NPR

Volunteering Abroad? Read This Before You Post That Selfie

You may think it's a noble idea to photograph yourself helping poor children in a faraway country. A new campaign has a different perspective.
Source: SAIH Norway/Screenshot by NPR

Think before you snap that selfie.

That's the serious message of a joint campaign created by two groups that have spent the past few years poking fun at problematic photos taken by Western volunteers. They often have the tendency to paint themselves as saviors to needy people in low-income countries.

The campaign, launched this month, offers guidelines and a cheeky video to first-time travelers or young volunteers eager to capture every moment of their vacation or mission on Facebook or Instagram. It was created by Radi-Aid, a project of the Norwegian Students' and Academics' International Assistance (SAIH) that fights stereotypes in aid and development, and by , an Instagram parody account.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR1 min readAmerican Government
Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Classified Documents Case Is Delayed Indefinitely By Judge
The classified documents trial had been scheduled to begin May 20. But months of delays had slowed the case as prosecutors pushed for the trial to begin before the November presidential election
NPR4 min read
Last-minute Candidate José Raúl Mulino Wins Panama's Presidential Election
José Raúl Mulino was set to become the new leader of the Central American nation as authorities unofficially called the race Sunday night after his three nearest rivals conceded.
NPR3 min read
'Long Island' Renders Bare The Universality Of Longing
In a heartrending follow-up to his beloved 2009 novel, Brooklyn, Colm Tóibín handles uncertainties and moral conundrums with exquisite delicacy, zigzagging through time to a devastating climax.

Related Books & Audiobooks