In this series on the Western savior complex (the idea that affluent Western countries automatically have the superior knowledge and ability to solve problems in less wealthy countries) and voluntourism (when people spend a lot of money to go on short-term aid trips around the world but don’t create lasting positive impact). We are addressing a significant issue. How can we know that our “help” is actually helping? The first step is to understand what makes these approaches unhelpful. By understanding the pitfalls, we can avoid them.
Last week, we explored how the Western savior mindset tries to solve the wrong problems, addressing issues that lie outside their expertise. Often, local organizations with an in-depth knowledge of the context are better equipped to solve these kinds of problems.
But this is not the only concern about the Western savior mindset or voluntourism. Today, we’re addressing another common issue: Replacing Local Employment.
Picture a short-term team traveling to another country to build a school. They are excited to offer what they have to help serve a homeless population that has next to nothing. But they are likely not all experienced builders, and trained local construction workers could be paid to do that work.
When an organization sends a volunteer team to do what locals could be employed to do, they are actually harming the economic situation of the people they claim to be helping. Their intentions are admirable. The dramatic wealth disparity in the world naturally leads generous souls to look for ways to help. But, without intending to, this approach assumes that the local community is helpless—unable to contribute to solving the problem. There may be ways to serve that feel less hands-on and involved but create a greater impact.
As native English speakers, ELIC teachers fill a unique position that couldn’t be filled by teachers whose first language is not English. That is not to say that people native to our host countries are not excellent English teachers! Many ELIC teachers partner with amazing local co-teachers, and the collaboration often helps as they work to learn the local language and cultural expectations.
We also run teacher training programs to help equip local teachers. For example, the countryside of Laos is dotted with small, remote villages. Many teachers from these villages attend ELIC teacher training sessions in the summer, where native speakers equip them with English-specific teaching tools.
They go back to their hometowns to help equip and educate their communities. This ability can give their students access to further education abroad or careers that require this global language. Rather than assuming they are less capable, we empower local educators and students (using our own area of expertise) to support themselves and their communities well.
We are so honored to use our skills as native English speakers to come alongside our partners overseas and be genuinely helpful. Since English operates as a global language for business, it is a skill that can open all kinds of doors. Our goal is to equip students and local teachers to pursue the lives they want and empower their own communities. We recognize that they are better suited to that task than we could ever be.