Schools should rethink overseas orphanage programs

Alannah McTiernan

In this video, Australian politician, Alannah McTiernan, delivers a speech to Parliament discussing the negative impact of Australians volunteering and visiting orphanages in Cambodia. McTiernan notes that across Western Australia, there is an increase in the phenomena of orphanage projects being embraced by schools taking their senior students to volunteer in orphanages in Asia. McTiernan warns of a deep concern that Australians are unwittingly supporting and creating a business model of orphanage tourism.