Does Voluntourism Do More Harm Than Good?

Voluntourism is the practice of volunteering one’s labour to a charitable cause in a developing country, in return for a soul-cleansing, perspective-changing, CV-bolstering experience. Perhaps a bit cynical? But with good reason. 

Whilst it could be a mutually beneficial redistribution of wealth from the developed world to the developing, voluntourism harbours a dark and exploitative underworld. In 2021, NPR.org reported that the industry was worth an estimated $3 billion per year, according to University of Strathclyde lecturer Konstantinos Tomazos.

What is voluntourism? Can it really be that bad? Is voluntourism at all beneficial? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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A Bababam Originals podcast, written and produced by Joseph Chance.

In partnership with upday UK.

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