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Gap year 'voluntourism' funds exploitative orphanage schemes, says JK Rowling
JK Rowling, British author and founder of the charity Lumos, has given an interview urging young people not to volunteer in orphanages during their gap year, according to this article from the Telegraph.
What Redirecting Support from Orphanages to Families Means to Me
In this blog post on Stahili's website, Stahili volunteer and advocate Catherine Cottam recounts her experience of volunteering in an orphanage in Kenya, only to learn later the harm that can be done by volunteering in orphanages.
When an Orphanage Can Provide What a Parent Cannot
This article from Bright Magazine tells the story of Ly Seav Meng and other children who are placed in the care of orphanages in Cambodia, not because they are parent-less, but because their parents see it as the only way to provide education and opportunity for their children.
Child exploitation fears lead to Kiwi volunteers being phased out of overseas orphanages
A New Zealand-based volunteer tourism company, International Volunteer HQ, will begin phasing out volunteer placements in overseas orphanages due to concerns of child exploitation, according to this article and accompanying video from 1 News.
Kiwi company ends controversial orphanage placements
A New Zealand-based "voluntourism" company has announced it will be removing orphanage volunteer trips from its offerings, according to this article from the New Zealand Herald.
'Most of the children still have parents': behind the facade of a Bali orphanage
According to this article from the Guardian, a group of former employees at an orphanage in Bali, Indonesia have issued a detailed complaint about the exploitative activities of the orphanage to Save the Children, who have passed it on to Indonesian authorities.
Australia First Country Formally Recognising Connection Between Child Trafficking, Orphanage Tourism & Modern Slavery
This article from BucketOrange Magazine highlights the final report of the Australian Parliamentary Inquiry into Modern Slavery and its inclusion of orphanage trafficking.
How to visit orphanages or volunteer overseas without exploitation
In this opinion piece for Australia's ABC News, Joseph Cheer - lecturer and researcher in tourism at Monash University - writes about recent changes in the "voluntourism" sector, including a shift in what is considered best practices in regard to orphanage volunteering.
Visiter, donner ou faire du volontariat en orphelinat: pourquoi ce n'est jamais une bonne idée
This article (written in French) discusses the dangers of orphanage volunteering and the link between orphanages and trafficking, with comments from Frank Seidel.
Why visiting orphanages can do more harm than good
This piece from TTG Media, a travel publication, explains why visiting orphanages in detrimental to children, families, and communities and how travel agencies can help end orphanage tourism.