Carissa Bluestone from WorldChanging wrote a thought-provoking article on responsible voluntourism that features input from PEPY founder, Daniela Papi.
“Voluntourism is like a festive paper umbrella, stuck in the swirling cocktail of the “small steps” debate. Will switching your light bulbs substitute wide-scale energy policy changes? No. Will playing with a child for a half-day change the fact that there are more than 500,000 orphans in Cambodia? No. Are both actions still better than nothing? Well, that depends on whom you ask. The “does voluntourism make a difference?” debate will go on in perpetuity — until the last ice cube melts, anyway.” Read more.