How to go on a humanitarian trip abroad?

 How to go on a humanitarian trip abroad?

humanitarian tripGoing on a humanitarian trip means setting off on an adventure far from home, providing assistance to victims in distress due to wars, disasters, or quite simply misery and all the problems that result from it. The construction of a nursery school in Mali, the literacy of women in Ecuador or the intervention following floods in Thailand, are actions in which everyone could be proud of having participated.

Why go on a humanitarian trip?

To help, to help others, to feel useful, to discover a country, a population, a culture… The motivations for making such a trip are not lacking. Indeed, who has not already had, at some point in their life, the sudden urge to leave to simply help people who really need it? There is nothing better to give meaning to your journey than to rediscover the true values ​​that we have now forgotten.

Before making your decision, it may be worth asking yourself a few questions about your real motivation: Why go far? Why now ? What is my real goal? … You will better understand what you really expect from this trip and what your chances are of achieving it. A trip to a distant country is always an adventure, but it is important when preparing for it to always keep in mind the objectives that you had previously set for yourself.

It is probably during this type of trip that you will meet the most beautiful people. On the one hand, of course, those of the population you come to help, but on the other hand also, those of all the other travelers from totally different worlds, whom you will come into contact with during your stay. Mutual aid, camaraderie, solidarity, values ​​endangered in our latitudes, will then take on their full meaning, and the links forged with these men and women will remain forever in your memory.

To leave is also to discover another culture, to discover people who do not live and think like us. A successful journey is a journey based on exchange. Giving and receiving should always go hand in hand. Listening, understanding and sharing are also values ​​that you will quickly assimilate. At a time when individualism is king, it is good to think that we can still participate in an adventure where men, whether black, white or yellow, always speak the same language.

Beware of humanitarian tourism

In recent years, a new way of traveling has emerged: "humanitarian tourism", or "voluntourism". Travel agencies have indeed realized that part of their clientele is ready to pay, even very expensive, a volunteer trip to a developing country. Today, large, very well-organized companies have entered this new niche and offer you “humanitarian tours”, in the same way that we sell stays at Club Med.

The essence of the principle resides in the fact that the "client" must clearly understand, but in veiled terms, that he does not need any particular training, that he will really be able to help, and above all that he will sure to be in touch with real misery. It is currently common to see offers to stay in Italy to take care of newly arrived migrants. It will cost you for 15 days the trifle of 2,000 €, but the authenticity is assured.

The words child and orphanage are undoubtedly the two headliners of this new business. The poor child is now a real tourist attraction and the organizers have understood this. In the same way, the orphanage is now part of the “goods to sell”.

We noticed in Cambodia that the number of orphanages had been constantly increasing for some time. The reason for this is that tour operators are constantly creating new ones to meet the needs of an ever-growing clientele. Children are taken away from their families, who are succinctly explained that the household will only be better off with a few fewer mouths to feed. And here is a holiday village which will not have been expensive and which will completely correspond to the expectations of the customers.

 

 So, how to tell the difference between a real non-profit voluntary association and one of those tourist organizations ready to do anything to generate profit: The first doubt may come from the amount you are asked for. If this seems reasonable to you, take a closer look at everything that will remain at your expense (plane ticket, visa, travel insurance, etc.) and advise. The other point, which can sometimes be important, is that it is necessary to cast doubt on associations that do not provide for preparation meetings before departure. It is always interesting to receive advice beforehand from the people who will be supervising you and who know the country you are going to well.

You should also know that the companies that market their trips will not bring anything back to the country in which they are established. Indeed, the Cambodian orphanage will never be rehabilitated or modernized because it would then lose all its authenticity. On the other hand, humanitarian tourism will also not bring anything as taxes in the country concerned, as all commercial structures are registered as non-profit associations, with the precise aim of never paying taxes.

How to go on a humanitarian trip?

To avoid falling into the trap of humanitarian tourism, here is the list of some serious and recognized organizations that you can contact to find out more about the possibilities of going on a humanitarian mission.

Civic Service

For those under 26, the civic service mission can be interesting. Missions last 6 to 12 months. The candidate must be between 16 and 25 years old, be of French nationality or of a member country of the European Economic Area, and must demonstrate real motivation (no level of studies or qualification required). The applicant will receive in exchange for his work a monthly allowance paid by the state and another by the host structure. This association, NGO or foundation must be approved by the civic service agency. Travel and vaccine costs are not covered. Only one downside: the requests for international work are very numerous and it is sometimes advisable to fall back on a mission in France.

The European Voluntary Service

The European Voluntary Service (EVS) also offers you a stay in a foreign country for a mission of general interest. The areas of activity are varied and include art and social issues, as well as health and the solidarity economy. This service welcomes young people aged 17 to 30 and there too, no training or diploma is required. The duration of the missions ranges from 2 to 12 months and these mainly take place in Europe and in the Maghreb countries. As with civic service, you receive an allowance and your travel expenses are partly covered. To participate in the EVS you must contact an approved organization, the list of which is available here. . You will find further information on the EVS on the France Volontaires website.

The international shipyard

Another possibility is to go to an international site. In this case, no age limit. Each site brings together 10 to 20 volunteers from different backgrounds, who will carry out a project useful to the community, in France or abroad. The camps represent a compromise between work and holidays with other young people from all over the world. In this case, no compensation. In addition, you also have to pay accommodation costs. These fees can be significant, and do not cover the cost of travel, visa, and travel insurance. Many associations offer international workcamps. It's up to you to discover the one that will be closest to your aspirations.

If none of these proposals suit you, you can directly search for a humanitarian mission. On the internet, there are many non-exhaustive lists, which are most often listed by country or continent, like this one. When researching, it may be best to first decide on a destination, then find the associations you can join. Another solution also, travel blogs. Research can be more tedious and haphazard, but nothing beats the experience of people who have done the same research before you.