It reveals that orphans often still have a living parent who they are removed from, while the orphanage functions as a business, making money from those who come and volunteer at it.
Volunteer Neelam Keshwala explains: “I was looking for volunteering experience. That self-satisfaction you get from it. I wanted to think, ‘Yes I helped this person.’”
When she got to her programme she revealed that she thought, “Oh my god, this is so cool, it’s like a playground and I want to be part of it. I was so excited.”
She explained that when she got home from her programme she read about the orphanages and was astonished to discover that many orphans aren’t actually orphans at all and have a parent who is alive.
She said: “It’s a massive, wider industry. And this will always affect these children as they grow up – they’ve never had one consistent person.”
Ruth Wacuka from the Kenya Society of Care Leavers, grew up in an orphanage after her mum walked out on her and her four siblings.
She had a grandmother, but she was to unwell to care for five children.
Ruth explained: “You feel like an animal in a zoo.”
She also said that kids are coached to tell the volunteers and visitors that they don’t know where they came from, unwittingly feeding into the lie.
The film also touches on the fact that children brought up in orphanages find it hard to integrate into society and have a higher chance of having mental health problems.
Being removed from their families will therefore go on to affect these children for the rest of their lives in many different ways.
The volunteer tourism industry is valued at £134billion per year.
Later on Ruth goes back to visit the orphanage she grew up in.
Through tears, she says: “Close to 300 of us were here. This is the first time I’ve come back to visit since I left this place in 2007. It’s bringing back a lot of emotions.”
Ruth explained that she is no longer angry about her past, but is using it as a “tool” to educate others.
The film urges people to “change how they volunteer” to stop this manipulation of children and families.
You can see a link to the full film here.
Sun Online Travel previously revealed the sickening truth behind getting your photo taken with a lion in South Africa.
It’s a picture you have probably seen pop up on your social media before or maybe one you have posed for yourself.
For many, playing with a lion cub is a once in a lifetime opportunity that is just too enticing to pass up and thousands of Brits will take part each year on their holidays.
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