Ethical Volunteering

One more death related to Covid-19 and 476 new infections has been reported in Nepal on Monday, taking the national case tally to 13,248.

Wanting to share experiences of volunteering abroad is perfectly normal, but what are the consequences of our photos other than virtual likes?

I have always been a firm believer that you should help others where you can give. Giving and volunteering are and have always been key ways to do this. But can volunteering be negative in societies?

Voluntourism is really quite an extraordinary concept: people give a lot of their money and time to do something they believe will help solve world issues like hunger or poverty.

How to find the right overseas volunteer placement that truly benefits everyone involved. Yasmin Smith learned the hard way that, when it comes to sustainability and positive impact, not all projects are made equal.

An university lecturer has criticised tertiary institutions for continuing to send students on voluntourism experiences. The trend - short for 'volunteer tourism' - sees young people travel to orphanages and areas of poverty as a form of life experience.

All of us at NGN send our heartfelt wishes that you are well and that you are being cared for during this difficult time. We would also like to thank you for remembering the work we do and the need of support from you, our donors.

Since the Syrian migrant crisis made national headlines in 2015, volunteers have continued to flow into Greece. This uptick falls in line with the increasingly popular trend of voluntourism, a form of tourism in which travelers participate in volunteer work abroad. According to Dr. Nancy Gard McGehee, head of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Department at Virginia Tech, voluntourism has become the fastest growing sector of the tourism industry, with over $2 billion in revenue in 2019. A growing sector coupled with a lack of government funding has resulted in a proliferation of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to address the needs of refugees.

As COVID-19 has spread throughout the world, Nepal has not been spared by this pandemic. Though, there are only two confirmed cases as of today, there are almost certainly many more. Considering this fact, Nepal has been completely locked down as of March 24, 2020. NGN’s teams are working from home, and we are ensuring remotely that all the children we are monitoring are safe with their families. Having received two rescues in the month of February, we are currently in the process of reconnecting the children with their families. Despite the fear of COVID-19, we have seen families brave this new unknown and come to Kathmandu to see their children and take them home where hopefully they will be safe.

Since the Syrian migrant crisis made national headlines in 2015, volunteers have continued to flow into Greece. This uptick falls in line with the increasingly popular trend of voluntourism, a form of tourism in which travelers participate in volunteer work abroad.