Voluntourism

In some of my recent journeys around an amazing continent (Africa) I have come across many western voluntourists. Young people coming out to Africa, mostly from the EU or US to "help out". This is mostly with children (kids in the lingo) and usually involves teaching English, giving out laptops (often because, you know, I'd feel guilty buying that MacBook Air with that old computer still on my desk) and sports stuff, or just playing with the kids. 

Now before this develops into one of my (worryingly more often, and sounding ever more like my grandfather in a bad mood) rants, I'd like to say that I really admire these people for doing what they are doing, with what I can only imagine are the best of intentions. I did something similar(ish) when I was young, going to work on a kibbutz. However, I think the type of help these people and I are giving is misguided at best, no matter what the intentions are. The reason the children want people to play with them is because their parents are both working to try and keep food on the table, they would also like a MacBook Air, I'm pretty sure, and being taught English by a Swiss German woman who I could hardly understand can't be the fastest road to fluency. Especially when she leaves after a month (probably to go and see lions on her way out, because the local "safari park" down the road only has elephants, yawn). When they're giving someone something, perhaps they should try not to assume they are in the same position as their youngest nephew. Saying "well someone is enjoying their new tablet!" to a grown man probably makes the gift a little less empowering. 

I'd really like to see a world where people volunteered in an organisation that worked to end farm subsidies in Europe instead of coming on a holiday to a beautiful country and feeling better about it by dropping off some cheap sporting goods made in their home country. That way, farmers around the world could see demand for their produce pick up as cheap food imports disappear. It'd be great to see people with skills in the rich world offering free online training or mentoring to others to develop themselves, instead of accountants handing out cheap toys. 

If I'd had a chance to say similar things to my younger self about to set off for Israel and the world, I really hoped The younger me would have at least listened and thought about the way the world works, and how he could really help to bring about a fairer and more just society. 

And then I hope I could've hung around a bit longer to convince myself to get to know my own country better, the amazing scenery and the dark corners that nobody really wants to talk about, instead of trying to see something "bigger" and getting another fridge magnet that soon losses all meaning in a 2nd hand shop. But those are rants for future blogs!