I’ve seen it countless times — in Sri Lanka and Uganda alike — tourists handing out money, sweets, and pens to “poor” children in developing countries. “I’m bringing a few packs of sweets and about 30 pens,” boasts someone in a travel forum. Others chime in, sharing what they plan to bring for kids on their trips to the developing world. What they don’t realise, though, is that this well-meaning gesture is actually one of the worst things they could do for these children.
Don’t Teach Children to Beg
If you’re travelling with an organised tour, guides will often warn you not to do this. In some hostels in Uganda, we even came across signs urging tourists not to give anything to local children. “We ask all tourists not to hand out sweets, pens, money, or other items to children in the village. These wonderful kids learn very quickly, and we don’t want to turn them into beggars.”
Children Reach Out Their Hands and Even Try to Get Into Your Car
The truth is, in most tourist hotspots the damage has already been done. The moment a car full of white tourists appears, children come running — first waving, then stretching out their hands, gesturing for money. If you’re driving slowly, they’ll run alongside the vehicle, press their faces against the windows, and sometimes even try to climb inside.
They May Have Nothing, but Sweets Won’t Help
Some might argue that these children have nothing, so surely a few sweets can’t hurt. But sweets have never done any child any real good — and they certainly won’t solve poverty. Just as we teach our own children that nothing in life comes for free, we shouldn’t be teaching children abroad that a white tourist will show up bearing gifts. On top of that, it creates the perception that we’re walking cash machines. It’s no surprise, then, that people in developing countries try to overcharge us — we’ve been conditioning them to do so since childhood.
How to Actually Help
If you genuinely want to make a difference, there are plenty of healthy ways to support children in need. Simply by spending money locally, you’re already supporting the community. Buy a coconut or a souvenir from their parents. If you want to do more, consider sponsoring a child or a community through one of the many reputable charities. Forget the sweets — and spread the word instead.
Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
