Volunteering in Asia

Ethical Volunteering Principles

Skills match: Does your skill genuinely contribute? Teaching English is useful if qualified.

Long-term over short: 2-week programs rarely create lasting impact. Minimum 1 month.

Community-led: Designed around community needs, not what volunteers want to do.

Avoid orphanages: Well-documented problem — many children have living parents. The industry creates perverse incentives.

Legitimate Programs

Elephant Nature Park (Chiang Mai): Volunteer weeks for conservation work.

ReachOut (Cambodia): Education programs in Siem Reap.

Volunteer Nepal (Kathmandu): Community development, 2-week minimum.

Teaching English

Worth doing if: 1+ month commitment, established school, genuine teaching interest. Not worth doing for 2-week tourists.