Helping Others When We Travel – Episode 172 of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast

January 28, 2020 By Amanda Kendle Leave a Comment

When we travel, it’s common to realise that we come from a background of particular privilege. We mightn’t be wealthy but if we are able to travel, we are better off than most of the rest of the world – so it’s no surprise that amongst experienced travellers, there’s a lot of talk about how we can help others when we travel.

It’s not a simple matter. We realise now that simply giving money to a beggar on a street is unlikely to make any sustainable difference (and they might not even get to keep that money themselves). So how do we decide what to do to help? There are definitely no simple answers but I’m going to continue to offer stories that help give all of us ideas and gradually improve the way we help others when we travel.

Show notes: Episode 172 of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast

Helping Others When We Travel

Wanting to help others when we travel is a common theme amongst experienced travellers, because we’ve all realised how lucky we are and how unlucky many people around the world are. In Episode 172 of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast I’m not giving you all the answers on how to solve the world’s problems but I do want to bring you stories from three travellers who’ve helped others in three different ways.

First up I talk with Veronica from Happily Made about her experiences in Cambodia and beyond, trying to figure out ways to help women in poverty or who need some way to support their children going to school. Veronica’s Happily Made business is a great example of a sustainable way to help – she sells toys and other knitted products made by women who work out of their homes in Cambodia.

Next, I chat with Marilyn from the Wow Travel Club who’s also had lots of different experiences in helping others when she travels, and she tells the story of how a Dining for Women project she was involved with took her to Vietnam and some really impactful experiences.

Finally, I get to talk with Rafferty, basically my favourite travel-expert 11-year-old, who described an experience he had recently in South Africa.

Links: