Optimistic Voices

Send us a text The smiling photos, the painted walls, the “we came to help” posts—so much of orphanage tourism looks uplifting on the surface. But pull on the thread and a harder truth emerges: when volunteers are the customers, children become the product. In this conversation with filmmaker and activist Barak Laub, we uncover how feel-good trips can fuel orphanage trafficking, why unqualified access to vulnerable kids creates real risk, and what ethical, effective alternatives actually look like. Barak shares how his film, Volunteers Needed, evolved from a carefree travel project into an investigation of a global industry that profits by separating children from families. We break down the mechanics of orphanage trafficking—force, fraud, and coercion; “paper” orphans; curated performances for donors; and weak oversight that keeps institutions funded while delaying family reunification. Along the way, we talk about the cultural and developmental harm of revolving-door visitors, the algorithms that sell volunteer placements to eager travelers, and the difficult cognitive dissonance donors face when good intentions meet bad outcomes. Most importantly, we map a better path. Learn how to spot red flags (pay-to-volunteer models, unsupervised access, lack of background checks) and seek green flags (qualified roles, strong child protection policies, family-based care goals). We share practical shifts—capacity building over short-term fixes, peer-to-peer professional exchanges, and funding community services that keep children with kin. We also explore the policy lever that could move the system: recognizing orphanage trafficking as a severe form of trafficking in persons to enable enforcement and accountability. If this topic challenges you, stay with it. Curiosity and courage change systems. Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who’s considered voluntourism, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway or question. Your voice helps push this conversation—and the solutions—forward. ____ Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way! To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/ or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org __________ ____ Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day. Contact support@helpingchildrenworldwide.org to discuss how. ___________ Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone.  Your small monthly donation,  prayers, attention & caring is essential. You  advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join Support the show Helpingchildrenworldwide.org