Does Volunteering always make a positive impact?
In my last article, I came up with this question and aimed to make aware of unintentional effects on the volunteering praxis. Many volunteers are white and might not have deeply thought about their power positions and privileges in comparison to Nepali people. This can lead to an even more unsatisfactory position of Nepali people and the possible feeling of even being more deprivileged after your stay. I believe that self-reflection is the basic and first step to addressing these unwanted issues and create a volunteering experience in which you can learn, grow and make your contribution for Nepali society.
The question What stereotypes or biases do you hold about the local community? as well as the question Does your presence unintentionally reinforce neocolonialism, racism, or global inequalities? were guiding through the last article. Also, this article will be shaped by two main questions, which I will place in a common context while briefly incorporating personal experience and emotions. Starting off with the first key question for you to reflect on:
Is white saviorism influencing your perception of volunteering?
Volunteering abroad is often criticized for upholding the “white savior” narrative, but what does it mean?
White saviorism refers to a pattern where white individuals (unintentionally) position themselves as rescuers of marginalized communities, mostly in the Global South in countries like Nepal, while overlooking the agency, expertise, and lived experiences of the people they claim to help. In the context of volunteering abroad, this narrative casts white volunteers as active helpers, as “saviors” and local communities as passive recipients of aid. Consequently, new or existing stereotypes about character traits of white and non-white people are strengthened by role distribution. For understanding the subsequent danger, please see the first article of this two-piece.
Looking at the issues even on a deeper level, Nepali people might take the implicit message that you are superior. They may perceive you as superior and as helper. For example, when visiting schools as part of a project, students may unconsciously learn that white people are educated, intelligent, and powerful. This can reinforce the idea that white people are the ones who explain how things should work because they ‘know better.’ After all, why else would white people travel across the globe? – this might be a thought that arises.
Summing up, this dynamic is problematic because it can reinforce power imbalances, might diminish the role of local leaders and perpetuate colonial-era ideas of superiority.
Looking back to my life, I must admit that in my youth, I did not know about the white savior dynamics and had the wish to make a change for the better and to help, without reflecting to a deeper level if or which support is really needed and wanted. Was this after all also a service to myself to feel better as a white person? Later, I learned the importance of always reflecting about the position as white person and supporting people to do things themselves, to empower and moreover to acknowledge or even celebrate when my opinion or help is not needed. Nowadays, the leading question Is white saviorism influencing your perception of volunteering? always helps me on the way I respond to Nepali people and how I try to behave.
These thoughts about white saviorism lead seamlessly to the second key question:
Does your involvement in truly align with the needs of the community, or is it shaped by external assumptions?
Instead of addressing systemic inequalities, white saviorism often centers the volunteer’s experience over the needs of the community, leading to short-term, superficial solutions rather than meaningful, sustainable change.
Volunteers may misinterpret local contexts, overestimate their skills, or impose their ideas without considering the community’s perspective, which might harm rather than provide support.
This means, you should critically assess whether their work aligns with the community’s expressed needs or reflects external assumptions about what is “helpful.” Learning about allyship is crucial to ensure meaningful and respectful engagement.
Following on from that, you can also reflect on your preparation and aim of the service. When poorly planned or brief, such experiences may provide little meaningful assistance, instead prioritizing the volunteer’s sense of fulfillment or exposure to a new culture. Also, some volunteers might prioritize your personal fulfilment and see the service rather as an adventure that is designed by your needs and wishes. This overshadows the actual needs of the local community.
In my personal experience in Nepal, my team listens to the needs of the local community. We had assumptions on Gender Equality interventions which might be of advantage for the communities, and we even learned in Nepal that these assumptions are important, but on the field, it turned out to be different. This changed my whole volunteering experience. I did interventions that I would have less prioritized and have adjusted my views on the ‘right’ implementation of equality. In doing so, the second key question of this article has guided me.
So, does that mean I should not do volunteering at all?
Maybe this question came to your mind while reading and I made it up already in my first article. The conclusion will stay the same: I recommend that you find an answer by yourself, here is mine: To judge if you should volunteer or not was never the point of the article. I am a volunteer myself at the moment and I had these learnings long before coming here to Nepal. As you see, I still concluded in being a volunteer. My point is that it is very crucial that you check your privileges and reflect on the way you tend to see your position in the context of helping. Read and inform yourself as much as possible about global imbalances, listen to people from Global South and never forget to reflect on yourself. That will support grounding your approach to volunteering in humility. I know you are wise enough to do so and I wish you all the best 😊
Disclaimer
The description of Nepali people in this discussion cannot and should not be generalized, as every individual and community is unique. Personal experiences with people in Nepal can vary widely. This article draws on a combination of academic research and personal insights, aiming to highlight patterns and questions worth considering for more conscious engagement.
The article is written by a white person volunteering in Nepal and addresses to white people.
This article is part 2 of earlier articles: Reflections on White Privilege Before Volunteering Abroad
Prepared by:
Doreem Regenscheit
Project : YWC Women Empowerment
ESC Volunteering 2024/25
Member of