From Bagan to Yangon, there are many beautiful places to visit in Myanmar, and exciting experiences to be had. It’s important however to ensure that these experiences don’t come at the expense of local children and families. One of the ways that visitors to Myanmar often cause harm without realising it, is by donating to, or volunteering in local orphanages or children’s homes. This is an easy trap to fall into, as donations are often elicited close to tourist hotspots, and well-intentioned but misinformed foreigners can be generous and excited about visiting a ‘real’ orphanage on a whim. Here we discuss how supporting children’s homes can be harmful, and suggest ways in which visitors can instead leave a positive mark on this wonderful country.
Here are some of the top reasons why orphanage tourism is harmful.
Orphanage tourism encourages an old and misused system that tears children away from their families
When orphanages are discussed many people assume that these institutions are filled with parentless children. What many people don’t realise is at least 73%* of children in Myanmar’s children’s homes actually have at least one living parent, and often they have both. These children have been separated from their families due to poverty, family breakdown or in order to access education. Vulnerable families are encouraged to send their children away in the hope that their children will receive a better life, without realising how damaging institutional care can be. Children need more than food and education, they need love and support to thrive!
Institutional care is damaging to the wellbeing of children, and supporting orphanages encourages their misuse
Children who grow up in orphanages or children’s homes live at a greater risk of physical and sexual abuse. Many suffer from attachment disorders and show psychological dysfunctions. Children removed from their villages and unique ethnic groups lose their sense of identity and the ability to speak in their native language, and most children struggle to live out normal lives after leaving care.
Donations to orphanages fuel a corrupt system
When a donation is given to an orphanage, not only is this broken system supported, but an incentive is given to orphanage directors to fill up their ‘home’ with more children. In the worst cases, this leads to child exploitation. Often, vulnerable families are coerced into sending their children away with promises from ‘child finders’ telling them of a better lifestyle and education for their children. Meanwhile these children are taken with the sole purpose of eliciting donations from well-meaning visitors. Even donations of old clothes and school supplies are commonly sold on by orphanage directors, who can profit from the sales. It’s been seen in other places of the world that the number of orphanages will increase in line with the level of tourism. Children are not commodities to be used for financial gain.
Support given to orphanages directs money away from other more beneficial projects
While donating to orphanages can seem like an easy way to help erase poverty, in comparison with family care orphanages are actually very expensive to run. When someone chooses to support an orphanage instead of a community or family project, they miss an opportunity to make a real difference to vulnerable communities.
Children are not tourist attractions, and treating them as such puts them in harms way
When orphanages open their doors to volunteers (often without any screening system in places) they open the door to all sorts of harmful individuals. While there are many well-meaning volunteers seeking to help, there are also countless dangerous individuals who are seeking the unhampered access to children that orphanages provide.
Orphanage volunteers worsen children’s attachment disorders
Children who have been separated from their families are vulnerable to attachment disorders. When volunteers come for a day, or several weeks or months, building up a relationship with a child, and then leave, this causes severe emotional harm.
Volunteering projects usually focus on needs and desires of the volunteer or donor, instead of the child’s best interests
While many people hope to volunteer or donate to an orphanage as a means of doing good, it is important to ensure that such kindness is not given thoughtlessly. The beneficiary of an orphanage volunteer placement is usually the volunteer themselves, as long term volunteers often come to realise.
There are much better ways to support children in Myanmar!
While you visit Myanmar, try to shop locally to support small businesses and families. It matters where we put our money! If you would like to volunteer, look for projects with good child protection policies in place. Always evaluate a placement thoroughly before committing - a useful resource to help you gauge a position can be found here. Lastly, advocate for local families in Myanmar. If you are aware of anyone who is wanting to support orphanages in Myanmar, direct them to resources that might help them to change their mind.
*National Forum for the Prevention of Family Separation 2014. Globally 80% of children in institutional care still have at least one living parent. Current figures in Myanmar are believed to be much higher.