescending and too look-at-us-we’re-helping-you like. The real issues were rarely, if ever, even tackled and all it did was make you feel better that you helped.
Madagascar was a fun experience as all it did was allow us to make friends. No “saving” occurred. But Peru? That was with a different NGO. I paid somewhere around 3,000$ and I ended up regretting it. “Voluntourism” is something that must stop.
If you genuinely find something that can be of serious benefit with the skills you can provide, that’s fine. If you think that all you need is your privileged (often white) self, then stick to tourism.
I felt like my very presence was condescending and I’m an Arab! I can only imagine what you must have felt like.
Thank you for this! I never did the whole volunteering thing in Africa – however good that looks on my friends’ resumes today – because I felt exactly the way you do reflecting on your experiences now.
I totally loooove your article. I am also a blogger and been meaning to write something close to this. However, I feel that you have done a great job! Please allow me repost this but will credit the work to you 🙂
Reblogged this on instead of coffee and commented:
very good one!!!
I really enjoyed your frank comments! So very true, and I wish more people would consider what you’ve mentioned. Especially when it comes to volunteering at orphanages where more harm can be done than good.
Really interesting post. To some extent, white girls doing manual labor (badly) when starting out volunteering abroad is like the son of the CEO starting in the mail room. You don’t do it to change the lives of the people you’re helping, you do it to change your life, so that you can be of help in the future.
I’ve never thought about volunteering from this point of you, your point is more than valid and I can only agree with it!
I would point out that the wisdom you gained was received by inadequately trying, as is most wisdom of any kind. How are we going to get other people with wisdom, other people who are a benefit rather than a problem, if they do not also inadequately try?
It sounds like it took you many years to develop the Dominican staff members you needed in the Dominican summer camp. If you and your young peers had simply not bothered, do you think that camp would exist today?
Most people with a great idea do not immediately understand how to implement it properly. Every great performer in any subject started off in absolute ignorance. I don’t feel bad about young people like you who try to go somewhere and help the people there. Like everyone else in every walk of life, you need to learn how to be effective, and you probably just won’t ever get that learning if you don’t go.
Well said, I appreciate your insight. I’m struggling with how to help make a difference and everything is just so complicated! But awareness is a first step. And paying attention. I’m trying…
The mailroom analogy is pretty good except the scale of potential harm is different. Do a bad job sorting the mail and lots of people may suffer very minor inconvenience. They let you know they’re annoyed and you learn your lesson.
Do a bad job building a library or a house or a clinic and people could suffer major inconvenience and expense for a long time. Or, at worst, something could collapse and someone could die. By that time, you’re back home and may never know. You may go on congratulating yourself forever for what a great thing you’ve done.
That being said, I also worry that I’ve caught a whiff of another problem in some of the comments here. Once we realize that the help we’ve provided hasn’t been perfect — may have even caused more problems than it solved — we may excuse ourselves from providing any help at all henceforth. And we can feel okay with that because we’ve been enlightened about the futility of volunteering.
Obviously, Pippa’s original post didn’t advocate doing nothing. She merely suggested that the skills of volunteers be matched to needed tasks.
For myself, I was unable to be as brave as you are. Thank you. Thank you for doing what you do and talking about it.
[…] I too was there studying East African History and Culture during a semester abroad. Biddle’s post that went viral last week shares a thoughtful reflection on the nature (read: problems) of […]
But that’s her point: she signed up for this “voluntourism” deal not knowing that she needed certain skill sets or cultural awareness because the “voluntourism” outfit didn’t require it, didn’t address it, only encouraged naieve young white kids to spend mommy & daddy’s money.
I agree – at least conscientious tourism is honest: I’m here to see and enjoy your beautiful country. The “voluntourism” thing smacks of secularized missonary work.
This is the worst kind of apology for white privilege. Your entire post is basically saying that these trips aren’t really to provide any help for the native people, just to provide privileged white kids a “learning opportunity.” It’s dishonest and exploitative – not just of the native people being used as props, but also of the kids shelling out money and time in the mistaken belief they are doing some good.
Not sure what point you’re trying to make here CC Dean. You state that her advice is “cranial in its focus” – you seem to mean that as a pejorative comment, judging the author’s Christian spiritual life. If that’s not what you meant, what is your point? Cranial, as an adjective, means “Of or relating to the skull or cranium” (Webster). Maybe you meant to compliment her ideas as thoughtful. If that’s your point, I agree.
As to your your statement, “Your comments did not mention trusting God even one time . . .” – that’s a poor litmus test of a person’s dedication or awareness of God. The biblical book of Esther doesn’t mention God either, not even one time, yet God’s presence pervades the wisdom in the book.
Watch Ernesto Sirolli’s Ted talk about helping people in other countries. It’s awesome.
Yeah, I’m sure there’s nothing more a few thousand starving, hurting people want to hear more than your powerpoint on how you ‘found yourself.’ This whole article is laughable in it’s self-importance and arrogance. Wow.
Excellent Article. I have found myself in similar experiences. Please remember – growth and understanding are a necessary end result of experience. People learn by doing. For most of us, we cannot understand with out leaving our comfort zone and doing. Perhaps volunteering can instill a desire to become a doctor, architect, or educator. The volunteering is important for the volunteer as well as the place and people to whom the project is directed!
Opps Mr. Jonathan Alter – looks like you meant to only post under the pseudonym “flapjackal.” But then you tried to re-post and your real name was revealed Mr. Jonathan Alter! Perhaps you’ll think more carefully about posting mean-spirited, misogynistic drivel in the future. You have revealed yourself, and it’s not pretty. https://www.facebook.com/jonathanalter1
Wasn’t that her point? She included that detail to show how her skill set was not right for the kind of work she was attempting to do, and that by joining these misguided missions, she was doing more harm than good. She realizes this, and is encouraging other idealistic white people to stop traveling on feel-good missions that they aren’t qualified for.
Even though the entire point of the article was how not to be arrogant and self-important? Wow. Little bit of kettle-action here.
there’s an organization called Teen Missions International that runs a boot camp stateside before it sends teams overseas to teach them basic skills like carpentry, masonry, and other construction stuff or they take evangelism classes or drama classes. I think for a lot of trips, you’re absolutely right, if the people going don’t have the skill set necessary, these trips are bad. But for those who do, these trips are truly a blessing to all involved.
Aren’t there enough problems to solve in the US, in communities you can relate too. Truth is, it’s not as glamorous to help homeless people in a dreary American City than to have an exciting adventure in an exotic country. Most aid workers are really just having long working holidays before they get tired and fed up with the people from an alien culture who just won’t behave how they should. Really development is just colonialism under a new name with the ultimate goal to make people more like westerners. I happen to work in one such exotic country in africa, which is inundated with foreign aid workers and volunteers. I really couldn’t care less about helping the local people, which ironically has led some volunteers to call me a colonialist. I work in Africa as an economic migrant, the economy is growing at more than 6 percent a year and there is a shortage of pilots, which happens to be my trade. In Europe I couldn’t find a job that would pay me a living wage to fly planes. Strangely enough I think I’m probably doing more to help Africans than 90 percent of these bloody do gooder wannabes with out actually intending to.
Ya missed the point. She’s observing how pointless, even detrimental, ‘found myself’ power points and other “look, I’m helping” activities are. If you really can (objectively speaking) help, do so – but if you can’t, please stay out of the way.
Alan, you missed the point.
Great article. I’ve always wondered about churches that send people overseas and do fundraisers to do so. I never donate money to allow someone to go to Disneyland or overseas and do “mission” work or whatever. If they just want a vacation, they can pay for it themselves rather than going under the guise of “helping”.
Thanks for this article. I think it’s a really interesting perspective that challenges my thinking. I am an engineer and went on an Engineers Without Borders trip that I was ill-qualified for (different field) because I just wanted to HELP, so I find your comments very interesting and thought-provoking.
I think it’s awesome that you’ve found a niche where you can really help in a meaningful way, that right there is a win. And that you’ve empowered others (the Dominicans running the camp) to help in ways that they can too.
I’m sorry for the backlash you’re getting, sometimes people forget that there’s a human being receiving the comments.
Keep up the good work on the DR camp and have a happy Wednesday!
-Lauren
Right on
Great article. 100 people per week visit a certain mission in DR. It costs $1000 (more, but using round numbers) to attend. 100 people x 50 weeks x $1000 = $5 Million. I am sure the DR could do a lot more with the money that what the airline and “mission camp” is doing. I agree with this article. The people there need to have role models that look like them, not the “white saviors” that show up for a week out of their year to right their own souls.
I wonder if it’s necessary to advocate throwing any group of people under the bus to promote the ideal efficacy. Also, I think choosing who a child or anyone is best off looking up to is aggression. People relate to what and to whom they relate. If that is a rich boarding school student, then it is. It is not benevolence to insist they be drawn only to those within their culture. I do appreciate that you wrote about considering working under the auspices of helpfulness, when one might not be called or qualified to be helpful. This is a piece of the individual walk that has to be sorted all through life. It is good to understand that God will turn even futility, arrogance, maliciousness to His good. So, whether we continue to pursue our blind, or selfish, or ignorant or virtuous agendas, good will continue without fetter.
I liked the article and feel that she is honest and doing her part with the wisdom she has gained. I have been on mission trips some to countries I can’t speak the language. It’s very important to research the country and the customs and also to not think of ourselves as doing great good but being a part of something that helps those we are going to help and be humble. Mission trips are not ego trips. They are eye-opening to most of those who go to realize just how blessed we are to have clean water, food, and health services. But there are common labor that is needed also besides the doctors, nurses, contractors, etc. The professionals that go also need common labor force to come with them for many reasons. So if you want to go to do good, find a professional group going and be their assistant, labor, etc. I think this article is excellent read for anyone thinking about going to another country to do good.
such clarity 🙂
This article is remarkable self-obsessed. She really thinks that children in third world countries obsess over their white saviors after they leave? No, they’re busy starving. They are just very grateful for what little help they are given by anyone.
Who cares if some entitled American walks around feeling good about themselves? Let them. The net good these programs do is FAR WORTH IT. If just one out of 1000, hell 10,000, of the Americans who go on them winds up dedicating their lives to service, it’s worth it. Those people are so necessary, and so hard to find.
So what if these people “can’t help” effectively? You don’t learn how to do that in American schools, behind closed doors. You have to start somewhere, and for most people it won’t lead to a life of great work or selflessness, but for the ONE person that it does, all the money is worth it. And it happens.
Still, the most ludicrous point made in this article is the supposed negative effect it has on those in the third world. I’ve spent a lot of time in India, I’ve seen the poorest of the poor. Trust me, when the “little white girls and boys” leave, they rarely EVER think about them, they don’t idolize them in any way, that is insanely self-obsessed. Only in the author’s mind, and the shallow people she calls out, does that happen. But in their lives? They are surviving, and all the adulation and love and praise they show these “little white girls” is in a respectful, grateful tone.
The author is doing the most harm out of anyone. By trying to dissuade people who may want to go on these trips from going is a disservice to ALL parties. It’s much better that a person interested go on THIS trip, and SEE the problems first hand even if they can’t effectively deal with them, than it is for them to go backpacking in Europe, or skinny dipping in Cancun, or gambling in Vegas.
Out of her own guilt, guilt at basically not being selfless enough to become a tool for real good, she’s hurting the chances we dine REALLY good people who realize they want to dedicate their lives to others.
The article is right and wrong. Heck, her main point is what she’s RIGHT about, but the misguided tone and premise is where she’s wrong, and it FAR outweighs the silly point behind the article. It’s typical American self-obsession while believing they are the exact opposite, without seeing where their arrogance is.
It’s sad.
I think that was her point. That that stuff isn’t helpful.
While I agree with this article completely, don’t think there aren’t things you can do to go a help in other countries. I lived in Mexico for 5 years using my skills in IT to helps many non-profits (it’s a recurring need they have). I’m back in the states now and will be learning welding and a few odd skills before returning to hopefully be of even more help.
It all boils down to how serious the person is about helping when they go on a trip like this. Are they going for the excitement (which I admittedly did the first year I was there), or are they going to work hard and help. If it’s the latter, they’ll find ways to help with their skill-set or acquire new skills.
you’re not very bright are you
Reblogged this on nabraham102 and commented:
an interesting read
[…] This blog post discusses issues well-know to the Ecotourism Network. Sometimes, travel to do good things can be counter-productive at best! Community-based ecotourism is a great alternative to dubious types of tourism. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/18/the-problem-with-little-white-girls-and-boys/ […]
Hi Pippa,
I mostly agree with you – and anytime someone told me about their volunteer experience I internally rolled my eyes at how self-righteous they were about doing it.
I ended up going to Tanzania for fieldwork, and couldn’t help notice my presence being viewed as a comical sight, and a freebie vendor. The first couple of times a group of locals crowds around you asking for pens, paper, empty bottles, whatever you have, its charming. And then you realize that – and a certain amount of comic relief in your appearance- is all your company has to offer.
So, yes, volunteers in less westernized countries are useless in their intended motive, but I think they do provide a fair amount of entertainment to the local population. And that’s got to count for something.
Best,
Anastasia
While I appreciate that you have realized that people should not try to do skilled labor of any sort without proper training, I take great offense with you assumption that this is because you – or anyone else in this role – is white. You not only have demeaned Caucasians from every corner of the Earth as “a hinderance” and “little white boys and girls”, – you continue to perpetuate racism. Not in the sense that you are holding someone back from an education, or, making them drink from a different water fountain. Rather, your tone is belittling and you tie this to race by saying because people are white and try to help, are wrong in doing so. Through your introspection you did discover that the real problem is your ignorance in not realizing that not just anyone can build a wall or take care of a patient who need medical attention. These are skilled positions that should be done by people skilled in those fields. This however, has absolutely nothing to do with race. By tying the two together, you continue to perpetuate a negative connotation to white people. People not so skilled in critical thinking will take this piece and talk about the “white savior complex” and run with it. Instead they should be talking about how to get more skilled people to volunteer under leaders who do understand the culture, politics and logistics of the area – volunteers who are white, black, yellow, etc. – their skin color does not matter.
i found your comment more laughable than the article.
http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/500x/46536905.jpg
I think people should not make this personal! But the fact that comments that are of personal nature come through is a sign of an article well written. The sentiments on this comment show that people still live in the closed circuit as far as te real world out there is concerned. But it also shows that a number of people are struggling with guilt, they can’t get it out but find it offensive when someone hits the nail right on the head. It is easy to point a finger but quite another thing difficult to have the rest of the ‘conscience’ fingers pointing right back at you! Introspection is in order and that is what this article has done! Well done Pipa!
Cynical, presumptuous, and unsupported. Have you ever met and talked with a serious development worker? I’m not talking about some religious proselytizer or someone like the author of the article, a “voluntourist”. Development work is a serious affair for many serious organizations. When I was working on a development project myself, I was ready to stay in my host country for the rest of my life and continue doing serious work in sustainable agriculture. We aren’t all in it for the adventure, like the author, or the money, like you.
If your referring to my post, it wasn’t personal, but objective. “Self-obsessed” was an adjective to describe a mindset. I have an objective disagreement with the article. I respect her views, I even mention she’s right to a degree, but in a pointless manner.
Julian, you seem to kind of get it but are still clearly the most privileged caste of the dominant minority. Get over yourself.
Would you counter her arguments with evidence-based justification of your point of view?
While I agree with the overall premise of the article, there’s a bit too much white guilt. The problem is not that the author is white, but rather, was unskilled at the task she volunteered for and was doing work that could have been done better by members of the community (and thereby propped up the local economy.) Anyway, the title and focus on “white girls” makes for good click bait, so I can’t blame her for including it. I wouldn’t have read it without that thematic element.
Hi Pippa! Loved your article. Very well written, daring and interesting. Nevertheless, I do think that little rich girls and boys should continue voluntouring. Check out my response to your post! @ http://bit.ly/1emLue0
Amazing how white people fear to be put on the spotlight! I was recently talking to a mature citizen involved in social justice work, especially supporting communities affected by mining in Africa. As we talked, she seemed to be far impatient of how slow change takes to come through. Then I posed a question and asked, “do you think the change required, especially in Canada (which has invested heavily in the mining sector in Africa and Latin America) would be realised sooner if all pensioners refused their money to be invested in the same companies a number of them (pensioners, including my friend) have a stake in and are getting pay cheques from each month, and out of which a fraction they use to fight against injustices Canadian extractive industries subject local communities in the mining areas?” Her reaction wasn’t difficult because what I suggested was the very source of her bread and butter. Similarly, this most celebrated and criticised article has touched the nerve of many whose lives – bread and butter if you like comes from such. To some it gives a sense of satisfaction to have done a benevolent act to a needy person in the South. As I said in one of my comments, seeing is believing but Pipa went, saw and didn’t just see through naked physical eyes. Her eyes were a lens through which her mind, heart and received white privileged convictions were challenged! For those who claim to be Christians, you know why they killed Christ? Because he told them (Scribes and the Pharisees), before you point at speck in your brother/sIster’s eyes, remove the plank in your eyes!
Alan, what the hell are you talking about? The thing you said she and that spoke to her arrogance is exactly what she said she put an end to because it was to paraphrase her ‘pointless and hindering’. If you just wanted to mean mouth a entitled little girl XOjane or jezebel are two clicks away and those sites are teeming with little girls your comment would better suit. Or learn to read ya stupid fcuk ya.
Actually your comment is in that you seemed to miss the whole essence of what the article is really all about…the opposite of what you just said. Wow.
Pippa What is your Problem ? I am a 66 year old White Male who has been on 13 Voulnteer Trips since 1998. I have a White Beard which gets me Respect in the Third World. The Third World, unlike the First World respects Age and Wisdom. In the First World I am viewed by Young People was a Stupid Old Man who doesn’t know $hitt. And I also find this Mentality rampant among the Young volunteers. Idiot kids from the First World.. And I will keep Volunteering till I cannot Physically do it anymore…
I believe your intent was good. Yes, one should not attempt to volunteer skills he or she does not have. That is wasteful and downright dangerous. Yes, it would be great if people in communities could look to their own people for help. The problem is that most of the time, these communities do not have the resources and/or leaders they need to succeed. However, I do not believe because one is “white” they should not volunteer the skills they do have. This is not a racial problem; it is a privileged problem.
There is a great book called When Helping Hurts. I definitely recommend it to anyone who desires to help the poor: http://www.amazon.com/When-Helping-Hurts-Alleviate-Yourself/dp/0802457061
Wow this is amazing and honestly inspiring! Great blog! Keep up the good work! Follow my blog for info on fashion and lifestyle https://.blissfullybad.wordpress.com
I fell for you click bait as well. I’ll be more careful next time.
Great article. What it does not tell is the effect all your travels and attempts had on yourself. I think without them you would not be as motivated and able to help as you are now. It has all been worth it.
Don’t worry babe, at least u made life more beautiful by being there. ure beautiful. In and out. It’s hard for someone to realize harsh facts especially to admit it.
My only problem with this article is the characterization of “little white girls” as being useless. Doesn’t sound much different than a sports coach deriding his male players as playing like little girls or “sissies.” While you showed an admirable humility about your experience, I find it offensive that you’re perpetuating a damaging stereotype about young white girls, who have their own battle to fight when it comes to respect and dignity in the world. I wish you could have found another way to express your humility – perhaps focus on your naiveté and lack of experience in the world instead of labeling yourself as a “little white girl.”
We’d love to work with you at http://maybethismatters.org. I have no doubt that you’d have so much to add 🙂
From someone who lives overseas full-time, many of us share your views. There is wisdom in these words, and I applaud your humbly in admitting you were wrong. Even those of us living in a developing country fighting to empower those we serve, it’s a daily struggle. Well done.
Awesome! I come from a developing country and I have often thought so myself…
what article did you read?
I am from Kenya, and I have seen that too…it’s very frustrating that most of them think “Africa needs saving” but I hope this article provides proper insight, to those who want volunteer.
I completely agree! Well said.
Alan, I invite you to read it again….slowly, perhaps.
Obviously comprehension is not Alan’s strength. BTW Alan, blogging snarky remarks to a well-written article is neither intelligent nor does it possess any fortitude.
Wow! Think you missed her point….entirely!
Alan….you missed her point of the article.
Allison McLeod, I agree a lot with what you are saying. I do appreciate the article’s author for noticing how her skin does and doesnt have power. Thats is something that should be spoken for more often, for sure. But I strongly agree with you Allison, b/c I too, traveled much when I was younger, and even half of 2012 I moved and lived in Malawi, to work with LOCALS supporting them in their own projects.
To come back and tell stories, was HUGE, and still is. (mollytomalawi.wordpress.com) My stories led me back to Malawi, to lead others, to help the locals too.
Its about sharing the mission, sharing the people, sharing the good, and the bad to promote, and fundraise and equip people on the ground. I feel as if you go and benefit, but walk away with nothing or little action, that is what the author might be saying is harmful as well.
Allison McLeod, I agree a lot with what you are saying. I do appreciate the article’s author for noticing how her skin does and doesn’t have power. Thats is something that should be spoken for more often, for sure. But I strongly agree with you Allison, b/c I too, traveled much when I was younger, and even half of 2012 I moved and lived in Malawi, to work with LOCALS supporting them in their own projects.
To come back and tell stories, was HUGE, and still is. (mollytomalawi.wordpress.com) My stories led me back to Malawi, to lead others, to help the locals too.
Its about sharing the mission, sharing the people, sharing the good, and the bad to promote, and fundraise and equip people on the ground. I feel as if you go and benefit, but walk away with nothing or little action, that is what the author might be saying is harmful as well.
As for my comment straight to the author. I am biracial, so I know how most people on your Tanzania trip felt. Should I be upset to be called “azungu” when I am not white, or am I? All that identity stuff aside, I still have feelings about travel. Is it better for a groups of rich, white people to ONLY travel to these countries that need aid to go on Safari and visit exotic beaches? If you tell them, they have no concern visiting and helping, than where will the aid come from? Also, I hear what you are saying, your ideas, and “white savior” complex need to be eradicated, for sure! I think its about perspective change. Can I go to the DR and help? How about I contact a local organization, and see what there needs are. Heck, they know the country, the people and the need, best. LIke you said, you didn’t know Spanish. (that in itself is an entitlement issue most of us Americans share. We do not need to speak the language where we are going; instead, everyone should just know English.)
So I believe travel helps others to see the impoverished world, which should then make people act.
Actions can turn into advocacy, fundraising, story telling, and the like.
We as travelers, should know a few words in the language of the people we are going to visit’s native tongue. Its appropriate. No excuses.
Before arriving theres, all people should be seeking the locals on WHAT the needs are, and HOW you can help, instead of saying we are doing X,Y, and Z in you country.
Otherwise, you are right. You and your trip mates will come back and someone else will relay the bricks, in order for you and your mission to actually make it look like you did something.
The problem isn’t little white girls or boys, it’s ignorant Americans who don’t understand their privilege. The problem isn’t the colour of your skin, it’s your ignorance.
Hi Pippa
I hope you are still reading comments on the article this far down! I wanted to get in touch to ask whether you would consider letting us republish the piece on Matador Network (www.matadornetwork.com). I think we have another large audience who’d really benefit from reading the piece.
We’ve written on some of these issues (and similar ones) in the past, and I’d love to add your voice to the site. I’ve been battling to find an email address from you, but hope you will get in touch! Some examples of the voluntourism/aid debacle stuff we have run in the past are:
http://matadornetwork.com/change/why-you-shouldnt-participate-in-voluntourism/
http://matadornetwork.com/change/7-worst-international-aid-ideas/
All the best. And thanks for writing this. Checking developed-world voluntourism privilege doesn’t get done nearly enough.
Reblogged this on Dee Mitchell.
Richard- please email me at philippa dot biddle at gmail dot com
I could easily consider you a teacher, and knowing the way that you think, girl – you’re much better than 99% of PhDs around the globe…
I agree with the premise of this article – not so much about being “white”, but about we in “privileged” countries being the “savior” of those less fortunate. However, I believe there is value in visiting people in other countries, other cultures, if the attitude is right. Last summer i went to the DR, not so much to “help”, since I really had no idea what the need was or felt that I could really be of any use per se. But I very much wanted to meet people, to know them, know their culture, know what kind of hardships they face. We shared some smiles, some tears, some hugs. I regretted not knowing the language, not being able to really communicate. I admired much in their culture. I have a better understanding of the long-term work that is being done there by my friend. I can share, help raise money for some of the things that they need. Yes, I spent a lot of money to get there, but I don’t think it was a waste.
Christina, why is it difficult to see this as a “white” privilege (supremacy) issue and not just generalise it and or reduce it to “we” in privileged countries? Are there scenarios even in North America where immigrant families (both black and brown people) are regarded as articles for benevolence?
I cannot agree more or less!
your article was an extremely unintelligent read, self glorifying and purely arrogant. The fact that you mention you are white has not relevance whatsoever you are trying to make this article about race. How very fortunate you are to have attended boarding school, no-one cares! Your stupidity amazes me and the problem is not your skin colour you are yet another ignorant little spoilt girl. You focus on the fact that you are white, publish a silly blog like this, people ignorantly believe what you have written when in actual fact you were not equipped or intelligent to perform the volunteering tasks you had! The fact that you focus on the colour of your skin is immature, ignorant and a stupid excuse. So ignorant. wow.
To those who don’t agree with the author, here’s he math behind it. A competent local construction worker costs maybe $5 a day in many third world countries. That means that our average first world person building a school in the third world is at most contributing something on the order of $25 a week worth of labor. Whether it’s a huge black male construction worker who does $30 worth of work or a petite white female secretary who actually does negative work, is not the issue. The issue is that for the vast majority of people, “donating” this sort of unskilled labor is, at best, nearly worthless. They would actually do better taking a normal vacation in said country and just making sure to patronize small local businesses and donate maybe 10% of their travel budget to a good locally run charity. Of course if you’re a doctor or one of a handful of other professions who can genuinely use(or better yet teach) their skills then then this doesn’t apply to you.
It’s not that volunteering is a _bad_ thing. It’s just an absurdly _inefficient_ way to help. It’s like my friends/family who wanted to physically airmail stuff to the Philippines to help with the recent hurricane relief efforts. I told them to just send money. Even just the money they were going to spend on postage. With that money my inlaws who live 2 hours from the disaster site were able to buy half a metric ton of food clothing an medicine and truck it to the affected area closest to them. You know how much it cost to airmail half a metric ton? Neither do I, but it’s WAY more than the money we collected. Its just way too inefficient….almost as inefficient as flying your average unskilled ammerican half way round the world to build schools for a week. Just find a good charity and send cash. It doesn’t have the feel good factor, but generally the locals can do it better and way cheaper than you could ever hope to.
This was a great read! Thanks for sharing. When it pertains to black children having other blacks to look up to, it is viewed as a racist notion, anyone should be able to mentor, or lead. But to hear/read you actually state this is remarkable to me. Someone that has seen the worlds view as opposed to just thier own backyard. Thanks again!
Are you white? The cat has been let out of the basket! Your lashing over what the writer has said on this most celebrated article just shows how ignorant, conceited and selfish to accept what the reality is!
Reblogged this on Life through the eyes of an Ephesians 5 guy and commented:
This is the truth. Whether or not we like to agree. There is such necessity in the way we spend our time with people.
Good point! Ignorance and…in this case, so it seems, lack of actual qualification. Little white female carpenter’s are ok apparently. Also, what exactly is this “white” racial catagory that people from the USA so often speak of? I think we need to clearly define this. Or do we..?
Little white amurican girls! Maybe. Why must you strive to racially catagorise the entire world based on US social problems and issues?
The countries in which this “white” girl is volunteering are PROBABLY not so racially obsessed as you are just genuinely thankful for help.
Little white amurican girls! Maybe. Why must you strive to racially catagorise the entire world based on US social problems and issues?
The countries in which this “white” girl is volunteering are PROBABLY not so racially obsessed as you are just genuinely thankful for help.
Everyone keeps on ganging up on the Alan, saying he missed the point. What exactly is the point? I might have missed it as well or just think the author is full of shit. She seems to be one of those apologetic “whites” that thinks her recognizing her whiteness will go over well with minorities. I found it to be pretty arrogant as well. Either way, once again race somehow creeps its way into something that it has NOTHING to do with. She wasn’t able to build walls or communicate with the kids not because of the color of her skin, but because A.) she wasn’t handy and B.) she was monolingual. I am “white” so happen to be finishing my masters in Architecture and can speak fluent spanish. My “whiteness” wouldn’t have prohibited me from helping in these particular instances. My point is, we need to stop separating one another and view each other as different because of the color of our skin. We are all HUMAN. If I were to line up every shade of skin on Earth from light to dark I am almost certain NOBODY can point at one person and tell me that where black ends and white begins.
You said to think twice about choosing a volunteer trip however you didn’t give us an alternative. What should we do instead of volunteering abroad? Do nothing or give money to a charity? I think it is really risky of you to be encouraging people to not volunteer.
Reblogged this on Chainging Perspectives and commented:
Love eye-opening posts like this
Reblogged this on NO ID..
Whiteness is a social construct and encompasses so much more than skin tone! Let’s remember that. Great article here. Voluntourism is so problematic, and often just looks like more versions of sneaky cultural colonialism to me.
so the privileged person is just using fake help as a premise to “experience” suffering of others, which is the only way they’ll ever be empathic. nice.
Reblogged this on The Rosy Life and commented:
Very enlightening! This is making me grateful for all the hard work I have put in to hopefully someday attain medical training so I can make a positive difference to people.
Whiteness is more than just skin tone. I daresay when the locals told that black woman on the trip that she was “white”, they meant something else. Never a bad idea to bring whiteness (read: not just race) into it.
I would hope that anyone who wants to truly provide aid and consult with the local community would be able to assess the impacts of their privilege without being so defensive. Whiteness is not just race.
Reblogged this on philieselphy and commented:
This is so true, and I’d never even thought about it in this way
[…] https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/18/the-problem-with-little-white-girls-and-boys/ […]
Reblogged this on My Life Drenched in Hot Sauce and commented:
Before spreading the eternally superb ways of the white, it’s critical to put yourself in the shoes of the ‘Other’, and what value your ‘help’ truly will have.
Volunteerism starts with the continual urge in understanding the human condition. And the reality, as Pippa mentioned, is these children need to have “a hero who she can relate to – who looks like her, is part of her culture, speaks her language, and who she might bump into on the way to school one morning.” Without any so relation or personal understanding of one trying to help another, any goal becomes seemingly unobtainable, and unfortunately worthless to strive for. For these people will never nail a board, paint a roof top or walk a mile in the same shoes. Ever.
Pippa, I admire your honesty, and thank you for sharing your vulnerability to the not-so-little white lies our culture is fed in the continuing age of white martyrdom.
[…] Donating can feel good, can be helpful, but it can also promote a savior complex. Pippa Biddle […]
I think you’ve oversimplified the issue. Perhaps it’s less about being white and more about age/experience. Here’s your own quote: “I am not a teacher, a doctor, a carpenter, a scientist, an engineer, or any other professional that could provide concrete support and long-term solutions to communities in developing countries.”
This has nothing to do with skin color. Develop some skills, and then come back as a volunteer!
I think the best start for people wanting to help, is in their own counties, help the poor, the orphanages, the disabled… If you are into foreign culture, help immigrants, denounce detention centers… There’s so much to be done and not so far away … Everyone deserves help, and they are also just around the corner.
Go help this near you, orphanages, disabled, immigrants… Homeless, poor, those stuck in detention centers in terrible conditions … There is sooooo much to do, it’s hidden from us at times, but when searching you will inevitably find it !
There is always some truth though, we have a western perspective, we are still thinking we will help, in some colonising continuation, we think we know best, it’s not true, communities know best of what they want and an idea of how they could get there. If only we could position ourselves in their vulture, beliefs and ways of living, and truly understand what help is maybe wanted and how we can help them help themselves. Again I’m sorry I’m a westerner, with a western background, a western degree, although my degree does involve people from all backgrounds and not all purely westernized viewpoints. I’m not sure what more I’m bringing to this article or your comment, perhaps that there is always some truth in what is said even if colour of skin isn’t the primary concern, it is very symbolic in our western society, it’s has been a division for many centuries and the idea and belief of race or ethnicity is unfortunately still around.
Reblogged this on Grove is Green and commented:
Interesting read about volunteering in other countries!! The author raises some excellent points.
Dear Pippa,
If you’re reading this, please know that it is written with love and appreciation. Please don’t dismiss it, but read all the way through.
Thank you for taking time to process your experiences in “voluntourism.” You offer an authentic perspective. You are wise to recognize that you ARE NOT the HOPE of the WORLD – the “WHITE” SAVIOR. However, I do hope you will keep an open mind on the subject and continue learning as you go.
I am able to relate to a lot of what you have to say. I too, happen to be a white girl who studied 5 years of Spanish in high school. I now find myself living and working in a Spanish-speaking country with little ability to communicate verbally. Which is ironic because my purpose here is to write faith-based curriculum for children in their native language. (I am working hard with a private teacher to get a deeper grasp on the language.)
While my lack of ability to speak the language is a big hit to my pride, I haven’t let it send me home or stop the work I’ve been sent to do. Actually, it has allowed me to step back and process the culture around me. To understand what it feels like to not automatically excel because of my background, upbringing, and skin-color. It has caused me to realize that I HAVE to rely not on my own abilities, but on the kindness of those I been sent to BE in ministry WITH and to rely on the ONE who sent me. God.
I moved to El Salvador with a lot of experience in short-term mission trips. You could label them as voluntourism, but that’s not what they were for me. I was about 10 years old on my first trip. I returned to my home in North Carolina with a heart full from the love of people in another “world” who loved me in spite of our differences. While, at the same time, my heart was broken by eyes freshly opened to the fact there were people in this world who lived with so little when I had so much. I began to feel guilt for the advantages I had. Yet, I realized that the people I visited had things I didn’t have. Joy that comes not from owning a lot of stuff, but from being truly thankful for each blessing you do have. Faith in God that is real because it’s tested every day through struggles that I will probably never face. And a love of family that is treasured as a valuable possession.
Pippa, I read your follow-up blog about how you broke the Internet. I want you to know that I am truly thankful for you transparency. You’re right, this is a hot topic that needs to be discussed and dealt with. And I am thankful that at 21, you’re willing to initiate this discussion. I think you have a wisdom that you don’t yet realize. Please continue struggling through this topic and being authentic as you learn.
You mention that you don’t want a girl across the world waking up thinking of you, thanking you for her education and so on…but I wonder, do you ever wake up thinking of her? Did she have an impact on who you are today? Have you considered that possibility?
Is her memory inscribed on your heart?
I believe that it is important to go to places where you are the minority – to go to places where you realize that you aren’t as special/important/accomplished/helpful/skillful/successful/needed than you thought you were. I believe that stepping out of your normal, comfortable circumstances in order to touch the life of another person actually has equal, if not greater potential to change YOU as well as the other person.
To the topic of racism: We are ALL God’s children. Some separated by geography, others by economics, others by education, and others by plain ignorance. YET, we are CALLED to be together – to share in this mystery of life. To live beyond the boundaries built by color, gender, preferences, up-bringing, and so on.
Yeah, it may require an expensive plane ticket – but your PRESENCE is PRICELESS.
I don’t know what your religious beliefs are. I’m a follower of Christ. I hope it’s obvious! I don’t want you to feel like I’m pushing my faith on you, but it’s an active part of who I am and why I do what I do. I believe that God has the power to heal this world in one breath, yet he chose a different way – he chose to use us! And chose to let us choose whether or not we’d participate. He chose to come to us in the flesh (not just a check in the mail) – at a price way more costly than a plane ticket – first through Christ – and today through Christ followers indwelled by the holy spirit.
I believe you were sent to Tanzania and Dominican Republic not to build a library or offer medical care to very sick children. Like you said, there are other means for that. If that’s all you were there for, a financial donation is way more effective. But, in the developing world, we give too much power and credit to money.
I believe you were sent to those places to BE.
To BE one with the people, to share in human love and kindness, to BE CHRIST in the flesh. And, more importantly, I believe you were sent there for the people of those countries to BE the same for you.
I saw it clearly in your photos. While the rocks of the wall weren’t perfect, the bond built while sorting rocks from beans in Tanzania was transforming. And while your Spanish and medical knowledge were lacking in the Dominican Republic, the love and smiles you shared while making friendship bracelets offered eternal hope and healing that goes far beyond medical and language abilities.
How was your soul been HEALED through those relationships?
It’s absolutely AWESOME that you are now using your finances and talents to impact the lives of people across the world – and not hogging the spotlight by doing it in person. You’re right, we can use our resources (no matter how big or small) to impact the lives of others that we may never actually meet in person. An example more people in the “developed world” should follow.
BUT it isn’t only the person traveling by plane or from privilege or with an accomplished skill-set who has something to offer – the people visited have just as much, if not more to offer those doing the traveling.
Donations of money are useful and necessary, but your PRESENCE is a powerful gift of encouragement, hope, and LOVE that money just can’t buy.
The plane ticket you buy isn’t for the end result of being able to say you traveled to a far-away place and took care of some “needy kids” as some say. (And it shouldn’t take away from the money you have already planned to invest in projects.) Purchasing a plane ticket is a sacrifice you make because the people in that far-away place are YOUR FAMILY. They are an important part of your life and you are an important part of their lives (whether you like it or not!) And if you have the means to visit them – the same as you would your blood family – then by all means, do it! Not because you offer the right skill set to meet their needs – but because all any of us need is connection to one another.
I’m not saying that everyone needs to travel a plane trip away to create this connection. But you do have to step out of your ordinary routine, comfortable surroundings, and learned skill-set to experience this connection.
Sickness. Poverty. Hunger.
These things unfortunately have been and will be with us for a long time. Possession of a perfect skill set will not end them.
Yet,
The hand of someone who cares will ease pain.
The unexpected visit of someone who speaks a different language will stimulate the mind and imagination of a child.
The smiles, hugs, and even tears of a person who can’t pay you a visit in return will change your heart forever.
Pippa, I hope you one day see yourself as more than an over-privileged white girl. I hope one day you see yourself through the eyes of those around you who see beyond skin and status – but just see you expressed in love, friendship, and presence.
The transparency with which you write, is the best gift you have to offer the developing world. To share in the struggles and triumphs of being human. To not let the boundaries stop two people from sharing an authentic appreciation for one another. To just have fun and laugh with one another in spite of not speaking the same language or having all the answers/solutions to the problems at hand.
Pippa, may God continue to bless the impact you have on this world. Use this forum you now have to make a difference, not just to enjoy the temporary spotlight. And may you continue to allow the people of this world have a profound impact on you!
With lots of love,
Ellyn Dubberly
And… to those considering their next “mission trip”…don’t ponder your skill set, as Pippa advised.
As a matter of fact, leave it at home.
Our perceived skill set is often the cause of failure of reaching the heart of missions. It’s not about what you have to offer.
Simply ask the One, True, Living God to fill you with His PRESENCE today and use you and the very few, imperfect skills you do have to offer along with God’s unending and perfect tool box of never-ending skills to bring healing, hope, and encouragement to someone this day!
With or without the purchase of a plane ticket.
Step back and see how CHRIST works through you! And don’t forget to look for Him working in your life through the lives of others.
And if you do end up traveling on a short-term mission trip, make sure you are working with a responsible host who is invested in the place you are working. Who has taken time to know the people, culture, struggles as well as needs. Who will be there to follow-up on the work being done. Who understands that to give requires the ability to receive. That sometimes we do fail, but we need to keep trying, learning together from mistakes, so that one day we will no longer be separated by the barriers of skin-color, economics, education, and up-bringing.
Thank you for sharing and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and joining the conversation. Please consider reading/sharing/commenting on the post I just put up (linked) as I am trying to recover some items that were stolen recently. https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/28/if-youve-ever-enjoyed-anything-ive-published-please-help-me-now/
[…] that international aid/volunteering in the developing world is not always beneficial (see this blog entry for a critique of being a ‘Volontourist’). I think Dambisa Moyo in her book ‘Dead Aid’ has […]
Reblogged this on morganallison.
Very good article! I have cited you blog entry on mine http://mindboggleblog.wordpress.com/2014/02/28/opiate-for-the-masses/
[…] a response to an article about volunteering. I’ve seen it circulating around the internet- https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/18/the-problem-with-little-white-girls-and-boys/ . Let me give a brief summary.The subheading is “Why I Stopped Being a Voluntourist”. […]
Yes, I appreciate all your insight, but, had you not gone initially and experienced the need and the poverty and the drawbacks, you might never have gained the insight to inform the rest of us. And you would not have had the drive to accomplish the establishment now almost completely run by nationals. Sometimes people need to go there to learn, so they, too, can make a greater difference.
Good in ya Allison!! That is AWESOME! I absolutely agree. Gathering information is great but acting on it is much better. Sometimes I wonder if there wld b more change in the world if class trips were in poorer places doing some sort of assistance and opening more ppls eyes to the travesties in the world
[…] This piece really challenges the idea of “voluntourism” and why upper class Western young people traveling across the world to volunteer often causes more harm than good. […]
My personal perception about the process of learning the stuff we don’t know is a more positive one. I don’t consider a lack of experience or skill to be reason not to participate.
Most of us require a whole lot of practice at doing something new to get good at it – that’s NO reason not to work at it.
Get in, have a go. Try to inform yourself as much as you can and hopefully the people around you will provide correction and guidance. (Rather than allow you to do it incorrectly, then re doing it without your knowledge) The more you try, the better you will get – at whatever it is you are doing.
My personal motivation for choosing to assist others (wherever they may be in the world) is because they need help.
That’s it. Compassion.
Cool story, needs more dragons though
It’s a very good idea to make sure that your skill sets match the task at hand. Sounds like the adults organizing your trips let you down. But, those trips helped shape you and brought you to do work that actually does help. Would you be doing what you are now without them? Could be the trips were really about teaching and forming you not the people you went to help and it sounds like they were very successful.
Reblogged this on Curtis D Slone and commented:
This shows how as first-world citizens we think we can provide value to a developing country. It is healthy to add positivity but as the post says… Sometimes we can be more detrimental than helpful
Dear Ellyn,
You are obviously faithful and passionate in and of your beliefs. You sound like a wonderfully kind and thoughtful person. All credit to you.
I would respectfully suggest that in part you may have missed some points.
It seems quite obvious that there is indeed a memory of those intended aid recipients. It is with that in mind and an honest assessment of what would be truly beneficial to those people that she makes the recommendations that she does.
You asked whether her soul was healed? With all due respect, that is not the intent behind aid. To go into it with that sort of expectation and promoting that idea is selfish. To push the ideal that people should just put themselves out there and expect to learn as they go is hardly helpful to those truly in need. It makes far more work and indeed makes life even more difficult for those whom you are trying to help. That is a negative impact for those people. To think otherwise is misguided, short sighted and selfish even if with the “best intentions”.
Respectfully,
Graham Bennett.
Thank you for your post! I have traveled overseas doing aid work in many different situations and to many different countries (even living in a few for extended periods of time) and I find what you say to be totally true.
It’s a very hard idea to teach however…perhaps this understanding is something that has to be learned through experience.
~Aspen
[…] Originally published on pippabiddle.com […]
[…] The Problem with Little White Girls (and Boys): […]
Wow we need to see more of this more often you made so much not about race only an topic that is pushed away and never addressed. Thank You for this blog
[…] The problem with little white girls (and boys): why I stopped being a voluntourist […]
Your trip was not a “detriment”. You have done wonderful good for lots and lots of people through what you learned about being able to do so little.
Reblogged this on abishandran.
Basically I agree with what you’re saying. When we travel abroad we are often blind to our own un-earned over-privilege, and in danger of becoming peace imperialists–taught from birth that we are developed and that the most gracious charitable thing we can do is to help backward, uneducated, primitive, backwards, underprivileged, less-fortunate peoples develop and better themselves. That way God may see them as as deserving of his blessings as we obviously are. Our manifest destiny could be theirs too.
In short, we are taught that we have the solutions, they have the problems.
I, like you, began to see the fallacy of that thinking, but only as the result of experiential learning–or should I say un-learning? I had to live myself into a new way of thinking. For a while I was part of an experiential learning program that set out to do just that–provide cross-class-cross-cultural learning opportunities to Canadians that would transform them–transform the lives of participants themselves, not the lives of our foreign hosts.
An even more difficult part of the unlearning was the discovery that not only were we not the ones with the solutions; we and our countries of origin are, in fact, the lion’s share of the problem, contributing to the development of under-development as Brazilian academic Gunder Frank put it. But that’s a pretty fat topic best left for another day.
Today, aware of much of my unearned privilege, I nevertheless continue to volunteer as a “Voluntourist”. I do international accompaniment work for organizations and communities whose lives are threatened because they don’t enjoy the same impunity conferred on foreigners, especially white foreigners. Our hosts are aware of the inequality and our unearned privilege, but hope that our presence will deter further violence against them, and that we will use our privilege to bring their voicess to decision-makers in the over-developed world.
Stewart Vriesinga,
of Christian Peacemaker Teams Colombia
From my friend in Colombia:
I see my comment to Pippa Biddle is awaiting moderation. I’ll just paste it here now:
Basically I agree with what you’re saying. When we travel abroad we are often blind to our own un-earned over-privilege, and in danger of becoming peace imperialists–taught from birth that we are developed and that the most gracious charitable thing we can do is to help backward, uneducated, primitive, backwards, underprivileged, less-fortunate peoples develop and better themselves. That way God may see them as as deserving of his blessings as we obviously are. Our manifest destiny could be theirs too.
In short, we are taught that we have the solutions, they have the problems.
I, like you, began to see the fallacy of that thinking, but only as the result of experiential learning–or should I say un-learning? I had to live myself into a new way of thinking. For a while I was part of an experiential learning program that set out to do just that–provide cross-class-cross-cultural learning opportunities to Canadians that would transform them–transform the lives of participants themselves, not the lives of our foreign hosts.
An even more difficult part of the unlearning was the discovery that not only were we not the ones with the solutions; we and our countries of origin are, in fact, the lion’s share of the problem, contributing to the development of under-development as Brazilian academic Gunder Frank put it. But that’s a pretty fat topic best left for another day.
Today, aware of much of my unearned privilege, I nevertheless continue to volunteer as a “Voluntourist”. I do international accompaniment work for organizations and communities whose lives are threatened because they don’t enjoy the same impunity conferred on foreigners, especially white foreigners. Our hosts are aware of the inequality and our unearned privilege, but hope that our presence will deter further violence against them, and that we will use our privilege to bring their voicess to decision-makers in the over-developed world.
Stewart Vriesinga,
of Christian Peacemaker Teams Colombia
[…] The problem with little white girls (and boys): Why I stopped being a voluntourist. After the 3 months of ineffective volunteering I did in Tanzania in 2009, I get overly excited when I find articles pointing out exactly why international volunteering is silly/offensive. […]
If you can get the book “When Helping Hurts” it addresses how short-term trips can be either harmful or helpful. A good rule of thumb is, “Never do for someone what they can do for themselves.” It makes a lot more sense to send the money to build a building, run a camp, etc. than to send a team of people to do it.
I live in Thailand and I teach English, which is one of the few skills that white people can provide that the locals do not have but really need. But most of our work is done by my husband, who is from this country and relates to the people far better than I ever could. My job is to support him and get rescources for him that he couldn’t get otherwise. And his work is very effective in meeting the needs of the people we work with.
We “white” people have a vast amount of rescources that are desperately needed by the rest of the world. But you’re right. Our presence is usually not one of them. My husband could do his work perfectly well if I stayed at home and no one knew what color his wife was, so long as I kept him connected with our network of friends who support us from the West.
Interesting read, though I’ve seen people who are not white go out and “help” others less fortunate than themselves. Personally I volunteer locally in kitchens because working in a commercial kitchen is what I know and am capable of doing. I have always viewed paying to aid others in a foreign country as more of a feel good vacation you can brag about later.
and Pippa trust me, the natives do it so well, with economies of scale that your whole training cannot commensurate. What a revelation! Keep the good work you are doing while emphasizing on what you are best at God bless you. re’Gina
[…] article is written by a 21-year old girl named Pippa, living in New York City (https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/18/the-problem-with-little-white-girls-and-boys/). It relates to some critical thoughts and reflections we already touched upon. With regards to our […]
[…] When Elite Parents Dominate Volunteers, Children Lose How Neil Gaiman Took the Road to En-Dor The Problem with Little White Girls (and Boys): Why I Stopped Being a Voluntourist Notes from Freedom County and, finally, a blog entry that features my own hometown of Paducah, […]
I could not agree more with what Pippa has said. I have found this to be so true with my volunteer experience in Kenya. I felt like for the majority of the volunteers in the company I was with (GVI International), it was an opportunity for them to feel good about helping poor kids and have their photos taken in exotic locations. The average $3000 US these people spent on a week trip would have been better spent giving money to an organisation where professionals are utilising that money to provide proper education and medical support to communities in need. Not facilitate the acquisition of wealth by the company running the project and contribute to a feel good experience for tourists who only serve to create a further divide between the community they are “working” in. I think it’s great when people want to assist others and like some of the comments say below, it can change a person forever and keep you motivated towards creating positive changes BUT at the end of the day I think there are more effective ways to spend money and also these projects can be more detrimental than helpful to the very people you are there to help.
You are wise beyond your years. Your piece really highlights an issue I often discuss with my peers in academic… about how one’s position in the world is at the core of everything; in how we see and experience the world, in how we judge others, and in how our actions (or lack thereof) affect those who are ‘less fortunate’.
The problem is that most of us are not aware of this positionality whether is via skin color, wealth, and even legal status (which is what I mostly write about) and how it can be detrimental to the same communities we seek to help. It not only does it apply for volunteerism but also in other areas such as social science research and journalism. Thank you for saying what needed to be said.
Thank you for this. As someone who works in North America for an international developement charity, I can’t do anything but applaud your honesty and ability to tell the truth about when helping people actually does more harm than good.
Stay strong girl!
Wow Pippa…this is a brilliant article! You are indeed very wise. I have long looked with disdain on those who spend a short vacation in a 3rd-world country “helping those poor people” and then return to the wealth and comfort of the USA feeling smug and self-satisfied! But you, while shining a bright on this problem, manage to be encouraging and suggest alternatives that are more meaningful and I hope many will hear your message! Much love to you!
There’s a reason her African-American friend was considered ‘white’. It has to do with the second part of that label…’American.’ I find this offensive because it concentrates on a person’s skin color…rather than the fact that as Americans, our culture even to minorities has become foreign in the experience and culture of third world countries.
This article could have pointed out that if we, as Americans, are interested in improving the lives in third world countries…then we should invest in sending the skilled doctors, teachers, etc…who…hmm…are likely the ‘wrong’ color in accordance with this article.
Privilege sets us apart, not color…and I say this as yes a poor white person…I apologize in advance for being poor and not the stereotypical ‘right’ color. Poverty whether we admit it or not denigrates us all…regardles of color.
Thank you!
Reblogged this on Abroad & The Wonder and commented:
Sharing this idea in the problem creates more space for dialogue about the purpose of volunteer work abroad and who interest it truly serves. What are your reactions about this piece? Do winter terms, summer study abroads, and other short term voluntourist trips serve to reproduce the status quo of white privilege?
You know, when I was in charge of my company office (not GVI) , I will tell you that most of the job of a volunteer program is to make sure you make as little impact on the country as possible. I believe it is an important experience to travel and interact with new people, but foreigners are an exhausting bunch and “the impact” is never what you were sold. (And lots of times it’s hyper negative impact, because y’all are young, learning, uncomfortable, acting out, getting drunk, sleeping with the locals, showing up preganant, checking out of your work program (emotionally or, traveling), not communicating, misbehaving at homestays, not picking up on the cultural cues about behavior and so on.). Yes, foreign volunteer programs are the new ‘summer camp’.
But here’s the thing, they (y’all) will come, they will learn exactly what you and Pippa did, and if you choose a development career, _if your experience was facilitated well_, you might remember what you learned when you make some policy.
And the chances of you landing there without some significant experience to shift your perception from ‘I’m the specialest-smartest-most privilegest’ to umm ‘maybe I should ask around first, and learn to listen’ at the core of your being is really hard.
I like this a lot. There’s the refreshing realization, slight self-deprecation and smack of reality. I do believe however, that intent counts. You intended to do some good and I believe that matters. But lots of people still need to come to this realization that people from the Western world are not always the saviors they think they are. Of course, this does not take away from the people who dedicate their lives to helping.
What you do by volunteering is not building libraries or taking care of their health. You give them a dream that an individual (white and female in your case) can go a few thousand miles to an alien culture and stick their neck out in doing something that they are not competent in, but would like to still do it – in the belief that it makes a difference.
That translates to – a kid from a developing country thinking of going to school even though no one around them does and dreaming of starting a boutique shop in the city, finding friends and being on their own – and maybe even standing up for others and supporting other groups.
What you bring is the ability to dream. Locals putting up bricks can’t do that.
[…] I too was there studying East African History and Culture during a semester abroad. Biddle’s post, which went viral two weeks ago, shares a thoughtful reflection on the nature (read: problems) of […]
Thank you thank you thank!! The church is afraid to admit this, talk about it bad fearful of the reality of the damage it does to minority communities! You will be hit with tons of criticism , yet stay true to what God has called you to say!! Grace to you!!
Reblogged this on ALLCELEBRITIESWORLD.
Pippa you make good points, but this is part of the process of you maturing as a humanitarian we all have to start somewhere. I have participated in a number of international development projects as a group leader- some better than others. I have seen communities inspired to get involved and get something done that has been needed for years because a groups has been there to get the ball rolling. I have also seen other projects be ineffectual- but that was not the fault of the volunteers. Personally I have found that the volunteers go home with a profound understanding and respect for the community they have become a part of, and this can be hugely influential in their life decisions to lead change in the world. Would you have made your 7 year commitment to the camp if you had not first been on the month long youth experience? Possibly not- I don’t know. So, still I encourage young people to go out and find out about the world, and that voluntourism is a great way to do it- we cannot get a better grip on reality sooner than caring for a sick child in a second language, or any of the other experiences voluntouring provides. It has influenced my life and my work for the better, and like you I now know that developing countries don’t need me, they need skills and start up support. But I am so grateful for the lessons I learned in developing countries, and at the end of the day I taught some kids some great card games, made some worthwhile contributions, and I now work to improve my own community based on what I learned from those who are ‘impoverished’ (and are in some ways much richer). I hope they remember me for that.
Based on my experience of working with young people in outdoor education and international development I am also inclined to think that the experience you mention as your first experience was not with a not-for-profit organisation- but rather with a company who engage school aged youth into an overseas adventuring experience which includes ‘Community Service.’ These programs are not developed on current best practice international development and are focused on delivering the experience for the youth participants- but they don’t tell you that. Never the less- they have obviously contributed to the development of an impressive young woman.
[…] month, a 21-year-old woman named Pippa Biddle took to her blog and eviscerated the kinds of volunteer trips that many parents encourage teenagers to take. If […]
[…] month, a 21-year-old woman named Pippa Biddle took to her blog and eviscerated the kinds of volunteer trips that many parents encourage teenagers to take. If […]
I had written about my own international volunteering experience before I read this. I am not a white girl – on the contrary, I am from the part of the world where I volunteered – but in reading your post, I found myself nodding my head at all the points you’ve made. It’s really interesting how some of the issues you faced were similar yet somehow flipped around in my experience. Also, I have that exact pair of sunglasses.
[…] posting this experience, I happened to read a Freshly Pressed post from blogger Pippa Biddle that was all sorts of relevant. I highly recommend it. […]
[…] month, a 21-year-old woman named Pippa Biddle took to her blog and eviscerated the kinds of volunteer trips that many parents encourage teenagers to take. If […]
Ellyn,
People like you are why I chose to leave organized religion and never look back. My church, Concord Trinity Methodist in St. Louis, spent over $60,000 to take 12 teen-agers with no skill set to Ghana. They brought kids in an orphanage some pencils and volleyballs a la “white savior style” obviously not even learning enough about the culture to know that soccer is the prevailing sport in Ghana. I think they unloaded some bed nets, probably depriving a local Ghanaian of a job that day.
You think this huge sum of money is ok if they are getting something out of it. I disagree. First of all, we are asked to be wise stewards and I don’t think spending $60,ooo on a “mission trip” is achieving that objective. Plus, you seem to think that as long as these kids “get something out’ of their trip, it is ok. I can tell you they did not. They talked about how much fun they had, how cool it was and showed the congregation all the cool stuff they had bought in the local markets. They said it was fun “hanging with the locals” in the lobby of their hotel watching the Word Cup. Not once did they mention that they were profoundly affected by the poverty they witnessed. No one even mentioned having been moved after visiting the sites where Africans were housed before being shipped over to the New World to feed the slave trade.
I think “mission trips” are just a fad that Christian churches have embraced because it makes them feel good. They can pat themselves on the back and walk away from solving the real problems behind poverty. They don’t have to work on the difficult justice-based solutions. They don’t have to expend the energy or the intellect.
I tried to get our church to become a ONE congregation. I spoke at length with my minister about the need for justice, to be a voice for the poor as the Bible instructs us to do but that most Christians ignore. He basically told me he didn’t think anyone would be interested. Christians not interested in justice. Surprise, surprise.
I was also pretty harshly confronted by several “movers and shakers” in the church when I raised concerns about the mission trips- their cost-effectiveness (or lack thereof, actually, whether our kids were really getting anything of value out of the trip or if it was just viewed as a big vacation to an exotic locale, whether we were being disingenuous to the congregation who was footing the bill and finally if it was being unfair to the very people they were trying to serve. I left because I could not stay at a church that did not allow intelligent questions and honest dissent. We were all expected to fall into line like lemmings.
I now head up our local ONE chapter (ONE is an advocacy group that fights extreme global poverty and preventable disease through justice-based solutions) and even though it is secular, I feel that I am closer to following the Gospel of Jesus Christ that I ever was when I was involved in a church. Plus I don’t have to listen to sanctimonious blow-hards like you.
Churches spend $3 billion a year on short-term mission trips. What a waste for everyone involved!
Glad the NYTimes flagged this post for me … agree or disagree, the world needs more younger people like you, willing to challenge and critically evaluate things, and get your hands dirty to make a difference rather than just talking about and creating memes to share. I am passing this on to my high school senior to read and reflect on, as he makes his college decision in the next month and considers what he can do to work toward leaving the world a better place by the time he’s done with his time here.
Reblogged this on skinny254.
I’ve got two teenage boys and we’ve gone on a “workcamp” the last four summers. We’ve stayed fairly close to home, basically because it is more economical and we won’t spend too much time traveling. And yes we are white. We live in Texas and have repainted houses after the Galveston hurricane, cleaned up after the Jopin tornado, and helped at a homeless shelter and weeded a community garden in Sante Fe. We’ve helped whites, blacks and Hispanics, but it hasn’t really mattered because our group was multi-racial although with a majority of white kids.
Most teenagers don’t have a lot of skills, at least when they think about it. But many have babysat or worked with younger children, and many know how to landscape like mow lawns or weed gardens or cook food. Part of the experience is having the kids learn a new skill, like painting, paint prep, paint scraping, weeding crops, insulating walls, etc. These skills can be learned fairly quickly and as long as a knowledgeable person supervises them, they can feel better about themselves and help the people in need.
It sounds like the projects assigned you were not appropriate for your group’s skills. Sometimes when we have shown up at the work site, we didn’t know what the work would be, so we’ve had to scramble to keep the teens occupied with something meaningful. Being in a foreign country means that your leaders are cut off from a lot of resources and that would make it difficult to perform a meaningful task.
[…] problem with “The Problem with Little White Girls (and Boys)” is most people, maybe even Pippa Biddle herself, misunderstand what Pippa Biddle is […]
[…] by myself. Of course, I haven’t done so in awhile, but I really, really do enjoy it.) + The Problem with Little White Girls (& Boys) – (For anyone thinking of volunteering. READ THIS.) + Best Female Travel Blogs of 2014 – […]
I don’t think you analyze correctly the problem of the “white savior” complex, which is real enough. Limiting development work to teachers, doctors, carpenters, and other people with specialized skill sets won’t solve the “white savior” problem, and might even exacerbate it. Skilled specialists are more likely to inspire, or even—as my wife and I have seen a couple of the doctors working (in Tanzania) with our own small nonprofit try to do—demand the debilitating awe of white people that you worry about.
But what you do exactly right is to insist on projects that empower poor people in the developing world by making both project implementation and project choice reliant on them. Not only can they do much of the work better than outsiders could, they know better what work needs doing to help them. And, often, the work that the people want done is so basic that even people without specialized skill sets can indeed lend a useful hand, as long as “an open mind and a good heart” are there to motivate the non-expert.
[…] realized pretty early on that I was a voluntourist even if that concept wasn’t in use. I was working through the Church and we did A LOT of work […]
100% agree with what you’re saying here Pippa…..I’m a returned Peace Corps Volunteer, West Africa ’02-’03… Those who dont understand haven’t been there…
Hi katherinegeion,
I would have to respectfully disagree with you on a few points.
“White” in the developing world means more than just skin color, as Pippa witnessed years ago in Tanzania. “White” can mean anyone with affluence, or anyone from America because even though many Americans are impoverished, very few are living in extreme poverty (less than $1/day). However, in some developing countries you will find half of the population living in extreme poverty. So in these people’s minds, anyone from America HAS to be doing better than they are (whether this is true or not, though honestly, it probably is).
But please get this, they very rarely mean this as an insult! All over the world, it is a BLESSING to be white or to be from America. It doesn’t matter if you are patriotic or not, the world knows how powerful the United States is. And therefore, how powerful all of its citizens are.
American culture is not dead. People know that we are extremely generous, kind, friendly and talkative. Please remember that culture is very vague, especially for people in developing countries. They don’t learn about American culture in school, just like you probably didn’t learn about the culture of Madagascar in school. We learn by meeting people from that country and visiting it ourselves. Sure they might know of our fast food restaurants and might have seen movies produced in the United States, but most of the time, they aren’t connecting the dots and making generalisations based on that because, well, they don’t really care to think of the US extensively and most likely their deductive reasoning/analytical skills aren’t well developed (if you think the US school system is bad, you haven’t seen ANYTHING…).
You missed the point about sending skilled workers to help out in developing countries. Pippa is explaining that NO ONE should go unless they would be able to make a significant difference. I think she could have taken it further to say, “…and use their expertise to TRAIN LOCALS.” As we all know the saying, “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.”
Finally, your comment about poverty “denigrating us all” is also untrue. Whether we like to admit it or not, the entire world is racist and prejudiced against dark skin. It doesn’t matter if the person is black, Indian, or Arab, he or she is placed below a white or lighter person every single time. This is the extremely sad reality of the unjust world in which we live.
I wish you a good night,
Mary Beth
YES! Exactly, Jo. Why are people who have no experience in the developing world even daring to respond critically to Pippa?!
hi pippa, I am ayu from Indonesia. I just wanna say that you did a great things and not so many people become volunteers like you. Don’t give up
Good points.
[…] https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/18/the-problem-with-little-white-girls-and-boys/ […]
Reblogged this on Ollie Luvvie.
A lot of what you wrote resonates strongly with me. In the last 6 years of mostly living outside of the USA, I see many people who pat themselves on the back and speak of themselves in the same light as a Mother Teresa or a Gandhi crossed with a rock star just because they managed to swing a hammer a couple of times and snap some pictures of them giving local kids candy while they weren’t partying their asses off or sleeping off hangovers on their mission trips. I am also a huge advocate of grass roots empowerment, and am currently in a major struggle to be less of a leader and more of an ally to groups of underprivileged (and mostly minority) high school and middle school students with which I work. Malcolm X talked of his aversion to whites being involved in the Civil Rights Movement by making an analogy to the effect cream has on coffee–something along the lines of how you can dump so much cream into a cup of once-black coffee to the point you never knew it was black to begin with–and I fear that whites often do this when they get involved in minority communities (and that Americans often force their ways of doing things on the less powerful countries they “help”). In addition to that, I can appreciate the practicality of what you say in regards to the efficiency of just sending resources to people in need rather than sending inept “voluntourists” (clever term!).
All that being said, I would encourage you to take another trip. While many lack it, you obviously have the social/cultural consciousness required to truly connect with people regardless of their culture. Many volunteers/missionaries go into areas with an air of superiority and impure motives (they view it as a vacation, they want to boost their extra-curriculars for college, or they want to have something to add to their resume), and thus fail to have a positive impact, but you are not one of these people. And while you may not be of much use on projects, and while you may not be a licensed teacher, and while you may often lack language skills to have strong conversations with natives in foreign lands–and while the money it would cost for you to travel to these places would yield more positive measurable results by just sending the money to said places–people like you have a measurable impact by traveling to places in need of aid. You have the opportunity to bridge cultural gaps and establish positive relationships and goodwill with people you would otherwise never meet. Don’t sell yourself short; you can teach others a great deal when you travel, as you bring a foreign perspective into their communities–and this is a good thing to know as long as you also always keep in mind that your white, American ass can learn just as much from others.
You’re a great writer. No wonder this thing got millions of views!
Most of friends who volunteered for peace corps in Africa and South America, spent most of their time having sex with each other or locals.
Reblogged this on Make It U.
Hmmm..refreshing to hear a relatively non-Eurocentric perspective from a European… I say relatively as the attributes you assign yourrself ‘as having on paper that would make you an ideal volunteer candidate as well as those co-ordinating skills to organise from here’ are NOT uncommon amongst non-Europeans -only that your skin allows you to be better PLACED to utilise those attributes -being instantly conferred upon you by your European counterparts whereas such attributes in ourselves too often have to be additionally highlighted else the everyday European is apt to miss them…hence why I make the distinction here as can’t be certain the inference would be made otherwise & what I’d say that as a ‘little girl with white skin’ you are ACTUALLY very good at – your other attributes not with standing- is bringing another level of impact to white people when conveying the rudiments of white privilege that would NEVER be possible for us… hence, Pippa- I applaud your efforts still!
Let this be one of the comments that make you feel like you are doing this world a lot of good 🙂 You speak with wisdom, knowledge, and an acute understanding of WHO and WHAT you are. As a fellow “young white girl”, you have encouraged me to help where I am actually helpful, not where I wish I was helpful. Keep it up!
Growing up in Barbados, I had my first encounter with a group of teenaged volunteers (from Oregon) around age seven at a summer camp organized by a local church. Through the eyes of a seven year old who had never travelled outside of an island (21 miles x 14 miles) it was a new and exciting occurrence. Perhaps the first time I thought that it was indeed a great big world. Overall I would say that their impact was a positive one. Would I say that their contribution was an earth-shattering, ground-breaking transformative one? …No. At seven years old I was just happy to have someone to sing with me and to do crafts with me.
Now in my late twenties I am a professional woman, well educated, well travelled. I wouldn’t attribute any of this to an early experience with a ‘white savior’ but I thank them for a fun summer.
[…] you can work with local nonprofits or startups who need help improving their financial controls. As Pippa Biddle highlighted in a popular post, volunteering when you don’t have skills might result in you doing more harm than […]
Reblogged this on My Adventure With Amelia Bedelia.
I too have stopped volunteering at a hospital when I felt that I wasn’t making any contribution but imposing on the patients, which they could do without.
[…] month, a 21-year-old woman named Pippa Biddle took to her blog and eviscerated the kinds of volunteer trips that many parents encourage teenagers to take. If […]
As a little white girl Peace Corps Volunteer myself, I am encouraged by your response to this article. I have been living in my site for one year now, and I am happy to say that the reception of my community towards Peace Corps Volunteers is similar to what you have expressed regarding “the attitude we affect about the challenge.” In Peace Corps training, it was impressed upon us that our success as community developers is dependent upon our ability to integrate and build trust in our respective communities. I know I am not a perfect volunteer, but I believe that I can make a positive impact in my community by doing my best to understand and integrate with the people with whom I live and work–essentially being more “human” and less “alien.”
Coming from a 3rd world country the things that you may take for granted (food,water, shelter, education) are not guaranteed and whomever brings those “gifts” is a savior. Reaffirming the “almighty savior” (whom you are taught to worship) which bares the same attributes as the aforementioned. Hence, no one that looks like you is capable of saving you= perpetuation of the white savior industrial complex.
There are people with pure intention and motivation, however, I think there is a more covertly insidious “mission” at hand. Just sayin’…
[…] An article recently began circulating the internet, written by a “white girl” who lamented over some of the international aid work she had done in the the past. Her main conclusion was that workers may be more productive staying home and sending the money to a local worker or missionary who can make a more substantive impact in the area. Or, she says, the people going to a place should have necessary trade skills to be effective. […]
I congratulate you for your answer. You have a point and it is great to share it with us.
But I have one big objection. Your article builds on the wrong assumption that all whites are like you and that the countries where aid is needed are all non-white. By “like you” I mean educated, not used with working with her/his hands and stuff like that. I am very much aware of the fact that people in sub-Saharan Africa, for example, tend to think like that. It is a preconception that we have to fight against and not reenforce. Unfortunately your article does reenforce it because it associates “your kind of people” with the skin color white. It is not a question of race, it is a question of culture or even of personal characteristics of individuals.
So I have two things I would like to ask from you:
1) Please stop thinking that all individuals who want to help disadvantaged people are Americans, English, French, Germans, Dutch, Spanish etc. (I think you got the point). Also Romanians, Brazilians (some of them white), Iranians etc. want to get involved in humanitarian aid and do so. And they might have a different approach than the white people you describe in your article.
2) Understand that cultural exchange has to work in both ways if you want it to be beneficial. Not all American, English etc. people are as naive and unskilled as to go to a foreign country to work something they have no training for. The problem is not that hey are white or come from France but that some of them behave like they think they know everything. If you approach a Tanzanian person with modesty and in your head you are aware that you can learn from her/him as much as she/he can learn from you, and you don’t TEACH her/him stuff, but DO things together, combining your knowledge with his/hers, than that person will not feel inferior and ashamed of his culture anymore, and it will also be much more constructive. It is not the contact between Americans and Tanzanians that is the problem, but the way this contact takes place, the attitude that this “kind of people” have because they think they are better. Because they make the assumption that their culture is the right way and that the others have to adopt the same values and reach the same levels etc.
In conclusion, it is the arrogance of many people from some Western countries that turns the contact into something negative. A kind of arrogance that most are not aware of having.
So Pippa, I don’t want to be too critical, I really think you are one of the persons who understood much more than others. But I felt that your article sends the wrong message somehow. Don’t stop going out there, just do it differently. Do it the real way, the hard way, putting a lot of effort. Be ready to change yourself also, not just to change the world.
Compassion is not a bad thing, it is a positive good human feeling. BUT if you approach a person with compassion, it puts you on a superior level which can hurt people, make them feel less a person. So instead of “helping” someone, better try to solve a problem someone else has by working together with him/her as partners.
Reblogged this on kolak jengkol.
While your points are valid, your conclusion is short-sighted, and doesn’t take into account many intangibles. You are correct that the skill set of 14 high school girls consists of gossip and bracelet weaving, and that a $3000 fee that primarily funds the administrative costs of these “humanistic” volunteer organizations would go much further on the ground. However, these are the same young people who will become engineers, physical therapists, carpenters, and doctors. Their skill set may not have matured, and may not do so for many more years. There will always be people less fortunate than yourself, and there will always be opportunities for you to lend a hand. An experience serving underserved individuals is invaluable in that it is so rewarding, that something inside you tells you to go back again, maybe next time with a few more tools in your bag.
Short sighted…. don’t think so…
re read your post. Then re read hers…
It’s misguided mindsets like yours that perpetuate the problem.
This type of things happens in what is now known as Canada; well meaning missionary come to our communities (reserves) to teach us about Christianity, try to save us from our selves ……. at the same demeaning the very culture (our own) which is our life breath, our way life, and the only way we as Indigenous people will survive.
I hope that my daughters grow up as self-aware as you are.
Patting yourself on the back as a savoir and then using it to write the same college admissions essay as every other voluntourist isn’t broadening, nor is it particularly meaningful. Thank you for saying something I’ve been thinking about for the last few years.
I think it’s important to note that Pippa is discussing the sort of organized trip packaged and sold to the economic (white) elite of the US. This isn’t the sort of thing where an individual is seeking out cultural exchange–they are living out a well planned, micro managed experience set up by a third party.
The other larger issue is that it’s a manifestation of the white savior complex–a cultural narrative that is alive and well in the US mindset. This sort of experience doesn’t cure those students of the white savior notion–it feeds it.
So while you are absolutely right–that sort of exchange isn’t going to happen in the set up that Pippa is discussing.
A good heart will always be level. However, can’t say the same for a brick. Good read. Keep up the good work.
Reblogged this on LINGZ.
[…] Read more on of Pippa Biddle’s blog post here. […]
Unfortunately, many of these countries’ governments and civil services are so dreadfully corrupt that giving them funds directly would result in absolutely nothing. You raise valid points, but the inherent reasoning for these programs is GOOD not bad.
This kind of makes out that everyone who volunteers thinks that they are saving the world, which I don’t think is really fair.
Of course there is absolutely no point in high school students building a library. Pointlessness aside, it’s completely unsustainable.
However there are many ways you can help. I’ve taught English in Ghana, Uganda and Myanmar as a volunteer. Yes, I am a little white girl (not that I really see why that matters). In these situations I got to learn about the cultures of my students whilst teaching them a skill that has boosted their income. I didn’t ‘save’ them, they helped themselves by attending classes, working hard and practising their English with me whenever they had a chance.
It takes a lot to say that young lady. Respect.
[…] https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/18/the-problem-with-little-white-girls-and-boys/ […]
[…] on March 22, 2014 by Kat | Leave a comment In an article that started trending recently, The Problem with Little White Girls, blogger Pippa Biddle shares about her experience doing short term aid in Tanzania. While her […]
Reblogged this on Lovemyob and commented:
Very eye opening
Jason, thanks for your comment. It touched on why my then 14 year old daughter and I went on a mission trip to Haiti two years ago. Pippa stated, “I don’t want a little girl in Ghana, or Sri Lanka, or Indonesia to think of me when she wakes up each morning. I don’t want her to thank me for her education or medical care or new clothes.” On the flip side, I very much wanted my daughter to wake up every morning after our trip thinking of the orphans that we spent time with in Haiti. To pray for them and hope for them. And to know that there is a much bigger world than the one we have lived in most of our days. My expectations of our trip were to freely give and receive love. And I saw her stretched on that trip–as she sought to accommodate several kiddos who wanted the space on her lap, as she tried new foods, as she recognized real need, as she worked to overcome language differences. Because of that trip, she is seeking to hear from God and figure out during her high school years what tools she can hone to go back and be a greater help. Love, the greatest tool in her bag, coupled with new skills, will make a difference in people’s lives. Even so, the simple love those kids gave us drew my beloved, if self-centered middle schooler, outside herself for long enough to change the course of her life.
Thanks, Pippa, for spurring good conversation and thinking with your article!
[…] Biddle, an ex-voluntourist, wrote a recent article stating that this practice ultimately hinders growth by allowing tourists with little skills or experience to per… What Biddle only briefly points out in her article is that not only is it harmful to the locals, […]
After a Facebook debate today regarding the article below, it was such a coincidence to stumble on this post! I couldn’t be more in agreement with you and this whole issue reminds me of a similar high school trip to your’s that I undertook in Vietnam. A group of 15 or so private high school city girls visiting an orphanage, attempting to paint walls and dig a soccer field. At the time, I had been convinced that as a group, we were all doing such a great deed, but in hindsight, years later, I realise we did the job badly and inefficiently that would have required amending once we had left, and it cost us several thousand each dollars to do so. Despite having good intentions, I feel like our money and efforts could have been used more efficiently.
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/encounter/5341384
Reblogged this on and commented:
And this is far more interesting than I thought, thanks to my classmate’s recommendation.
Nicely worded. Even if a volunteer’s first trip is just a learning experience, it still can change that volunteer’s life and goals for the better. Maybe that volunteer originally just wanted to take a fun trip with their friends and brag about it…but maybe what they got instead was a real look into another culture and the true meaning of life and love. Maybe it changed the way they do things forever. Maybe others will see their change, and want the same. Little by little, others will realize how important it is to not just volunteer, but donate or support in other ways. If no one volunteers anymore, (or if only the highly skilled volunteer), less will have a chance at a true change of heart.
Wonderful post! We will be linking to this great article on our website.
Keep up the great writing.
Quite true!!!
You are wise and your post was refreshing. One thing to remember though: You would not now possess this wisdom, and the knowledge of where best you could contribute going forward had you not gone at all. Your trips were not for naught, for you learned how best to use your skills and passion from those experiences, and now are involved in supporting humanitarian efforts structured in a new, more beneficial way. This may never have occurred without your earlier experiences. You are the best kind of humanitarian because you not only did what you could with the tools you possessed at the time, but you changed the system for the better based on what you learned. Kudos to you!
[…] intention, when in fact, their interference continues to harm. A classic example of this is voluntourism, where the paternal and savior attitudes take on an individual role, and generally don’t do […]
[…] & http://www.one.org. This article was reposted on http://www.one.org with permission from the author of pippabiddle.com. […]
Funny but i thought your article was more about having a lack of viable skills then being white. I am so tired of hearing about racisim
Thank you for this fascinating post, Pippa. I really appreciate your honest assessment, although I do disagree with a few points. My husband and I have been on short-term immersion trips to developing nations and now, live in Tanzania. I was so inspired by your post I wrote my own: http://leenhome.blogspot.com/2014/02/my-thoughts-on-volunteer-tourism.html. Thank you for the challenge!
This has come up recently because my husband and I are working closely with a charity and we’re white (fyi, I’m growing to hate my white skin). We’ve had a lot of discussions with our “native” co workers about this, because we’re considered long-term, but there are also a lot of short-termers here. We host a lot of teams from around the world. And, sometimes I think how long one of our orphanages could last on the money it takes to fly here from the US. However, I also wouldn’t want them to stop. I don’t want them to have the attitude that they are changing the world, but one thing that’s important is what change is happening in them. They will come here, have an amazing experience, and be a lot better informed about an oft-misunderstood country (hopefully). However, the down-side is that church people, instead of donating to lifelong or indigenous ministries, donate to a short-term thing, which, for the money, doesn’t really give much to the actual mission 🙂 However, none of the ministries we’ve worked with have advocated stopping short-term missions. 🙂
There’s a powerpoint? Where can I get a copy? I would love to present it to my students! Better yet, when does the documentary come out? Oh, and as for you, Alan, you are completely correct in pointing out that your whole article of about two and a half sentences is laughable in it’s self-importance and arrogance. Wow.
Hello, Dewey,
I am trying to understand what seems to be two messages you are sending.
Regarding the first message,
“Pippa What is your Problem?”
It is at best very ambiguous and invites more discussion, hopefully civil.
As for the second message, about receiving due respect for your white beard depending upon the first or third world in which you are living, I just wanted to add, respectfully, that
I know of others who share the same mentality and frustration (perhaps?)
Retired.
Full of skills and knowledge.
Having to watch as the next generations ignore all you have to offer in favor of the next app or game or text-message (soon also to be obsolete), without having the least knowledge of how to chop wood with an axe, pound a nail without hitting your thumb, mix concrete or lay mortar between bricks, not to mention the ability to read and plan and organize such activities into a beneficial conclusion or continuation. For everyone. Hey, I’m already frustrated and still decades away from retirement.
I know of one retired individual who travels every year to Africa and volunteers his years of wisdom concerning water, pipes, drainage, sanitation, irrigation and all kinds of other stuff about which I know very little. I have expressed interest in also visiting these places and learning how water management can work, but I always get the distinct impression that this retired individual prefers to spend the concluding years addressing the immediate problem rather than try to educate any successors arriving from the “First World”.
You wrote, Dewey Kerr, “And I will keep Volunteering till I cannot Physically do it anymore…”
And after then, Dewey Kerr, I hope you will keep volunteering your wisdom.
Kudos! Julian… Casey Wollberg… Mentions of colonialism, proselytizing. Some of us just get so tired of waiting for a so-called god with a capital “G” to earn our faith and trust, that we just fill in the giant blank that we were raised to expect “G” to fulfill, only to find out that, really, when we each find the niche in the world where we each are most needed and are most able to satisfy, who needs or even wants an unreliable and distant “God” at all?
Great, Barry White. An image submitted. Any comments?
What in the world of God or evolution is “serious development worker”? I think this is one of the most hilarious terms I have heard in my life. Christian proselytising and the doctrines/theories of development or whatever you want to call it are all founded on the same principle when it comes to other cultures or environments regarded as less fortunate. The “serious development worker’s” principles and those of mainstream religion (in this case – Christian Religion) are all based on principles of co-optation, damnation of another’s culture in justification of a ‘superior’ western culture. What has bee written by Pippa goes beyond you small time, small minded theory of “a serious development worker”. There’s no such thing!!! All “serious development worker” minded people like you are the same who go into communities with minds that think you can change and introduce new ways of doing things in communities in the global South without taking the time to learn what’s happening and how such communities have lived their lives without you. Pippa has highlighted this and it hurts people who have lived their lives thinking they are contributing to development in the places they go as tourists under the name of NGOs and Volunteers. People need to open their eyes to see the real world.
You are right..!
You are an outspoken person, Sabanya. I like outspoken. Your comment started me thinking. By playing into the very idea that Christ ever existed, and that some others killed him and then he came back in some fictional form… By believing that this fictional Christ character ever repeated to the fictional Scribes and Pharisees a bunch of wise-sayings (proverbs and such passed down through the ages) you are playing into the very fiction they control and want you to believe. Remove the plank. http://www.jesusneverexisted.com
This is a whole new paradigm to this discussion but not a mistake as I have been scanning around the comments, I have realised that a number of commentators are actually Christians. The issue here is not to do with whether Christ is real or not. Of course, to those who believe and look right in the eyes of Christ and believe in the WORD know that He is very much alive and seated on the right hand of the God the Father as stated in the Scriptures. The question that should be asked is, which Jesus are we talking about? Is it the [J]esus of the Scriptures who was denied by his own kinsmen because He never spared licentiousness among the Scribes and the Pharisees or the image of the [j]esus’ image that has been adopted by the neoliberal capitalist market-led economic system to validate pillage and atrocities against humankind? As far as I am concerned the [J]esus I was introduced to as a child and later came to know as the greatest activist of his and our time is very much in His place. But the fairy tale [j]esus of the colonial powers used as a token for assimilation does not exist!!! …this another very interesting topic and many Christians fear to look at facts in the face and see how in many ways we have used, abused and cast the name of the greatest man to live on earth in doubt!
I thank you for the compliment towards those of us you not so easily dub the status of teacher, dear, Ramir Morais. Shortly after I received my PhD, I decided to become, not a university professor, but rather a teacher. People get confused when I try to explain that it is better to teach certain things before other things become bad habits, have to be unlearned and then who knows…
Just keep in mind, please. Only 99% of the higher educated give the rest a bad name. 😉
I want to thank you for your comment, it is one of the realest and most personal ones I’ve seen in this comment section.
So many people are so caught up in race sometimes. It leads us to forgetting that we’re all just humans in the end.
The ones who even dare to respond critically are actually, in my experience, the ones who may possibly someday even give a crap. The ones from whom you are likely to get even a read, let alone some response at all. After whatever the response, it is up to you to decide whether or not continued mutual experience/growth/development is something towards which you feel motivated.
Hey, Sabanya. Maybe I’ve got this all wrong, but I think that what Casey was talking about is something that is done mathematically, from an engineering perspective, about how to get the people what they need, get them set up with what they need to do to maintain their self-respect and way of life and culture, seriously, and then when that is accomplished, move on to whomever else is in need of the same. Your question is completely valid, here, Sabanya, when you ask, “What in the world of God or evolution is ‘serious development worker’?”
From a personal perspective, I would have to answer, quite frankly, that NOTHING in the world of God or evolution is ‘serious development worker’, because the serious development worker (and the entire team of them) analyze the needs, the resources, what needs to be done, how to do it and then they do it as best they can do without God ever having been a part of the equation. God was never excluded, mind you, he just never entered the conversation, leaving every serious development worker no choice but to do the most serious developing possible in the local area before moving on to God’s next-most-unconversational piece of work.
I totally agree, you are so right. Empower the people is a. Must..!
I would agree with the hero comments … as long as you believe you are going into a community to “save” them …you are doomed. However … if you go into a community with the mindset that we are all one … then, you can make the connection needed to give of your heart the skills they truly need. Even if that is only to witness their own progress and to empower. The most important lesson for us all …is that we … nobody… is better. Help empower others with those skills or things that THEY want … not what we want for them.
There’s plenty of people by your side needing lots of help. You don’t need to get to the end of the world to find where you can be helpful. That’s the point.
Reblogged this on MoneyAPI.
[…] https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/18/the-problem-with-little-white-girls-and-boys/ […]
I agree in full with your comment. Thank you for posting.
I don’t think that Pippa is talking about Africa or non-white regions! She is addressing an entrenched attitude from the West as related to volunteerism in the developing countries where most whites or dark skinned people from the capital West run to quickly get credentials of working in a foreign country and or claim some sort of expert knowledge! It is unfortunate that most of commentators take this to be race biased. But to be more precise, Pippa did not just pin the point that Whites like to be the Saviours of community members in the developing countries (aka communities in the global south) but also took her own example as a white skinned young adult from the West! Cuts like a knife to you’all pale skinned people, eh! In Africa we have a saying that states that “spears are for pigs” I believe that if what Pippa has written was on Africans I believe Pippa’s critics would be happy!
[…] I read an article like this and I […]
Reblogged this on GOD'S MIGHTY MEN NETWORK (G.M.M.N) and commented:
Rare Truths From A Young Heart
I love your comment and your daughter is certainly the “point” of STMs. Just thought I should share this other article that touches on it as well. More thoughts to ponder. http://www.theveryworstmissionary.com/2011/09/using-your-poor-kid-to-teach-my-rich.html
Just because the author of this is not good at doing the things she complained she wasn’t good at doing does not mean that no white “girls” or “boys” are good at doing those things. Lots of white people in the USA (and other white countries like Canada, Australia, Great Britain, France, Germany, etc.) are very good at doing regular jobs like building things and other concrete actual work. If they aren’t volunteering to go to these other countries and help them in ways that the author sees fit, then perhaps its because those regular white folks are working too hard in their own countries to do that kind of stuff.
“growing to hate my white skin” That is one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever seen anyone write. You are indeed brainwashed.
[…] som čítala blog od mladej američanky menom Pippa, ktorá sa zamýšľa nad významom práce nekvalifikovaných dobrovoľníkov v rozvojových […]
http://www.kiva.org/ Loans that change lives. Loans that empower people.
Why not ask her why she feels that way? Is it her that is brainwashed? Or you? How can you be sure, either way, unless you ask?
[…] at the middle school. They hadn’t heard about the incident but one of two students had read my article. We had a tough discussion fueled by frustration at being there in the first place. While we were […]
I think that privilege is important to address in this discussion. It is the underlying assumption with the “white savoir” complex, that this foreigner in newer clothes, nice shoes, sunglasses etc. who just took a plane ride for thousands of dollars to your corner of the world and will stay for a relatively short span, well that this person, white or not is damn wealthy. This is a distinction that is really hard to go beyond, a distinction that can be detrimental to real connection, cooperation and understanding in any country, affluent or not.
Pippa, you are from NYC, went to a private school in Connecticut, the wealthiest state per capita, and have traveled with seemingly few restrictions, I am willing to assume this was not on your dollar. I, myself earning about half the average wage for an American living paycheck to paycheck, but working hard and loving life, also feel a divide between our worlds. I know that yours is one that I could never aspire to, one I could never understand. The perspective of third world citizens watching fresh “missionaries” come to their village, must be like the 99% v. 1% on steroids
[…] at the middle school. They hadn’t heard about the incident but one of two students had read my article. We had a tough discussion fueled by frustration at being there in the first place. While we were […]
[…] unintended negative consequences of our good intentions for some time. Recently, blogs about “the problem of little white girls and boys” and other rants about voluntourism are starting to get more and more popular. But maybe […]
[…] negative consequences of our good intentions for some time. Recently, blogs about “the problem of little white girls and boys” and other rants about voluntourism are starting to get more and more popular. But maybe […]
[…] https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/18/the-problem-with-little-white-girls-and-boys/ […]
I am a writer specialising in Cambodia and I have set up a successful writing program there called Writing Through Cambodia. I am on the board of two NGO’s and work in Cambodia every year for an extended period of time, and so your article was of great interest to me. I’ve written my respectful response on my own blog which you can access starting 1 May 2014 at http://www.sueguiney.com Just wanted to let you know. Thanks.
Okay, so here’s my 36 year old two cents regarding helping other people. If you have a personal and ongoing stake in helping particular people, you will be more likely to have a positive effect. If you have the skills to do the real work, you will be more likely to have a positive effect. Sometimes going outside of one’s culture and comfort zone motivates people. Sometimes helping in a decontextualized state gives people the freedom to come up with some unusually good ideas. However, I find that most people are not very effective when not speaking a language they struggle with or barely know. They are not very effective when dealing with an environment that scares them due to wildlife, loud people, crazy traffic that’s beyond anything in NY City or Chicago, Montreal, London, Berlin, etc. I’m particularly nervous when I hear about orphanage tourism. There’s a reason that we don’t let people waltz into children’s homes or inner city schools and offer some hang out time with the resident children. It’s damaging! These are kids who struggle to trust, who have next to no one reliable, and some strangers without any sort of background check or just minimal training at best, waltz in hoping to make a difference. It would foster manipulation, more lack of trust, more unreliability, more transient connections, etc. My family serves as a foster home, we work in inner city schools, we help our neighbors, etc. Believe me, there’s plenty to do here in the US and we have an immediate stake in what happens. It’s not as dramatic because helping is more often cloaked in bureaucracy in the West than in developing countries.There ARE beggars in the West. Some counties count more than half the children as having lost one or both parents due to drug overdoses, incarceration, abandonment, or legal removal. That’s pretty intense. When I was 23, I joined AmeriCorps and worked in a rural, Northern CA. elementary school. I walked into a world that included family murders, drug murders, crazy/dramatic sexual abuse, soul wounded children, hungry kids, homelessness, immigration raids, This alongside some of the most gorgeous, stunning and famous geography in the world as well as incredible people whose lives were not falling apart. I dealt with secondary trauma and sometimes went home to cry because it just seemed overwhelming and awful. No, it wasn’t a war zone, it wasn’t Syria’s tragedy, it wasn’t a famine, but it was human life in the balance and enough outside of my own sub-culture that I was more focused and I noticed more as I wasn’t a local who had learned to filter out the negative. It was great! And due to the relatively long term commitment, I did make a difference and my skills were effectively utilized. AmeriCorps is run and operated by Americans and often by people from a program’s local community. Aid and volunteerism at its best. That said, many of my own childhood heros were not Americans and/or they did not look like me. They were my teachers, my neighbors, my mentors, my friends. There’s absolutely NOTHING wrong with having a hero not of one’s race. The problem is having a hero that overshadows one’s own community, who destroys a good mother by offering an image that says she’s not capable or potentially capable. I also know that a mother is more front and center in a person’s psyche than a wealthy benefactor no matter how inept that mother might be. Hey, there’s a reason that foster children whose mothers did a terrible job miss them so terribly despite the foster mother’s delicious and on time home cooking, gentle ways, encouragement and facilitation of any and all positive interests, gifts of decent clothes, fun toys and vacations…This was supposed to be a comment, not my own blog…Help, but be smart and realize that every social ill outside of outright war and famine is on our doorstep, we just are able to filter them out because we’re from here. We are needed at home as well as elsewhere.
It is the greatest post I’ve read in 2014
[…] unintended negative consequences of our good intentions for some time. Recently, blogs about “the problem of little white girls and boys” and other rants about voluntourism are starting to get more and more popular. But maybe […]
[…] usual, I have an unrelated link that I found interesting and relevant to our course to add… This blog post discusses “voluntourism” and offers a different perspective on many of our […]
[…] all for very long. Pippa Biddle (a blogger who has received much attention for this issue lately, see her post here) talks about how during the night the men in the village would come and take off every brick and […]
Very interesting read! Volunteer tourism is, at times, glamorized. Come, help and feel better about yourself. But there are also other considerations too. Thanks for the insight!
Why in God’s name would anyone think it’s a good idea to send girls (white girls no less) to do…CONSTRUCTION…in a third world country such as Tanzania? Ever heard of self sufficiency? If Tanzanians want a library, it should be built by Tanzanians. Please please please white Americans…shed your white guilt! Hold your head up high and allow others to do the same by doing their own work!
[…] those manifestations is the voluntourism industry, as and touched on by previous authors time and again (and again!). These articles constitute a series of unheeded critiques trumpeted by the […]
[…] The Problem With Little White Girls (and Boys): Why I Stopped Being a Voluntourist by Pippa Biddle […]
It is important for one to learn one’s limits. I am a IT tech tech, but my hobbies in life have taught me how to build tents, stitch canvas, build houses and even blacksmith. I have friends who are doctors who can’t do any of that. But they travel and help third world countries. I have colleagues who went to New Orleans to help fix the communication systems. They knew nothing about pluming, drills to even sand bags. They did what they do very well. They got a city talking to itself and the outside world. Do what you know how to do to help. And never think less of yourself for not having the skills to do more.
Reblogged this on NeverSkurred's Mind Infection and commented:
Interesting article. Good insight on her part, I think.
[…] Link to the article if you wish to read it https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/18/the-problem-with-little-white-girls-and-boys/ […]
That is VERY well written! I admire not only your ability to express yourself well with words, but the message you brought! Thank You!
Really? White people? It sounds more about upper class white american with no clue about the outer world (beyond the US border).
Thank you for realising that it’s not ‘all about me’ – Too many people head off to volunteer because they think it makes them look good.
Hindrance not Help is very common in the volunteer scene. Something else to consider – Who are we to impose our western ideals on a developing nation?
Never forget that charity begins at home. It is only when we have fixed all the problems in our own neighborhood that we can then venture further afield.
Hi, I read your article/post, and I commend you for having the courage volunteer, commit to continuing in the act of giving, and then to revisit your presence in the locations in which you worked. I don’t completely agree with you conclusion though. I think that it is very important for our heroes and role models to look like us, what we look like, I also think that it is important for us to understand that our heroes and role models can be people that we have access too. Some one who works in our bank, some one who teaches in our schools. I also do understand the white savior. however there are more images than the white savior, there is also the image of the white supremist, the white salve master, and the white man the capitalist. Because of this I think it is equally important for us to see that all white people are not the white racist, white supremist, or the white slave master. By you doing the work you did that is what you sought to demonstrate. I cannot comment on you educational upbringing, and what you may or may not have know about the socio economic history of Africa or the Caribbean, as well as the impact that the transatlantic slave trade of colonialism may have had on the locations where you worked. I simply believe that role of giving from where you are with what you have is valuable in however you choose to serve, and that the color of your skin should not limit how you express the love and or concern from your heart. Doctors and engineers can do great things, but it is the people that hold our hands that get us to the doctor’s offices. It is the people that encourage us to take chances that get the doctors and engineers to these locations.
I am not sure that I am clear, but I want you to understand that from my perspective, I would not want a child to miss the values of what you presence could offer because of what you look like. I do also believe that because your thinking you are capable of teaching these children the value in loving them selves, that they do not have to look like you to be beautiful, successful, or worthy. That is a valuable lesson no matter who it comes from.
I am a woman of african decent and I learned this very valuable lesson from Lousie Hay, a white woman that I do not even know, I learned this because I read her books, and while she may look nothing like me, I am grateful for all that she as taught me and continues to teach me.
Thanks so much for your courage, your kindness, and your humanitarian efforts, the world needs more conscious volunteers like you.
Peace be with you
Petagay
Reblogged this on septfoiz and commented:
Finally someone says it so perfectly!! Thank you and now to help our people understand that we too can do it on ourselves! People in authority ought to give qualified members of the community these tasks.
[…] [7] Biddle, P., ‘The problem with little white girls (and boys): Why I stopped being a voluntourist’, Pippa Biddle: Life is an Adventure, (29 April 2014) at https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/18/the-problem-with-little-white-girls-and-boys/ […]
I think this is a great article, although one point of view i think is missing is how blindly people chase this “help the poor 3rd world people” dream and ignore what is on their own doorstep. I have seen missions here to Brazil from the Mid West USA to help poor kids, orphan kids etc and yet in Michigan a quarter of kids live below the poverty line, 712,000 kids rely on food stamps, 16,000 kids live in foster care. Perhaps the $3000 spent on an exotic trip to the southern hemisphere could be better spend closer to home, with people you can relate to, who predominantly share the same language, the same ideals, the same dreams.
I have the same question when it comes to churches sending missionaries. I sort of have the same question when it comes to the U.S. military saving countries.
Help me.
This is a wonderfully written and super important piece. I wrote about the subject as well… I think it’s pretty complex. Thank you for raising such good points.
Shit, you’re a “highly educated” white girl, attending private school? I could have told you that you were incompetent and useless in the real world for free, without you needing to fly to Tanzania.
Reminds me of the book “the ugly American”. Lesson was to not import items to save villages. Just the same, should we import volunteers? You offer a great solution in funding local people to help.
Pippa, I’ve lived and worked in one of the least developed countries for the past 4 years. Not development work (directly), but chimpanzee/nature conservation, but due to the isolation of my village, I end up jack-of-all-trading and teaching, medical evacuating, first-aiding, repairing, and so on. However, I also accept my weakness and wouldn’t think of interfering in a project where I know I don’t have the skills or knowledge necessary. Your mention of walls being surreptitiously torn down and rebuilt properly during the night is both hilarious and tragic.
One of the biggest issues the student researchers and eco-volunteers/voluntourists who visit our project face is the language one: the most universal language in the country is a creole based on Portuguese, but the sector where I live is practically 100% Fulani. My boss hasn’t yet realised the huge obstacles this creates, especially for people supposed to be doing social research. Another important point is ignorance regarding (colonial) history; without having an idea of that, it can be impossible to work effectively. For example, it’s practically impossible to stimulate volunteerism on a local level because in colonial times the local population was forced to “volunteer”, doing road maintenance and so on.
As of yet, I’m still undecided as to the (long term) usefulness of about 90% of development aid.
In any case, thanks for a thoughtful post. (And I think the only pictures of me with African kids in my neck of the internet woods are ones others have posted!)
The best part about being a white MAN in Asia or other 3rd world countries, is that the Asian women look at you like you are some kind of demigod. It’s awesome how even an average white guy can get super hot women in Asia. Asia is heaven for white men. It’s hell for white women, because no one wants white women there- not the local men (they think of white women as whores to be used for sex and nothing else) nor the expat white men (most of whom already have an Asian girlfriend or wife).
Ah, how the tables turn. Feminism in the West has demonized white men and oppressed white men. But in Asia, white men are treated like gods.
And the virtue of this is…?
Pippa i believe in free speech and all that but surely the comment from “white man “should at least be replied to as – what a pile of ignorant sexist crap! – and preferrabley deleted and he reported so that the police can go thru his computer and find the inevitable illegal downloads that will be there.grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Hi Sallie,
I prefer not to reply to comments unless there is a direct question because otherwise it really is unmanageable.
Re “White Mans” thoughts, I approve all comments except those that are astonishingly offensive and/or have bad language.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I think that it would be unfair for me to censor my readers beyond the guidelines set above.
Cheers,
Pippa
White man, I’m afraid you’re deluded.
🙂
[…] The first item is “The Problem With Little White Girls . . . Why I Stopped Being a Voluntourist” by Pippa Biddle. Ms. Biddle presents a real-world application of Peter Singer’s thought experiment on the drowning child (click on the link and play the game, I dare you): if we are morally obligated to help others, then we shouldn’t be wasting precious economic resources primarily to satisfy an urge to feel good about ourselves. The money that a starry-eyed but unskilled teenager will spend on an airplane ticket to go on an international service trip will be put to much better use if it is donated to an organization like Community Partners International. […]
Lots of white people are treated like gods, women too!! Gross allusions to the sex tourists aside, I think this demigod aspect is a huge reason why people in the countries volunteer programs operate accept our ‘help’. Or think that the experience can be unfacilitated. I mean , we are demigods– we know what we are doing… Right?
[…] level thinking “Why don’t they just leave there then?” Perfect. Please read this article written by someone about the privilege and hypocrisy of “voluntourism” because […]
[…] to build houses in a remote Costa Rican village actually is. Much has been said of this, but this essay sums up the core issue […]
[…] moment is solely hoarded by you, that can do more harm than good to the cause. Pippa Biddle’s article about her experiences volunteering overseas highlights this exact point, and was such a joy to […]
[…] The Problem With Little White Girls and Boys: Why I Stopped Being a Voluntourist | Pippa Biddle. […]
Reblogged this on Explore the unexplored..
[…] by blogger Pippa Biddle has received quite a bit of attention and many reposts on social media for her perspectives on this subject. This blogger chronicles her short-term mission experience and surmises that it was not worth it […]
Great article.
That’s precisely the point that was put to me when I completed my degree in International Development 15 years ago: NGOs don’t need well-intentioned development practitioners, but doctors, nurses, engineers, agriculturalists… people with real skills.
But as for the voluntourist: we need to tap into their good will and simply encourage them to work as volunteers in their local communities, instead of spending thousands to travel thousands of miles from home.
I don’t suppose serving soup to the homeless or working at a charity shop is beyond the skill set of Little White Girls and Boys. It would be a tragedy if the well-meant read this and concluded that there was no role for them in the world at all.
[…] The Problem With Little White Girls (and Boys): Why I Stopped Being a Voluntourist. […]
Reblogged this on Conflated Musings.
[…] One of those articles that came out recently and circulated online recently was – “The Problem with Little White Girls and Boys: Why I stopped being a voluntourist” It was about “white privileged kids” going over to other countries and trying to do […]
I live in Detroit. Whenever someone i know goes halfway around the world to ‘help the children,’ I always say, “But, there are thousands of kids in our city that could use your help.” (3 miles away).
Hi Pippa, I agree with your article. However, as much as we decry the inefficacy of voluntourism trips and how we are more burden than help, such trips serve as an eye opener and a call to action, which I am certain you in your capacity right now, gave you further clarity and conviction for your present actions. Ideally, participants of voluntourism trips should reach a conclusion such as yours. Continue your good work and continue to inspire others too. Cheers!
Volunteer work has always been exactly this. It’s fucking stupid that people need to be told that they aren’t actually any use in these places, but they do. So well done on doing that. Now here’s hoping the other few hundred thousand over pampered private schooled bell ends actually give this a read before going their ego boosting ‘gap year’.
For once, a US perspective Australia ought to consideradopting!
I agree. I took my (then) sixteen year old son on a one week missionary trip to Santiago de Cuba. Why Cuba? Well, to be honest, I’ve been obsessed with the country since my 11th grade English class – we read a LOT of Hemingway. More important, though, we lived on the US Base at Guantanamo Bay. We know Cubans who chose to stay on the Base and keep their jobs ‘for a few months until the trouble blew over’ – that was more than five decades ago. My son has a Cuban friend who was born on the Base; they’ve gone to school together for a long time. Santiago is about fifty miles west of the Base. It gave both of us a great opportunity to truly SEE what conditions on the other side of the fence are like. We spent the week painting classroom. Could Cubans have done that work? Sure they could – what they couldn’t do was get a hold of the supplies. We came in with our suitcases full of brushes, roller, roller pans and painters’ tape. Granted, they thought that the tape was funny – but an older gentleman in the Mission group came from the same ‘school of painting rooms’ as I – we taped around the windows and the floors to avoid messes, especially on those beautiful (and quite old) Cuban tile floors. Most of us did not speak Spanish, but many of the Cubans we were with spoke some English and my Spanglish stood up pretty well for what I needed, much to my son’s amusement. His high school Spanish did quite well.
Painting rooms is something we could do; my son had not done it before, but teamed up with that older gentleman, he learned a lot and did a lot of good work. He also enjoyed using the roller.
Probably the best thing to come from our trip – the Cubans got a more honest view of Americans than they are provided by our government and we certainly got a view of the starkness of the lives of the average Cuban.
The effect on my son was noticeable and immediate…. after the first day, walking around Santiago he started wearing his T-shirts inside out. These are not expensive, brand icon T-shirts; they are the cheap $15 ones we get at Target (usually on sale for less) that have classic video games or Bazinga! or some such on them. He had noticed that the people’s clothes, though clean were old and quite worn; he didn’t want anyone to think he thought he was better than they. Pursuing this, no he DOESN’T think he is better than they are, he was just very aware of perception. Cubans come in many colours of the racial spectrum due to the mix of European, African, Taino and other Caribbean natives over the centuries. My son is African American and I am Caucasian.
I would like to have an ongoing association with this religious community. These people are dear to my heart, and I think that eventually we will be better able to do what we can. Trust me, they are very self-sufficient – the ingenuity and craftsmanship were inspiring; if the people weren’t able to find or obtain something, they were able to work around it or make whatever it was they needed. Resources is their main need.
[…] White people aren't told that the color of their skin is a problem very often. We sail through police check points, don't garner sideways glances in affluent neighborhoods, and are generally unders… […]
Wow, this is one self-serving naive piece of writing. How good of you to come to the realization you can’t lay brick. Obviously you and your privileged pals can’t meaningfully impact the lives of underprivileged people without economic hope during 1-2 weeks of a summer vacation. Bravo.
[…] work– affluent white people going to the developing world to help the poor. First, I read this article by Pippa Biddle, where she discusses how ill equipped she learned she was to “help” in […]
Your comment was unesscary, I think we can all learn something from you what you wrote thanks pippa
Thank you. My Mother came from the Philippines and her family is still there. They are a predominantly Catholic country, and I find it odd that people “help” by bringing Christianity. It is no more that trumping one brand of religion over the other. It is no more than bragging one’s culture is better than another. They were hit by a nasty storm a year ago, and “helping” and “doing God’s work” was handing out Bibles. I always am reminded of the story about how Americans wanted to fix their diets and shipped in cow’s milk to people who are mostly lactose intolerant in an area that cannot sustain or keep cattle. Goat’s milk is what is common there, and these helpful people didn’t like the taste of it and deemed it unworthy. I don’t know if the contamination happened during the shipment, or the lactose intolerance, but it made a bunch of kids sick, and our helpful people blamed the water and sanitary conditions and told the kids that it was God’s will and told them to pray. And those helpful people came back with pictures and stories about the dangers they faced, much of which was the food poisoning they themselves were responsible for.
It was so blatantly apparent that many of these helpful people considered the residents of my Mother’s home country less than them, in culture and in humanity.
I do know of missionaries that do incredible work. Blessman Ministries in Africa are such that they wish to aid without destroying culture.
You’re so cool! I do not believe I’ve truly read anything like this before.
So nice to discover someone with a few unique thoughts on this topic.
Really.. many thanks for starting this up.
This site is one thing that is required on the web, someone with some originality!
From one voluntourist to another… You’re right. Your money is more fruitful than your presence.
You will never be able to make a big difference in their lives within a span of a few weeks. I’ve long accepted this fact. But every interaction with someone different encourages cultural exposure to both parties. To the people we voluntour for, this might be their few moments to see beyond their bubble. The stories we take back and share thereafter creates more awareness for problems outside what you would have in your own country. One more voice is better than one less. In some sense such trips are mutually beneficial.
Ask yourself this: Had you not been there to see and experience for yourself, would you trust enough to donate money to a less established non profit organisation 3,000 miles away? Would you believe enough to spread the word on a worthy cause?
This is an excellent perspective. I myself have not participated in any volunteer trips like this, but my former church frequently goes to India with lots of medical staff to actually meet tangible needs and help the native people plant churches. My older brother, who is fluent in Japanese and now lives in Japan for his job, once served with a missions family that planted a church near Tokyo that is now led by Japanese people. He taught English classes for the 13 months he was there. I know that the money that supports the trips to India and that supported my brother in Japan actually sent skilled people to provide real services, while equipping the locals to be independent and effective after they’d gone.
i love to see you always bc you are good in all affairs. pls contact me directly on +24102736633 or email me on; vicfifield@rocketmail.com sothat i can take you round to visite all the touristic side in my contry.best regard to you all
i enjoyed reading this post, and i can understand your argument that sending money would have been more efficient than having the men redo the brick work you all did during the day, but i think you underestimate one thing. i can’t speak for your experience, but from mine I’ve found that even if the work doesn’t last, the locals have expressed a huge appreciation that we have given up our time to help them, that as human to human we are helping, and not just sending a check. anyone can send a check, but giving up time and the comforts of home to physically help someone i think is more meaningful. it sounds like you all should have done things you were capable of and something that would have actually been beneficial to the local community, and i don’t think you can discount volunteerism/voluntourism/whatever because of this mistake. yes, it’s not perfect but it shouldn’t be written off either.
I agree with this but its not just white people coming to terms with years of guilt that they accumulate, it has a lot to do with the first world in general, applying a cruel imperialistic lense over work, and development in the third world. With no basic understanding of cultural and spiritual meaning in the countries they want to help, they do pose as a threat to not only the development of the future of that country but they continue to perpetrate the cycle of exploitation by believing that fixing the third world can be done by throwing money at the “problem”. This has created so much tension, violence and as we all know foreign aid is more about intervention style guilt pleasing and volunteering is more about throwing money at a tree. So much so that parts of the third world now believe it necessary to continue receiving aid, for fear of being abandoned or forgotten. We are throwing money at the wrong part of the system, we should be helping and facilitating change at governmental levels, supporting the knowledge of the locals, facilitating engineers and labourers to build pipes and water ways, buildings, roads, (if wanted) this is not about shoving my beliefs down someone’s throat it’s about listening to the wishes of the people and facilitating the most effecting way to allow them to solve their problems, if no help is needed or wanted why must the first world feel as if it’s there duty to intervene? Quick solution ? Or the conintuing of the degradation of culture and meaning and development.
As an anthropology student it is refreshing to see this take on voluntourism. The few classes that took the side of the american anthropologist not always being a benifit to a developing community with a different culture were the most intriguing. It set you straight before you made a blunder. We as a class found that the main issue for these blundered attempts to help were caused by not listening to the cultural standards of the area, not a lack of wanting to help. The best person to understand the culture and know how to effectively help with this would be a local. I don’t go on mission trips, I mainly visit different cultures to learn, asking them to teach me what they know so I can expand my thinking to aide my community. I feel everyone can benifit from visiting and living within a culture other than their own. It opens the mind to ideas that you could never comprehend fully on your own.
[…] February. She reflected on her trips to the Dominican Republic, Tanzania, Haiti and elsewhere in a blog post. She soon found that because she lacked any real skills, she was really only making herself feel […]
The white buffalo prophecy of white healers helping the natios although it was in the form.of shamanism
I find several things troubling about this point of view.
1. The problem with building the library was clearly an issue with the management of the organization running the trip. There are, of course, some poorly managed programs out there, that don’t place the right people with the right projects. That should not detract from the fact that the people on your trip wanted to help and put forth an effort to make a positive change. Don’t blame the volunteers for a poorly organized/executed program. Did you provide feedback to the program as to how they could change it to be more effective?
2. If you think it’s not appropriate to be a white girl in an African or Hispanic place because the children don’t relate to you, have you thought about volunteering in Eastern Europe? They need help in places like Albania, Moldova, Ukraine etc. Or volunteering in the U.S. is great too. I am Asian American and I volunteered in Asia last year, I felt that I really connected with the young girls especially — here they saw a young independent lady, who looked kind of like them, who traveled by herself across the world. It opens up their minds to think beyond the neighborhood. And anywhere you go, even if you don’t know the language, just practicing English with the children will help them, and their opportunities for education and work, immensely.
3. You had the opportunity to go, experience volunteering in a few places, and come back with your own opinions and impressions of that experience. In telling other people NOT to go travel to volunteer, you are depriving them of the opportunity to go and see for themselves, and to then form their own opinion, which may be different from yours. Their experience may be much different from yours. Mine sure was.
Discouraging others doesn’t seem like the right answer — perhaps providing constructive advice as to how to find a program that fits each person could be a better way to utilize your experiences with a positive tone.
[…] na one dobrotvore koji plate kartu za Afriku nekoliko tisuća eura te ispucaju 317 selfieja dok kao grade školu za malu siromašnu, ali ipak fotogeničnu afričku djecu. (Nešto bliži primjer bi bili geniji […]
thank you for this difference of opinion. The concept of voluteering internationally is something I have wanted to do for a long time, and something I feel might not help as well. But I like the advice in finding the appropriate organization.
I absolutely live your realization of wanting to help/thinking that your helping, and actually helping can be two different things. A true humanitarian understands this aspect.
I also understand and agree with some of your points of the “white savior” conplex and such, but I disagree that your failure had anything to do with you being white. You just needed the right qualifications in my point of view. Someone who understands the culture and speaks the language would be more helpful than someone who does not. Any color person can obtain those qualifications. Not just that race/ethnicity.
I don’t think giving up your time and spending $3000 dollars just to make that trip is more meaningful. Ya sure the locals are happy to have played with this white girl with her hair that they could barely talk to. The fact is however that $3000 could’ve gone a long way in giving some locals jobs to build that library and put food on their families table. It would’ve meant some economic freedom for them and the job would’ve been done a lot more quicker so these kids development would have not been delayed. It is very annoying when a person from some western country comes to Africa and just think they’re gona be our saviors by kicking the ball around with us. If you are not skilled at something why waste people’s time, would it not be better for you to donate funds (or buy a product made by the organisation) so that they can find someone who is better equipped to do the work. Donate funds so that we are able to train more people to be self sufficient, to enhance their skills and attain economic freedom. Find better ways of helping our people out, ways that are respectful to their culture, enhance their socio-economic well-being, but before you even do that get your mentality right. Don’t come in with a holier than thou mentality (now this is not directed to you, but more general),don’t come in thinking your religion or beliefs are better than ours, respect the people you are dealing with enough so that you do not hinder their progression in trying to make you feel good, because essentially that is what you are (she was) here to do, help their socio-economic progession. Compassion is nothing without sensibility.
When I read the title of your piece, I thought to myself “Well, finally someone is going to say it!” I appreciated the reading at first, but then I had conflict with some of the things you said, then I realized you were (and are) a “little white girl.” Had I beed a white girl, I would have probably loved your piece. I would have agreed with every positive comment you’ve got, which I can guarantee were all written by white women. The reason is perspective. I never comment (ever) on posts, mostly because it’s not my responsibility to educate people. However, I will make the exception this case and I hope you at least think about my points, just as I read through your piece and identified significant flaws in your thinking. First, besides little white people being completely useless in the developing world and besides the American white savior complex most people like me hate (me = American educated but from the developing world), the United States has done (and continues to do) horrible things to most countries in this world, putting them between the knife and the wall, because of economic interests. You don’t know about this, because you haven’t seen it and you probably haven’t read it either (not because you might be incult, but because you were not born in those shoes and most American people trust too much what they see in their American news). The last thing we want is another American person to try to “save us” when there is a big American government in the back trying to take advantage of us. Second, there’s nothing in this world that I hate more than the rich white kid saying “volunteering abroad changed my life.” No, please don’t. We don’t need to remember how privileged you (people) are that being abroad “helping” others changed your life. Find a problem, read about it, find a non-profit, and do work for them from home (home = U.S.) There are a lot of complex issues to be tackled in most of the developing world, so if you really want to help, help the one way you can. Please don’t encourage people to go get volunteering abroad experiences. We (or at least I) don’t need an army of white people pretending to be good and be “saving” the world — funny enough, that sounds like the actually U.S. army, but here I mean civilians. Third, the United States has complex problems too that need of “little white girls” like yourself to fix. There’s something inherently wrong with someone saying “I will engage in an expensive volunteering experience abroad in the developing world (aka vacation), but I won’t think the “developing world” that may be a couple of blocks away from my paradise in American white suburbia.” Instead of thinking about how will you change the world, think about how you will help those with American passports who don’t get the taste of white privilege and instead are alienated and violated as human beings.
Americans, don’t spend your time and energy abroad (in a place where, deep down, you are actually not welcomed and you will not be helpful) and instead focus your energy in learning about and solving the complex, and clearly f up, problems the United States has (where your voice and efforts will actually matter and make a difference).
We don’t need more white American people telling us we need their help, for the purposes ego-boost and getting “life-changing experiences” out of the expense of someone else’s “miserable” life. GTFO and go help your own people (whom really need the help, just don’t get any of it because most white rich kids want to get their “life-changing experiences” abroad).
Finally, if you are going to use your voice, use it wisely. Don’t spread the wrong message. You’ve clearly never been on the other end, you don’t know what it’s like to be on the other end, so don’t go around pretending like you know what you are talking about when 1) you only got the white-washed experience (the volunteering abroad experience white people get) and 2) you know nothing about the complexities and serious issues in the US (otherwise you would invest your energy in solving them), and much less about the complexities of the development world. Don’t worry, this is not about you. This is about your entire demographic.
Wow! Haters gonna hate, huh.
Thank you M. I think you put my point across better than I could
I am glad you found way to help those in need that best suite your skill set. Don’t stay in the white guilt trap. Cops hassle poor white kids too.
It is exactly NOT that! She is saying that we should not be naive and ignorant about it and think of white people as the “saviours” of Africa and and and. Did you read the article? I think you missed her point. It is very brave. I have never seen a white person own up to what it means to be white before. Thank you to the author for starting the process of grappling with this subject!
What makes you think you were “highly educated”? Clearly you weren’t. You couldn’t lay a brick. Exactly how much brain power does that take? And you made it clear your black friend was considered white. So get off the white savior thing. Are you saying if you had all been black it would have been different? It would not have. Then it would just be “foreign savior” issue. This is not a race issue. It is a cultural issue. You weren’t doing anything there except annoying the locals. So was your black friend. That is why they labeled her white. they were just labeling her same as you. Basically interfering and providing nothing. So get off the racial issue. You aren’t a “little white girl” in this context. You and your black friend are both “little, arrogant , stupid Americans” in this context.
This clearly was nothing but a field trip designed to make you feel good abut yourself. If the locals had to fix your brick work every night, then why the WTF were you there for anyway? Obviously they could do it since they were. How is that different than showing up at a construction site here in the U.S. and “helping”. And for what reason? So you can experience what it is like to work hard for low wage. You would get the same reaction here. You would be perceived ans arrogant, condescending etc. Why? Because you would just be passing though.
You didn’t go there to accomplish anything. You went there so you could let these people know that you “feel their pain” and then move on in a week. Of course they didn’t like it.
Now I don’t expect you to have seen this coming as a high school kid. But the question is why didn’t your parents, school, organization know better. clearly you weren’t the first to get this reaction. Now maybe if you really planned to be there for a year and bring a skill they didn’t have, like teach them to build if they didn’t know how that would be different. But you went there and said “oh you poor people; let me lay a few bricks while a pass through.” Even if you had done it correctly what would you expect. they might be poor. They might need a lot of things. But apparently they DIDN’T need you to do 6 hours of work for them.
Clearly that kind of basic work i going to be in their skill set and NOT in your little white girl skill set for obviously reasons. Its called necessity.
So here is a suggestion. Next time you wan to help someone, Help them so something they can’t do that you can. Offering to relieve them of their work for a week , and screw it up in the process is of no value.
[…] can have some negative consequences as well, as this woman blogs about sometimes. (It is not as though voluntourism is not in the news.) Of course, I am not saying senior […]
The majority of people who volunteer abroad have also volunteered in their home country (60%), says one study. Many people do both. America has lots of programs that help people in the country in need, I’ve worked on these projects as well as overseas. I worked with one guy in Nepal who came from a poor, war-torn village as a young boy and recently graduated college — he was so grateful for the help of volunteers, which he said gave him the opportunity and help he needed to accomplish this. We still keep in touch. I don’t think he, or others I’ve met, would ever tell the volunteers to go home or that they are not welcome.
[…] anticipation of my trip to Peru, I have recently read a few articles (1, 2, 3) about “voluntourism” – which Huffpo defines as a combination of “vacation and […]
Here’s an example of a little white boy who is changing the world. http://www.ryanswell.ca/projects/active-projects/water-for-alebton-district,-uganda.aspx
Here’s a white man changing the world. http://www.fmsc.org/aboutus/history-of-fmsc
Are you just a troll? Or are you really so stupid that you missed all of her salient points? (not rhetoric. I’m actually wondering.)
Are you just a troll? Or are you really so stupid that you missed every salient point? (not rhetorical. I’m actually wondering.)
http://www.dogstarfoundation.com/blog/voluntourism–why-volunteering-overseas-can-be-the-wrong-choice/
Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare. Japanese Proverb
I have volunteered overseas myself , that’s how I first came to visit Sri Lanka in 2006 and I know I had a romantic idea of my first trip and how I was “helping” . Seven years later with the experience of setting up and running Dogstar I know how incredibly naïve I was and I am increasingly worried about the sudden rise in “voluntourism” both here in Sri Lanka and the entire Asia region.
For example In the last 2 years there has been a huge expansion in “volunteering opportunities” with elephants in a relatively small area around our base , these are often run by people with no animal welfare credentials or even elephant management experience and the volunteering placements are being sold via third parties at prices that would pay for 2 weeks in a 5 star hotel ! These elephants are actually owned elephants still being used for the tourist trade and the volunteers although compassionate about elephant welfare are just adding money to the pockets of the elephant owners and the secondary business that has been created around them.
An Elephant Charity who used to offer free food and accommodation for unwanted ex working elephants have also seen a sharp reduction in working elephants “retiring” as even elderly/disabled elephants can now still be profitable to owners as they are kept working with “volunteers” I have witnessed first hand dangerous programs where volunteers are interacting with elephants with no correct supervision sold being via third parties who have never even visited the project !
In short the impact on captive elephants has been negative , now people have found another way of monetizing captive elephants and increasing their working life , welfare suffers and most importantly nothing changes for the elephants
Voluntourism companies don’t just sell animal volunteering , just as worryingly I have also meet teenagers from the UK volunteering with children in remote “orphanages” , these volunteers don’t speak Sinhala or Tamil , they have no experience or qualifications to be working with children who may have lost family members to the war or Tunsmai. There is no support or training given to explain about local cultures , values or even dress codes. There is no long term project plan just a series of unqualified short term volunteers paying vast sums of money to third party companies to “volunteer”
If you are thinking of volunteering abroad with us or any other organisation working with animals or people I would suggest you ask your self and indeed the organisation the following questions
What is the need ?
What am I going to do that will address that need / do I have the right skills and experiences to actually help
Could local people could be employed and trained to address the need
Is the organisation I am working with in country an NGO/Charity or a business
Am I “booking” with the organisation directly or via a third party
How does the NGO/ Charity /business measure the impact the program is having
What supervision/ training will I receive
Where does the money I pay actually go , what % is given to the project if booked via a third party
Does the project really need hands on volunteering or could I provide more practical help from home with fundraising or virtual volunteering
Of course not all volunteering programs are to be avoided, Volunteering with the right project can be an incredibility worthwhile and rewarding experience , at Dogstar we do run a small volunteer program, we don’t accept volunteers year round nor do we have vast numbers , normally just 1-2 people , we turn away far more people than we accept each year because we believe volunteering should benefit both the volunteer and the host organisation but most importantly volunteers should always always make a positive difference to the organisations benefactors.
Samantha Green – In Country Director & Founder
Dogstar Foundation
Sam@dogstarfoundation.com
[…] The Problem With Little White Girls (and Boys): Why I Stopped Being a Voluntourist | Pippa Biddle. White people aren’t told that the color of their skin is a problem very often. […]
[…] we can move on to home I’m one of those evil privileged white girls that went on a voluntourism trip to Africa and posted photos about it on… and said it “changed my […]
[…] we can move on to home I’m one of those evil privileged white girls that went on a voluntourism trip to Africa and posted photos about it on… and said it “changed my […]
Ok, well stop thinking your degree is worth anything outside stateside and grab a broom, move some dirt. There are plenty of tasks at hand that you can’t fuck up other than a self glorified blog post. Waste of time
Intelligent contribution to an important issue Wilder – thanks
It would be nice if you were more careful. In my opinion, not being qualified to help in construction and sharing the love of Christ are two very very different issues. As a believer, you are commanded to go to all the world with the gospel. Look at history, was Lottie Moon not effective in China, Adoniram Judson in Burma, or Jim Elliot in Ecuador, just to name a few? The color of your skin or nationality does not matter in the spiritual realm. Paul went to the gentiles. So in this point, I do not agree with you at all. Not being able to built a Library, OK, it would be wise to know and accept one’s limitations. Keep on traveling and blessing the world with the Gospel!!!
Definitely spot on with this comment.
As she mentioned in the article, there was a black participant in the trip who probably didn’t contribute anything further than the other western volunteers.
Think of all the horrible things that have happened to people over history when whites tried to “spread the gospel” overseas.
At the end of the day, well intentioned or not, your religion won’t bring food or education or whatever else is truly needed to those developing countries.
Many organizations that I am involved with take care of the physical and spiritual needs of all peoples. Sharing what Christ did on the cross is very important. The Gospel is the good news people need. If you know that you are a sinner. God sent His only Son to the world. He lived a perfect life and died to offer Himself as a payment for all those sins we have committed and will commit. If you believe and accept this awesome free gift from God. He will forgive you of your sins and will accept you into heaven when you die. Also, after you believe with your mind and heart, He makes you a new person. A person eager to do HIs will and share this great news with others. You hear sometimes of one dying for a friend/a good person. Just think of someone dying for someone else who did not deserve. It is pure grace, mercy, and love what Jesus did on the cross. I pray this will touch someone’s heart today.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16
Love, Simone
I lead groups of 17-25 year olds on service adventure tours in Latin America and Asia. I studied community development in grad school, thinking I wanted to work in the international development sector. After all the class discussions about the failures of top down development and potential inadequacies of grassroots community development, I decided that we were only working to put a band aid on a systemic problem. If we want to inspire development and bring less developed nations up to our same level of education, health, and economic opportunity we must change the way we think. We must teach young women and men of all races that their economic and environmental practices, as well as their volunteer service, can and does have an impact on people in developing countries. During the semester trips I lead, we do a toilet building project in rural Cambodia. It’s a relatively simple task but the impact is huge- improved sanitation for the family, all of their neighbors, and a much safer place for women and girls to relieve themselves (sexual assaults in areas lacking home toilets are common). After eleven years we’ve got a toilet in almost every home in the village.
During one of our projects we were talking with the family about their different jobs. It turned out the teenage girl was away working in an American owned garment factory making just enough to keep her out of school. This sparked a conversation amongst our group about where we shop and how we might use our buying practices to support companies who don’t employ minors, treat their workers fairly, to generally lessen our consumption practices, and the importance of education for development to happen.
During our service projects we stay in family homes contributing to the local economy yes, but more importantly we get a chance to commune with one another and engage in authentic cultural exchange. We cook, clean, and eat together, share stories, and play games. This is what international travel should be about- a mutual sharing that helps us to understand that our differences do not make us immune to one another’s suffering; we’re all in this together. It’s not just about how long the toilet lasts or how many kids use the library, it’s about building communities that ignore imagined barriers of nationality, language, race, religion, or how much privilege one was or wasn’t born with. It’s about learning to care about people you’ll never meet.
My hope is that upon returning to the US and commencing university my participants will take their experiences and change their own behavior, and maybe even be inspired enough to work in a field that promotes peace and equality. There are organizations out there doing great work to help alleviate some of the everyday struggles of men, women, and the environment in developing countries by using voluntourists. On top of it all they are helping to change the thinking of young women and men in developed countries which has the potential to have a long lasting impact.
Sara, it turns out my wife accidentally interacted with you while signed in on my WordPress account. I’m not interested in being involved (or being perceived as being involved) in a debate with you, so please pardon the confusion. Please delete the comments made under my name. Thanks.
[…] Read more on The Guardian, The Exeter Tab and Pippa Biddle. […]
Since both of my (white) children are in Tanzania at this very moment, I find this really interesting. I’m choosing to believe her point of the story is that her line very near the end stating that you should evaluate your gifts & strengths & make sure they meet the needs of the place you are going. My children & the other 15 (white) people from our church are mostly painting walls as the work portion of their trip. Luckily they are all very capable people & are well equipped (personally & paint utensils) for this job. I would hate to see anyone discouraged by this young woman’s experience. I hope people only see the valid point of knowing yourself & the task & making sure you are with people who understand the culture of the people you are visiting & that you are actually helping. She obviously wasn’t in that situation. I’m glad she found a way to help that doesn’t require her to step outside her comfort zone. While some young people can do that & make personal sacrifices to help others, apparently some cannot. I agree with her that she needs to not be hands on. If she thinks the white people are saving any of the people they are doing work for, she’s really off base. I can speak from my own time in Africa & many others I know well—we received FAR more than we gave. It is a PRIVILEGE to enter someone else home & life & spend time with them. It is a clique but true none the less—you get way more than you give.
robi – whilst i applaud your children – I must ask why there are so may “voluntourism” opportunities that include painting – Tanzania, like most counties in Africa,has weather that means that paint will not be very pretty a year down the road – the cynic in me thinks that this is why “painting” is so attractive all round – an easy fix that can be sold year after year – I question what contibution painting has for the growth of economically poor communities – and i do know that the vast majority of volunteers are well meaning – sadly they are all too often exploited – along with the communities they seek to serve
Thanks, but my kids don’t need applause or any recognition at all. They are the ones who are lucky & blessed to be able to visit Tanzania, the incredible country that it is. They are painting the walls in a K-12 school. I don’t think they will be effecting the growth of the economy-we all wish it were that easy. We believe that you can do what you can do. If the painting, the supplies delivered there, ie birthing kits, first aid supplies, plus fun things, like jump ropes, books, bubbles & soccer balls helps to ease the lives of theses particular people then that’s what we’re called to do now. Your point about the painting is valid but demonstrates why painting is needed. People who live in economically ( & medically & academically, etc…) poor countries deserve to surrounded by & educated in a place that is attractive & conducive to learning. Just like my kids do here in the US. We have raised thousands for mosquito nets & spread an awareness of the epidemic of Malaria. Maybe that fits more into your category of curing large scale problems. We can’t all do ‘great’ things, but we can do small things with great love. Our group is there with an American who has spent a very long time in this particular community & knows the people well. This is her 7th trip to this same school. They are spending time together, forming relationships. Again, no answer to global issues but for a 2 week period hopefully all the people involved are learning about each other’s differences & our sameness & that counts for something.
love this robi “learning about each other’s differences & our sameness & that counts for something.”
Okay, the fact that I have a daughter who has done this type of program and another daughter who is planning to do something similar next year with two of her friends may bias my reaction to this, but, with that said, here is my reaction:
*It’s true that the work my girls did/will do could be done more efficiently and cheaply by someone else. It’s not so much that they are “volunteering” to do it, but that parents are paying for them to have the experience. (Or, as was the case with my older daughter and as will be the case with my younger one, they are raising the money and paying for it themselves.) But as long as that’s clear enough, I don’t think that fact should prevent kids from going on these trips.
*These trips are for the benefit of the kids taking the trip, but that doesn’t make it a bad thing. Depending on the quality of the program, these kids may have the opportunity to come face-to-face with issues that they could not have grasped in any other way. They may learn about the underlying issues. They may come back ready to make a real difference in the world.
*In the case of my younger daughter and her two friends, they were all born into difficult circumstances in Ethiopia. They will be relating to the children they work with in Ghana on a very personal level — they’ve all been there themselves. They are not white, but will they be seen as white? They may be. I don’t know. But I know that what my daughter wants more than anything is to learn about the issues so that she will be in a better position to make a positive difference with her life.
*Does it matter whether the kids’ skin is more the color of a cocoa bean or a chick pea? They may be received differently. They will see what they see and learn what they learn through different lenses. And they may get very different things out of the experience. So it is definitely different. But the experience will result in better educated people who will be able to make more responsible decisions over the course of their lives.
I worry about the impact of going negative on these types of programs.
[…] which results in an inability to make a difference as well as causing more trouble for the locals. For example, this volunteer’s failure in construction work caused workers to undo, rebuild and… The skills and abilities of volunteers needs to be at a certain level to reduce this type of […]
[…] which results in an inability to make a difference as well as causing more trouble for the locals. For example, this volunteer’s failure in construction work caused workers to undo, rebuild and… The skills and abilities of volunteers needs to be at a certain level to reduce this type of […]
There is something to be said about the fact that people are most likely going to take a yearly vacation anyway. They could go and drop the same amount on a vacation to The Florida Keys or Hawaii. In this case, wouldn’t it be better to spend the vacation serving in a place where the locals are asking for people to come and help? The assumption is that the $3,000 could be sent. However, the reality is that if the person was not going, there probably would not be $3,000 to send. After the cost of the plane ticket, $1500 of the $3,000 from that persons voluntourism now goes into the local economy for that country rather than to US Tourism Corporations.
Also, I do not think these trips harm the people or the country when the invitation is extended by citizens of the host country. I think it is western superiority complex to say that the ones inviting us to serve do not realize what is good for them and their fellow citizens. If they extend the invitation and ask for us to come and help, then I think we should respond. It seems wrong to tell them we have decided not to come because they do not realize that it is not good for them. However, I do think we should not go unless there is an invitation.
So, thousands of dollars are flowing into these countries as a result of the trips, locals are leading their own ‘in country’ organizations and finding international resources to equip them, relationships are being built, and US citizens are eyewitness to the fact that our political policies need to change. I see a lot of good happening as a result of these trips.
You have some good points, but they’re lost in your arrogance and condescension. You’re essentially saying, “I got some interesting experiences that shaped my world view and made me much more aware of things that need to be changed in the world around me. But nobody else should get the same opportunity (or even a better, more culturally-aware one) because, in my vast wisdom, I’ve decided it’s wrong.”
Minds and lives are changed through interpersonal interaction far more than they are changed through slide shows and Youtube videos, and good, interactive work can change minds and lives on both sides. Can “voluntourism” be improved? Of course it can. But your belief that it should essentially be eliminated for all because of your own experiences is shockingly egotistical.
BThompson’s comment is necessary and very truthful. Our society would rather take pity on this girl’s experience than focus on the larger problems that our suffocating the populations of the developing world- due mainly because of an unending colonial legacy based on greed and racism. Welcome to the real world Miss. Thanks for sharing.
[…] writings criticizing “voluntourism” as self-serving while intending to be otherwise (this blog entry is one of the most recent and widely read example of this criticism from a past voluntourist). […]
And Bthompson, what have you done lately to help out underprivileged people? Just wondering….
Point. Don’t go as a savior giving to and doing for the objects of your charity, getting photo ops and telling them about your life. Instead, intend to do whatever it takes to become part of community, as defined by local community (in-country or abroad).
This takes time and consideration, two things we are reluctant to give.
Reblogged this on helpward40 and commented:
This article really hit home after I did my Elective Placement in Sri Lanka. It echoed my anxiety on the plane going out.. “what AM I DOING? These people don’t need me”. I felt like a medical Tourist.
A response…. http://mageeinuganda.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-different-take-on-problem-with-little_18.html
A Different Take on “The Problem with Little White Girls, Boys, and Voluntourism ”
This is a response to an article written by Pippa Biddle.
Here is my experience in six years in northern Uganda and nine different service trips to Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, MS. with anywhere from 21 to 97 students on the trip. Each year when I come to Gulu, Uganda I meet amazing young women who are striving to the best for the people of Gulu and beyond. The first year I met a young girl named Amelia who decided to go by herself to help teach the Karimajong. She did it because they were losing their teacher and without hesitation picked up that challenge. Over the years in Gulu, I see western Internet cafes filled with the only white people in town and these numbers always seem to be 65% to 80% …women. I mused this with my friend
Father Leonsyo and he told me that is because women think with their hearts, they want to love all, and care for those that need help.
Over the years I have been part of five different teaching groups, again more than 2/3 women. I have seen them start Hip Hop Clubs, have empowerment programs, and spend a lot of time of just being there with the students. The impact alone of showing young Ugandan girls that education works is of great importance. In the best cases, they were standing at the front of the classroom with their Ugandan teaching partner, showing the students what 2 dedicated women could do. Sure, I have scene mistakes and people who probably should have left their electric hair straightener at home. But for the most part they were incredible. Many have taken their talents post-Uganda to other places in our world like Thailand, Korea, and Egypt or back home to help with the teaching of recent immigrants. The organization I worked under was not perfect and made mistakes, yet I also know two women, Kristine and Laura from that program who have made a long term commitment to northern Uganda and using the past to build a better model for future success of their students.
Here is where I think the original article missed a big benefit. Kinship, reaching across miles and oceans, is what makes all of this work. I would consider more than a handful of Ugandans to be my friends. They welcome me into their homes with smiles, greetings, and the best feast they can find. It is extremely humbling to know what my friends have done for me in their homes. I strived to match that when 3 of these friends spent a month in the states teaching in a classroom filled with “little white girls”. I see the smiles and the love everyday between the “Munus(Lwo for white people) and the Acholi tribe people. It is real and what makes the difference here. Father Gregory Boyle says that “Service is just the hallway to the ballroom of Kinship”. And this is where Pippa Biddle and I probably agree: building a library, painting a school, tutoring a student is nothing without pushing forward and developing that kinship. The kinship does not happen here. It happens when we do not expect it by sharing a meal of Posho or introducing Ugandans to wiffle ball. It is in the conversation of equals where friendship happens. Indeed, that is where we find love.
Now the story in the previous article, where the Tanzanians had to rebuild the wall each night does not condemn the trip and the effort, but shows there was serious gaps in leadership on this trip. Why was this not noticed by her teachers and chaperones. Ms. Biddle argues that you should not volunteer without talent or maybe even construction expertise. I want to say in my experience that is also incorrect. I have watched 16 girls with no construction experience build and frame a house because they had two great leaders who were patient and skilled with their teaching of the skills needed. This group of high school girls, with a few great leaders, regularly accomplishes more than some seasoned construction groups do. Mostly because they do everything they can to stuff 50 hours of work into a 40 hour work week.
This year, we had 8 girls who had little or no construction experience who by Wednesday were picking up nail guns like a pro or hollering measurements around the house. These eight got great, because we had 13 “little white girls” who each summer return to The Back Bay Mission to share
their expertise and lead in so many ways . The dads and one mom with construction skills are great, but all of them would give the credit to the success of this trip to this baker’s dozen. Several of these students now have real jobs. So this week of service comes with real sacrifices. Giving up trips to Chicago and Florida to spend a week with our friends on the Gulf Coast.
This amazing group of “little white girls” can take down and put up scaffolding with the best of them. They can cut PermaBoard and nail gun it with ease. The highlight of the week were not these talents that they shared. At the start there is always standing around time. These ones purposely changed standing around time, to cleaning up the yard time. They attacked ugly stumps, picked up glass and trash, and removed a decade old pile of dirt in the backyard with some Katrina debris included.
Then it happened, right where the biggest , ugliest stump used to be–a kickball game. Five children now playing in the reclaimed yard along with several from the block who could not miss this happening. Thirty of us now playing kickball. With the booming kick of the seven year old girl laughter and whoops from all. There it was kinship so real you could taste it.
Pippa,, I would love to share a meal some times and swap storie, you have done a lot of good.. And to all the Little White Girls, do your homework, know as best you can the culture and the people, adjust your attitude in the right way, and then leap.
Your heart can be in the right place, but I think it is important that your feet are in the right place too.
LOVE. Thank you, John Magee.
It’s unfortunate that you have had experiences where you felt like you weren’t making a difference. Our organization leads volunteer trips to Costa Rica (http://drawchange.org/artbeyondborderscostaricatrip/) and Ethiopia (http://drawchange.org/ethiopia/) yearly and we are making HUGE strides in the communities we work with. Perhaps the trip model of the organizations you went with weren’t those of real, lasting change. We are seeing the facts of children’s lives being enhance simply because we show up year after year and show them that we care-that they are not forgotten. We stay in touch with them throughout the year until our return the following year. The children are learning about culture, empowerment and self-esteem because of our presence. We have raised enough money to install dry erase boards in every single classroom of the school and we are in the process of building a theater stage so they can continue to be empowered by performing for their peers. There is an air of positive change in the communities! I invite you consider traveling with other organizations after doing some research that they are creating lasting change in the communities they visit. I have countless testimonials of volunteers’ lives that are changed from traveling with us and proof that they continue to serve-both in our communities and internationally. I’m sorry you had such unfulfilling experiences and hope you don’t stop there!
Best,
Jennie Lobato
Founder/CEO, drawchange Inc
http://www.drawchange.org
facebook.com/drawchange
[…] am an expatriate – a tourist really- and I know that feeding children and healing the sick is far beyond my power. As a tourist, I respect a country’s right to lead it’s own path, particularly when, […]
Please Dont you have any mail for me to contact you through it
None of the many white interns that have assisted my wife and I ever exhibited the “white privilege” syndrome. This essay blows that out of reality.
Please don’t give up, keep the fire burning. May God bless you. I am from Ghana and I know the good works of volunteers.
I went to Africa once and I wasn’t comfortable with the contribution that I was asked – or, more accurately, wasn’t qualified – to give. I came home. So I understand what she is saying. That being said, I do intend to go back in a different capacity. I have also volunteered for over a decade with an organization helping inner-city American children affected by HIV and AIDS. I am not – nor was I ever – a doctor; I was never a carpenter; I was never a therapist. I was never a certified teacher. I hadn’t spent time in their Bronx/Brooklyn/Queens communities at that time either. It was all a different world to me. But I did make a difference in the lives of some kids, even at the start, several of whom I am proud to say are an active part of my life many years after my involvement with them at the camp. I do agree with the fundamental argument that this girl makes, however I think that the average person might have more to offer than she is willing to acknowledge. My first couple of efforts at volunteerism were a gateway to continuing efforts which have changed lives. I think it would be wrong to tell people that taking the first step is inappropriate when the second and third steps could lead to something so much more valuable. I am not a white savior. But I have been a job reference. I have been a proof reader. I have been an escape during hard times and a responsible adult who could understand and help to make connections to other necessary resources. I did all of this with a bachelor’s degree in French, a bachelor’s degree in international business, and a master’s degree in journalism, none of which I used in any tangible way with these children years ago. My education and formal skills were moot. But maybe we’re simply not all meant to build brick walls. However, if I waited until the day that a child in the third world needed me to help him write a nonsensical book about backwoods, Wiffle Ball playing yokels or to film hurricane reports from outside an abandoned KFC – the skills which I am best suited to teach – I would have never made the connections that I made laying my own figurative bricks with a bunch of kids starting back in the summer of 2000. My first brick wall was slightly crooked, but if I hadn’t attempted to build it, I would have never learned how to help build such sturdy walls around the kids who have been a part of my life ever since.
[…] on this subject: here, here, and […]
Did your parents choose your first name based on an inverted juxtaposition of your last name? If so, you are indeed incredibly white.
Normally don’t comment but this is just too good. Pippa is actually short for Philippa which is an old family name. While it was not picked for the fact that it inverts wonderfully, I do appreciate it when doing things like writing my name upside down 🙂
What a poorly written article. While the idea is intriguing and well thought out, the grammar and sentence structure is absurdly pitiful from someone who’s a “professional writer.” I wish I could go through it in red pen just to be able to read it properly.
Pippa… I have not read all of the comments above but I’m pretty sure what I have to say will cover part of that ground. Is this really a case of race? I take my Japanese university students to Cambodia once a year to study developmental issues and to do some volunteer work as well – and yes they are a bit inept and some of their work has to be redone or modified. At the schools where we offer Japanese and english lessons for a day, there are restrictions such as “no photos” and limitations on the amount of play volunteers can do with the children (since the students want to study and are tired of the “petting zoo” effect of voluntourism). So you’re right about the negative aspects, but WAY OFF about the source of the problem. Being WHITE? REALLY? That’s insulting and narcissistic. White people represent a vast minority of the educated suburban types that do volunteer work abroad — it is a question of class and culture per haps, but not race. Think again.
I have to say that I agree with your post Michkwu, and it is much more positive and constructive than the original post. Although I understand what the girl is saying, I have traveled and volunteered myself (and also undertaken a similar programme as a privately educated ‘little white girl’ earlier in my life) and I have to say that my experience was also different and much more positive. Her post is niavie and maybe she was just unfortunate to be involved with projects that weren’t run as well as they could have been. I also agree that closer to home would be a great place to volunteer help as there are many people that need help on our doorsteps. I think it’s ridiculous to suggest that it’s the colour of the skin that is the problem rather than the cultural differences, which are in fact not ‘problems’ but just differences. We all have positives to bring to any situation
Your article makes some excellent, difficult points. Thank you for it!
I think we Americans are perhaps overly optimistic about our ability to “help” the rest of the world. Yes, there are organizations that rely on foreign volunteers that produce real results on the ground, but when it comes down to it – they don’t need us. Developing countries need good governance, investment and education, and those are things that patchwork aid efforts by and large cannot provide. Voluntourism exists for the benefit of the traveler, not for the visited.
Someone on Facebook linked to Ivan Illich’s “To Hell with Good Intentions” speech (http://www.swaraj.org/illich_hell.htm) in connection with your article and I think his point that it would be better for “voluntourists” (obviously not his words back in the 60s!) to work on improving things at home rather than jumping into a foreign culture and trying to accomplish something.
I had my heart set on being a Peace Corps volunteer for many years, life happened, the opportunity passed me by. In the meantime, I worked at a homeless shelter in my city and was intensely humbled by the experience. I think it is better to tackle the difficult task of having compassion for and building relationships with the people in our communities before we go jetting off trying to find those relationships with more “exotic” people in need.
Your article makes some excellent, difficult points. Thank you for it!
I think we Americans are perhaps overly optimistic about our ability to “help” the rest of the world. Yes, there are organizations that rely on foreign volunteers that produce real results on the ground, but when it comes down to it – they don’t need us. Developing countries need good governance, investment and education, and those are things that patchwork aid efforts by and large cannot provide. Voluntourism exists for the benefit of the traveler, not for the visited.
Someone on Facebook linked to Ivan Illich’s “To Hell with Good Intentions” speech (http://www.swaraj.org/illich_hell.htm) in connection with your article and I think his point that it would be better for “voluntourists” (obviously not his words back in the 60s!) to work on improving things at home rather than jumping into a foreign culture and trying to accomplish something.
I had my heart set on being a Peace Corps volunteer for many years, life happened, the opportunity passed me by. In the meantime, I worked at a homeless shelter in my city and was intensely humbled by the experience. I think it is better to tackle the difficult task of having compassion for and building relationships with the people in our communities before we go jetting off trying to find those relationships with more “exotic” people in need.
You gloss over another aspect of voluntourism. A friend of mine is from Tanzania, and was involved a lot with these little white girls. Or should I say involved with a lot of little white girls. For many, it’s sex tourism. But unlike men traveling to Thailand, it’s less spoken about. Building a library in a village sure makes a great excuse to tell your family rather than the real reason.
[…] So this wasn’t the post I was going to write today, yet after reading an article in the huffington post I thought I would write this instead. Today on my Facebook on of my friends had shared a link to an article from the huffington post site to do with volutourism. This post has actually come from another blog by Pippa Biddle: https://pippabiddle.com/2014/02/18/the-problem-with-little-white-girls-and-boys/. […]
Hello M,
While I agree with many of the points you make in your response such as the idea that the US has significant problems of its own that rich little white girls would be far more productive to serve, I respectfully disagree with many of the things you said.
Firstly, I think your whole argument has an elitist attitude stemmed by comments you made such as “I can guarantee all were written by white women”- you can’t guarantee it, and saying something like that gives your argument an air of arrogance.
Another comment was you don’t ever respond because its “not [your] responsibility to educate people,” but it is. Its the responsibility of every person to educate one another. Knowledge (whether academic or not) is a right and a responsibility of everyone. I’ve never commented on anything before as well so I’m guilty of being passive in this respect but my lack of response is not because I don’t feel responsible.
You refer to the developing world as “we” and “us” and although i don’t question your background in any way, your opinions do not represent that of the billions of people in all developing nations. Be careful about using these terms because they further my opinion that you don’t think on an international scale.
The original article articulates some major flaws with voluntourism, flaws that i’m sure we can both agree upon, and I wholeheartedly believe that ones skills should be put to use in the most efficient way. I do however, believe there is good to be made from volunteering abroad IF DONE PROPERLY. Skills should be used effectively ofcourse, and the end goal should be local sustainability, but you forget about a very important thing in your plight for intranational aid.The world is an international community, and if everyone stuck to themselves and only helped their immediate neighbours, the world would miss out on so much amazing cultural learning and blending. Culture is dynamic and there is always learning to be done on both sides, so while I agree that spending 3000 dollars to fail at building a library is ridiculous, it is important to keep in mind that broadening ones horizons is an important feature of moving the world forward.
I’m not another white american telling you that you need my help, I’m simply another human saying our cultures can benefit from learning from another and one of the means of doing so is through mutual work towards a common goal; internationally for some and locally for others.
your last paragraph is particularly hypocritical with your comments about using your voice wisely. In basic principle you are right, don’t speak unless you have something good and well thought out to say, and always keep in mind that your world view affects everything you see, but you’re saying it in a way that is clearly influenced by your world view.
Finally, don’t ever call out an entire demographic, it’s incredibly ignorant and completely defeats the entire point of your comment.
I hope your rant made you feel better
Well thought, personal insight. The book Toxic Charity addresses these issues and offers several solutions… Many of which you’ve already seen.
Sorry, how is this any different from the “white saviour” mentality? The actual examples (teaching English and “plant”ing churches) you used…it sounds like you just forced western culture (language and religion) on people and convinced yourself that this was okay through some sort of superiority complex.
And since when was Tokyo a struggling slum that needed foreign aid? Do you just not understand that many communities in the United States struggle with English fluency and even basic literacy?
Kathryn Nicole Haydon,
Sorry, how is this any different from the “white saviour” mentality? The actual examples (teaching English and “plant”ing churches) you used…it sounds like you just forced western culture (language and religion) on people and convinced yourself that this was okay through some sort of superiority complex.
And since when was Tokyo a struggling slum that needed foreign aid? Do you just not understand that many communities in the United States struggle with English fluency and even basic literacy?
This article frustrated me so much.
“I want her to have a hero who she can relate to – who looks like her, is part of her culture, speaks her language” – this is truly awful.
You were right about one thing, ‘you’ shouldn’t be helping these people. First and foremost in the world we live in, where the devide between people is so large, where racism and prejudice are still very much alive, where a persons differences are still such a problem to the majority, what we need are people prepared to view others as equals and encourage others to do the same. People who don’t say ‘she needs an idol who looks like her’ but instead stands there and says those things, skin colour, hair colour and clothes, don’t matter. Don’t close doors to anyone by not allowing them to look beyond the village they live in and the language they speak.
To go somewhere with the intention to build a library which would in turn allow these children to expand and grow, but in the same breath put a cap on where they can take that is just wrong.
As a white girl I’ll be sure to stop looking up to any forigne or black/Asian people, and stick firmly to just the white person who lives next door. Makes no sense! I don’t want to limit myself by just being around people exactly like myself, why would she?
This story seeks a dark cloud in a silver lining. It sets international philanthropy and outreach back 100 years. The article sites as impediments to helping in another country as the language barrier. Really? Who knew? No institution including the Red Cross or Doctors Without Borders is perfect. However, to dwell on the negative of a goodwill trip seems misplaced. The legacy of the global slave trade, colonialism, and imperialism, is much of the third world lies in economic ruins . Only in the sixties did Europe relinquish many of its last colonies in Asia and. Africa. South Africa was free of apartheid in our lifetimes over the objections of Dick Cheney and United States corporations. They labeled Nelson Mandela and other freedom fighters as Marxist radicals. There is an affirmative duty to repair that which we have broken. There is an affirmative duty to invest capital ,labor ,and missions to right centuries of injustice. I am certain the writer shared her heart felt opinions. However on balance the Peace Corps, Doctors Without Borders, etc are all valuable opportunities to help. I applaud the writer’s contribution. I applaud the white boys and white girls who came to my community as public school teachers and inspired me to pursue a career in law. Respectfully submitted
Hana, I think that maybe you got a different message than I did. While she approaches her message in a harsher tone aimed at White people, I think she does so in order to shake things up. I think the message here is that these children who are being given aid should look up to those around them, they shouldn’t expect a white person on a white horse to be the only one that CAN save them. She illustrates how in the dark of night the men would take apart the brick walls and rebuild them to pander to the “White person” who is on a “mission” to be the saviour. The reality is, that they are capable and willing and able to be the saviours, the hero, the white man/woman is an illusion. These children can relate to their local people and believe they can be anything and do anything through the inspiration.
She is saying that there are roles for each of us, but maybe not the role we were lead to believe. Find your true strength and help in that way, if it means being on the sidelines….not recieving the credit or the glory, than that is what you should be willing to be.
I agree with what she said, and was initially put off with her harshness toward the white person…..I am from Hawaii where the term for outsider is “Haole” and in modern times has become synonymous with “white person”. I think the same goes for the descriptive use of White in this article….white is really anyone who is not local, as she mentions her black friend or classmate being referred to as white in the beginning of the article.
White privilege alert, Hana! Skin color doesn’t matter?????!!! Booo!!! You totally missed the POINT!!!!
GREAT ARTICLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I so appreciate your thoughts/perspectives and what you learned about being more than just a “voluntourist.” I teach a course called “Global Leadership through Service,” where we try to get students to understand more about their role as social change agents while doing a bit of service learning, and actually getting to know new people around the world. Oddly enough, when you do something like that, you feel so small and wonder if what you’re doing was meaningless or even selfish, but it’s those people who do have that kind of realization who are launched into bigger, better, more world changing, positive, longer term efforts – maybe even here at home. Thus, your small seed has been planted and watered with critical thinking. Thanks for sharing :).
[…] Originally posted on PippaBiddle.com. […]
[…] probably you) care to remember, added advertisements that I hope aren’t too obtrusive, and wrote a little piece that caused a whole lot of stir. Thanks mostly to you, my readers; I was approached with some amazing freelance gigs. This year […]
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Your argument against youths of no skill traveling internationally to impact a community is flawed by one key point – you are presently engaged in creating sustainable in-country programs because of your experience. Your trips as an unskilled youth have shaped you and now impact is made at compound interest on your experience.
Having in-country leaders is key. I’m a volunteer leaders of teenagers, one leader of many, who have had lasting impact in Honduras and Nicaragua. This is because the ministry is partnered with “on-the-ground” leaders who run aid all year. Our week directly supports and infuses the remaining of 365 days. Agreeing wholly the work is to be lead by in-country persons and supported by extra-country there is still room to engage the next generation to raise them to a life of care for those outside the privileged walls in which they live while for a summer of tasks overseen by trained eyes to make them part of that support.
Your brick laying story is clearly a bad experience, for all involved. Gratefully you’ve turned that failure to success by your current execution and influence. Do not advise that white or otherwise privileged teens should not stumble through the needs in the international community. If we do not take them they do not know. This is proven by your own life, is it not? Would you even have a basis to write this or be influential if you had not stumbled through?
Be the leader that doesn’t lay worthless bricks, work hand in hand with the skilled laborers, return year on year to the same community and the same needs, and the reward of volunteerism is far greater than the risk of voluntourism.
[…] The answer is no. They don’t understand. None of the above described people do. It’s not because they’re bad people, and it may certainly be for any other reason. But I say it’s simply because they’re entitled. I’d bet they’re middle class. I’d assume they own several cars. I’d guess that they went to college. I’d imagine them gentrifying urban neighborhoods, and they are probably afraid to ride the bus in their hometown because it’s “scary.” Perhaps they’re the type of people who think they can “save Africa” (yep, the whole continent) with a summer volunteer trip. […]
When you talk about that “black girl” people consistently called white, do you mean a US girl with some low proportion of black ancestors that only racist concepts as those one drop rules would classify her as black?
[…] already familiar, check out her post that gives an uncensored firsthand critique of voluntourism here. Pippa characterizes voluntourism by the white savior complex and professes that white people are […]
Typical anti-White piece of dog shit.
Very well thought out post. I agree that some volunteering can be harmful. I think the spirit of it is good, but we need to be careful on the repercussions it will have in the community we’re working to help.
Thanks for sharing!
It’s funny because Africa and these other devolving nations used to have orphanages,libraries, schools, and hospitals during colonial times. “O that was genocide” the usual liberal rhetoric … But the population of all those countries including ones with genocides (German southwest Africa ) have almost triple sometimes 10x as many native people’s as they did before colonialism! Look at Nigeria how can u say a country that had just a few million inhabitants when the British took over in 1900 to over 180million in 2011???? You want to help africa so do I, the best way to do it is with “benevolent colonialism” same as before but nicer with a new understanding by the west for human rights. England has about a 15% African population (almost zero slaves too so u can’t bring that up) america has 13% African American population, France same thing why can a country like the Congo, Nigeria, Tanzania (which was ruled by Arabs for hundreds of years from the sultanate of Zanzibar) not have a 10% non african population?? Asian and European (I am aware of the small Hindi population in Tanzania but its not enough) its just really not fair that we absorb Africans into our countries but they kicked us out and still won’t absorb us today as your article so clearly articulates, they say we’re racist we’ll I say their racist considering they won’t let us live with them but we let them live with us… (And a country like Canada or Australia that never practiced OVERSEEs colonialism doesn’t owe the Africans anything thier own natives however maybe they do [Australia was pretty mean ])
I don’t even know where to start with This comment… I’ve been following the post for awhile and this is the first I really felt like I needed to say something. Just go through your argument and think of the word power through out. If you still think you can say those things, then my judgement was right: there is no point in arguing with you as you’re too far set in your own – very self centred, entitled, narcissistic – ways.
Power? Ya power is what drives all of history. I suppose you think the situation in west Africa right now August 2014 with the start of the Ebola pandemic is in a better situation? There was an Ebola clinic looted and destroyed the sick told they had malaria and carried off by the crowd blood covered mattress taken as well. I suppose your mind is taking a break though until your liberal profesor can tell you what to think after Labor Day 😉
Diversity, equality, sustainability, pointless postitivty as cultural insensitivity capitulates thousands of the innocence brought on by liberal ignorance.
Power drives all of history? What does that even mean? And after getting passed the fact you are using “drives” in present form to discuss something in the past (which literally makes no sense), you didn’t address what I pointed out. But I will try to make it more clear: all your arguments about numbers of people in certain countries is void since power doesn’t take into consideration number of people but how the people that have influence use it. Furthermore, “benevolent colonialism” that you argue for is ridiculous. You are basically saying it is YOUR society, worldview, epistemology that understands how to make a “civil” society, and that YOU cannot trust other cultures (the people that have grown up and know the traditions, culture, people, political landscape etc) to do it on THEIR own because THEY are not as advanced as YOU. But since you are such a good person (the benevolent piece) you will sacrifice to make it better for these poor people. Yes, you do have certain power living in a western society. SO maybe think about how there is a certain power dynamic here…
And I have no idea what you are talking about Ebola.. I think it is in a better situation then what?
Lastly, as quoted from your first post “they say we’re racist we’ll I say their racist considering they won’t let us live with them but we let them live with us” … Well (not we’ll) I say you are racist and they’re (not their) not. Okay, I wanted to write that to add in a little grammar lesson on top of pointing out again how ridiculous you sound. Do you know how many countries there are in Africa? But to call a whole continent racist for not letting foreigners live in Africa is so unfounded and false and if you don’t know that please, please do me a favour: stick with your day job in your little community; don’t share your opinions about anything remotely to do with other cultures, countries, or just people in general. Oh and p.s. I currently live and work in one of those 54 African countries; THEY let me in! And THEY are not even being racist towards me living here. But have a great labour day, I should get ready for work tomorrow ☺
Hey, at least your tried.
Ive always felt a massive sense of guilt from volunteering. Yes I can lift the heavy bags, dig the ditches, paint the walls but who am I as a white person to help these less fortunate people. I always think to myself ‘does the help and money I provide really offset all the damage I do as a white person in a village of unfortunates with a different skin color than my own? Shouldn’t this work be done by someone of the same skin tone as the villagers?’ Its gotten to the point that I don’t do any charity anymore because I am completely filled with guilt. I don’t even give money because who am I to give them money from a my own more well developed and run country. Ive thought of starting a charity where only people of the same skin color can help each other in underdeveloped areas, that way the people doing the charity work won’t feel that awful sense of personal guilt from helping someone of a different color who is less fortunate. What does everyone think of that?
It does not matter what color your skin is. You just help whoever has a need. It does not make sense to feel guilty because the person you are helping has a different skin color than you do. How can you turn your back to someone in need? Who CARES about skin color?
If you’d had the skills to do the jobs you were assigned–in this case, bricklaying and fluency in spanish–the color of your skin wouldn’t have mattered at all.
You only framed your argument in a racial context to generate hits. Hope you’re proud of yourself.
I think there is still great value in having privileged youth volunteer overseas. However, the value is not in what the volunteer youth do for those they are trying to help, but in what they themselves receive from the experience. It teaches them to be thankful for all the luxuries and opportunity they have in their own lives. It teaches them compassion and about being global citizens. For many, an experience like this can propel them into being a lifelong supporter (financial or otherwise) of international charities.
I have three young boys. We volunteer as a family at the local food bank and the help with collecting winter wear for the homeless. Do I think my boys are a great help when I take them to volunteer? No, in fact they likely hinder my ability to be productive. However, I can see the benefit in the young men they are growing up to be. They walk into a grocery store and comment on how fortunate we are to be able to fill up a full buggy of healthy food. They smile and say hello when passing a person living on the street, They think about what they can do to help others. One day, they will be grown men with incomes of their own. I hope what they have learned will encourage them to be generous when it comes to supporting charitable causes.
This is the definition of privelege. And it’s so arrogant. Let’s “volunteer” and save some brown people so we can have a new experience!
Keep telling yourself that. Your inability to look at the truth shows your privilege.
Ummm… Angry much? Did we read the same arricle? You’re the one with the terrible, did I mention angry? attitude. To come on someone’s blog who is sharing their own self-reflection and act like a pissed off, priveleged, irriatating lunatic is… Interesting… behavior. You must be a joy to be around. You clearly had your own tirade you were determined to go on before reading the article because you’re clinging to whatever your notions are without taking one second to use your brain about what the arricle actually said. It didn’t say don’t be helpful, it said how to be most helpful. It was about being honest with yourself about how you can be of maximum service if that is really your intention. This CLEARLY hit a deep nerve within you which you should promptly examine. But good job! You really told her! You’re so experienced with so many years on her so you must know more and have something to offer! Just kidding. Work on that bitterness. I don’t want you representing us abroad until you calm down and exit the high horse.
Just because it makes you uncomfortable doesn’t mean it shouodnt be said. It needs to be said, even though people clinging to their white saviorness (like you) just cannot hear it. You’re so afraid of the truth because of what it says about you. And being someone who denies race is important is the most white priveleged thing in the entire world.
It would take a lot of guts for someone who wants to make a difference to make their first volunteer stint be a long lasting and productive one. Being abroad is a lot to handle, let alone delving into volunteer work in a third world country. It’s a huge adjustment and it really isn’t for everyone: either they don’t have the necessary skill sets as you mentioned or it’s something they can’t handle. Trips that are less than at least a few months are a way to dip a young persons toes into foreign aid. And I don’t think it’s reflective of your privilege to be scared or nervous to dive into an entirely new culture for a long period of time. It inspires people to take an interest for future participation or donation.
If you’re an adult and believe that a two week volunteer trip will make a huge lasting difference, yes, that is a white-savior complex. You just being present and doing work doesn’t help Africa and the infrastructure of the country you’re in. What I like to think is that if you’re with a good program, you will come into a country as a volunteer and do productive work while you’re there and you will be a part of a revolving community of people who want to make a difference but simply can’t spend more time there. On top of that, she’s right. You should be aware of the program you’re a part of and know where your money is going.
Lastly, as far as the pictures with black children goes… That’s sad. You make assumptions about a lot of people and assume they aren’t capable of truly caring for the people they spent time with. My friend spent months in Malawi. She has pictures with children. I suppose an outsider would look and Pippa would assume this was her own self-fulfillment of the white savior complex because my friend never really says anything specific about what she was doing there. In reality, she was there living with a host family and doing hours and hours of interviews with men and women from different villages in the area about different systems of electricity that had been implemented by Westerners and how they felt about them and how they all failed. During the time she was there, she lived with a family of 6. Is it wrong for her to want to remember the family members and to share her time with them?
This was probably all very jumbled and I can agree with a lot of things. But I guess what needs to be stressed is that you CAN go on those two weeks trips as long as you’re aware THOSE are the trips that will benefit YOU and inspire YOU. Long term trips made later in life will be for the benefit of OTHERS. Pippa was obviously inspired and lead to her current beliefs by her previous trips, so were they really all that wrong?
This should be required reading for anyone about to shell out thousands of dollars for them or their kids to do mission or work trips.
Thanks for sharing your commentary on your experience in Ghana. It is a shame that so many do not fathom the value of this article. Whatever the title conjures up does not neglect the fact, that the author realizes that there are numerous children around the globe in developing countries who admire “white skin” to the point, of taking pills to lighten their own skin or using costly lotions to do the same. I with a darker hue cannot even volunteer in certain parts of South East Asia, without at least a few children, children complaining! Yes children!! I have had the pleasure on many occasions on educating youth that people within the African race are from every where. After many trials, conversations and lessons, perhaps a few will accept that I am from Canada. At the end of a semester I will still have the odd student asking what part of Africa are you from? Asians, just as so many other cultures around the globe have cultivated a “white skin” complex. Honoring lighter skin and hating anything that isn’t.
I believe You are missing the point. “Whiteness” is an issue, if you cannot understand the damages done by white privilege why volunteers in countries that look up to “white people” as Gods. It is 2015 and white people still cannot fathom the effects of colonialism. Still cannot accept the damages done by world powers on poorer nations and the psychological damage that comes with constantly seeing “whites” as the savior of the universe! Whites always want to help! Always!! However, do you not stop to think of the effects your images cause on the minds of young non- white people?!?! The effects of HOLLYWOOD, matter fact the infestation of Hollywood, coupled with strong European and American involvement in politics, economics and past colonial ties? When you volunteer or “help” do you ask yourself any of the above, or are you so damn happy to have an international experience. There are intelligent Black people who cannot even volunteer in certain parts of the globe, due to skin color alone, but you can!!!
check us out – http://www.theethicalvolunteer.com we are addressing this problem in the best way. Lots of advice and guidance, ethical options, no charity nonsense.
“White people aren’t told that the color of their skin is a problem very often.” Hahahahaha hahah ha… Congratulations, you must be a lot less addicted to social media than I am. Very valid points, though!
Hello,
I have dreamed of doing international development work for a long time. However, my husband and I have decided to develop our own organic farm (which we have done for 3 years now), eventually hire people who are marginalized (when we can offer them a decent wage), raise our own children (adopted and bio), and then consider international development work. I think our focus has grown from the ‘selfless’ idea of helping, to just going because we are truly passionate about farming and want to learn from other cultures.
This is an incredible article! Congratulations!
Your well written article is good info for those with good intentions, but few skills. My church youth group did service projects in our own city or other U.S. locations, but not internationally because we were told we had very limited skills to offer & we still had much to learn about people from socio-economic groups different than our own white, working-class backgrounds right here in the U.S. We were also told the opposite of what many volunteers might be told: we were to receive (learn) as much (or more) than we gave! Usually this was as simple as being aware & listening more than talking. The most overt example was when we cleaned up yards which had been neglected for years for elderly folks who couldn’t afford to pay to have it done and they had been asked in advance if they were willing to participate in a “cultural exchange program”. While we ate our sack lunch each older person revealed personal stories…taught us in exchange for the work we did; one about what it felt like to get old & lose abilities they’d once had, how one felt about receiving assistance vs charity and this often meant the difference in the attitude of the giver, one talked about changes in “race relations” they’d experienced over the years as a Black person and this was just 10-15 years ago, but one told about the good & bad about changes in technology for older ppl. I think all volunteering should include some facet of learning about the people we’re helping. So, even though you didn’t think you’d been of much help as a teenager I think you learned so much that you’ve now put to good use!
“…those planning and executing the volunteer trips that I discuss in this piece tend to suffer from the belief that they know best for the communities they are visiting”.
Isn’t this exactly what you are doing in writing this opinion piece?
Wow! Lots of comments. And having done a good deal of voluntouring, I absolutely agree with the point that most volunteers are more trouble than they’re worth. And they can seriously disrupt a community with a lot of different aspects of their behaviour.
However (and I didn’t read all the comments since that might have taken a week) what wasn’t addressed in the article or in any of the follow-up comments was the habit of aid money disappearing if there is no extra-community, on-site oversight. It’s so prevalent that Eric Wainaina, noted Kenyan composer, musician and author, wrote a musical play about the situation. I’d love to know if you have any oversight at your camp, or have ever done a thorough job of checking the books? I know just from what I’ve seen in my own experience, and been told by people on the ground in places I’ve been, I will never donate to any project that doesn’t have that kind of oversight.
Anyway, wonderful article to get people talking and thinking about the subject. Hat’s off!
Hi Pippa, Thank you so much for writing this. It’s a pretty controversial take on such a huge movement, and it has really hit a place in my heart. I see a lot of people from my country signing up for mission work or volunteer opportunities where they come home after two weeks having had their eyes opened to a new world and a metaphorical gold sticker on their chest. It seems that a lot of these programs do much more good for the mental health of the “little white girl” than they do for the people who the service was meant to help.
I think that your outlook is very important for the future of global volunteering, and I will be praying that your voice is heard by many more who are considering trips like the ones you took. As you said, your influence is still needed. “Little white girls” can do a lot for the world. The shift from being the present hero to being what we can truly be in the situation is essential to the progress of human service.
I was so passionate about relief efforts for the Nepalese after the recent earthquakes. It took everything in me not to hop on a plane and go save everyone. A voice in me, only slightly louder than the voice telling me to go, told me that I do not have any qualifications that would make me helpful just after the disaster and that I’d be taking more resources being there than I would give. Instead, I did what I could. I donated money, raised money, and raised awareness. I don’t have a cool story about traveling to Nepal. I don’t have a photo album overflowing with images of me standing next to families and their demolished homes. I don’t have that “gold sticker” on my chest, but I don’t truly need that. They truly needed the financial aid that I was able to give.
Your post helped me to see that more clearly than anything else since I made the decision. Thanks again!
This article is brilliant and reflects a lot of what I have experienced when I worked with int. volunteer companies in Cambodia. It is thought-provoking however I missed a bit the role of the int. volunteer travel companies. They fool volunteers through false promises, unethical marketing and fake reviews. This is a massive issue in the industry and needs to be talked about, as well as the role of the media.
I have started a website and researched on how the companies are connected to review platformes and did plenty of reasearch about the market. The goal of the website is to help future volunteers, so that they know how to prepare and how to volunteer abroad:
http://www.responsible-volunteering.com/
This is our facebook group full of voluntourism profesionals and former volunteers:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/454436357989887/
Thanks for your comment! I suggest you check out some of my other writing about voluntourism to see more in-depth looks at some of the issues you brought up: https://pippabiddle.com/tag/voluntourism/
Appreciate the article, and it is very apparent that you have grown in your self-reflection of this journey. But please note that even in stating that being white is not only “a hindrance” but also “negative” in the “developing world” stems from a Western-based conception of an “us” and “them” concept that assumes that nations that do not reflect the West in appearance and values are still “developing.”
Thanks for sharing – food for thought
Your candor and honesty in recognizing the folly, however well intentioned, of voluntourism is refreshing. May I suggest the following that you will likely find upsetting… there is not a single place in the world, not one, that NEEDS wealthy teenaged girls from American places like Miss Porter’s School to arrive to do anything. Not one single place anywhere, not one single teenaged Miss Porterian, for any single useful purpose.
There is reason for this: nearly all teenaged American girls (and many–if not most– boys) today are, for the most part, completely incompetent at almost all life skills. Most could not function successfully as anywhere close to independent and responsible people. Contrast that with the average age of female heads of households heading west on the Oregon and California Trails in the 1840’s being just 16. That was the AVERAGE age. Anybody, anywhere in the world would be delighted to have a strong, capable, experienced, competent teenaged woman of the type who, with her husband, was getting her family through hardships and danger to a new land where only hard daily work was to be the remainder of her life.
And so we have the irony of useless people having the time and inclination to arrive in places and be incompetent, while those who could actually contribute are busy improving the world in their immediate vicinity.
Perhaps Miss Porter’s School attendees and alumna could learn actual life skills like “how to powerwash, scrape, and paint a house”, then travel down the road to poor districts of New Haven and help impoverished people nearby have a slightly better existence. Doing simple local inglorious hard work would make my opening observations wrong. And that would be the best thing any of Miss Porter’s girls could ever do for the world.
Great read. I completely agree and love how you spoke so honestly about this.
Pathetic self loathing
HELPING
The post above this one says, “Pathetic self-loathing.” And while I don’t care for the word “pathetic.” The self-loathing part does resonate for me. I might call it “The Great White Wealthy Guilt and Worship of Poor People ‘of Color’ and Prisoners”
I see it in not only in wealthy Americans, but in many white middle class Americans as well. They both buy into the whole “wealth is limited and I got more than my fair share” bit. “And now I have to make up for it.”
In the 70’s I was part of a (white) hippie commune and we gave a bunch of towels to the local homeless shelter. At first we had chosen our worst towels. But when the guilt struck, we put those back in the cupboard and hauled out our very best and gave them away.
I have a white friend who, even while low income now, came from an upper class family. She adores anything black. All black people get her commiseration. She is constantly watchful for racial slurs, and imagines some up when none are there. She dates a Jamaican. She assumes I (and every white person is racist) and is angry at me (a poor white), for all the black men unjustly shot or jailed. She patronizes all black concerts and stores. Black is her go-to subject of conversation.
She seems to see herself as their understanding savior…and no-one else understands them, but she herself. She assumes that all the rest of us are racist.
Actually, I knew a white eco-radicalist who also felt she was the only one who understood her subject –the environment– and everyone else were stupid Nature-Trashers to whom she self-righteously lectured constantly.
I have another friend (low income white woman/artist) who idealizes the Native Americans, the mentally disturbed and prisoners. She has been used and ripped off by people from these classifications sooo many times.
Guilt….from where…past lives?
Projection?…from where…inner to outer?
I too used to feel guilty all the time–about poor white people (that is what was all around me in Maine.) I was a poor white single mom too–but I didn’t count–to me. I worked myself literally almost to death trying to help them out. I got breast cancer and faced the fact that I was nurturing everyone but myself. I stopped. Started caring for me. The breast cancer disappeared.
But I had literally constantly been wracked with constant free-floating pandemic, invisible guilt…until then.
I know this next is still controversial, but has become more and more widely understood these days…”WE CREATE OUR OWN REALITY.” This does not preclude the need for compassion, but it does include a need to understand how lives, personal and collective are shaped by the contents of our consciousness. Reading, Seth (Jane Roberts), and listening to Abraham (Esther Hicks) on YouTube, and meditating and listening to my Inner Being, has helped me to realize how powerful our minds are.
We are meant to work on ourselves. The nature of the relationship between our personal reality and our collective reality needs to be understood much better. When it is–we understand why we must focus primarily on our own spiritual development.
There literally are many people living little gem lives who do little overtly
to help others, except to understand that they too have an Inner Being that their ego-self is working with, and to try and live the best life possible for them. Then just live and let live!
Someone might be a Jane Goodall, or they might be just be a Maudie and making some art in Nova Scotia. No-one else may NEVER see their magnificence.
It might be any one famous or obscure. Both can be hugely successful just by being aligned with their Inner Being’s wishes for them. It’s an inner dance involving lots of intuition and honest emotion, and thereby aligning with IB.
Each of our spiritual successes (which none of our religions have codified correctly except for the Golden Rule) are $piritual gold that goes into a Universal bank account for withdrawal by anyone, anywhere, anytime.
It is a very tricky thing…this “helping others.” It is an art that needs great study and refinement (with IB’s help) in order to do right and to not put another “good intention” cobblestone in the road to hell.
You had some great points!
One other thing to consider is that the real benefits of these trips don’t come from the labor being done but from changing the persepective of the people who go so that they will support these programs from their daily lives. Like you said, you stopped going on these trips, but continued supporting nonprofits. Thank you so much!
Agreed! Whites should help only whites. I completely agree with this article!
I’m so sorry you are so disillusioned. Please seek help. And you need it…because this whole idea you have constructed is a false narrative that doesnt help anyone. YOU…your skillset, your knowledge, your work ethic, your desire to help (I could go on) has everything to do with how successful you are at helping people. Your skin color has nothing to do with it…in fact it ONLY matters in your mind. The men building that wall…they weren’t able to do it because they were black, just as you weren’t able to do because your white. I feel so very sorry for you, but you dont need (or want) pity, but you need (and probably dont want) help.
Interesting insights into a very different experience. I am a South African, wondering whether the current travel bans will impact on the number of young people from developed countries renting accommodation in the city centre, and whether prices will drop. I have also bumped into “volunteers” and “interns” in the job market place. I started to question the nett contribution of these volunteers, and your article was very validating, although very solitary in its perspective.
This is stupid and pretentious an wrote out much the same way as the aforementioned sophomoric power point presentation of how a privileged little white girl doenst know wtf shes talking about. God I hope this sint the peak for you be cause if so it’s going to be a long dull ride for you to the bottom “oh me helping the kids isnt helping the kids because I’m a stuck up rich kid that has no fucking clue how real life works outside of mommy an daddy money” lmfao. Go to mexico city an build schools bitch lmfao its be the last time you volunteered anywhere, it’s really ignorant to assume that anywhere needs anybodys help, oh god I dont even know where to begin what’s wrong with this fucking essay much less the real world implications behind it. I fucking hate this article, mainly because eit wasted 5 minutes of my life I’ll never get back and secondly because the very reason it was created is counterproductive to its own cause as well as missed the point if your own experiences completely. I would say have a nice day but you probably think that just means one where the suns out an everyone is smiling because shallow gratification is something the weak crave like a drug.
How is life after 8 years? This article is getting old and so the thoughts about been a young white girl. It seems that by that time you had good intentions but unskilled “first world “ people around you from the beginning to end of your trip.