In my carefree 20s, traveling was all about me. It was about the sights, the experiences, the thrills. I didn’t spare much thought for giving back or making a positive impact on the places I visited. Sure, I might have dropped a coin in a donation box (to be fair, in my 20s I didn’t have a lot of coin to spare!) at a museum or bought a souvenir from a local artisan, but beyond that, my travels were largely self-centered adventures.
I reveled in the freedom of exploring new destinations without the burden of responsibility. Volunteer opportunities or community engagement projects seemed like distractions from my ultimate goal of self-discovery and adventure. The idea of spending precious travel time working on something other than my own enjoyment felt foreign and unappealing.
As I journeyed from one place to another, I encountered various cultures, landscapes, and people. Yet, I remained largely detached from the communities I passed through. I was a transient observer just flitting from one experience to another.
But as the years (decades) passed and I grew older, my perspective began to shift. Perhaps it was a natural maturation process or simply a deeper understanding of the world around me. I started to realize the privilege I held as a traveler and the impact, both positive and negative, that my presence could have on the places I visited.
As travelers, we often seek enriching experiences, cultural immersion, and adventure when exploring foreign lands. But amidst the excitement of discovering new places and meeting new people, there’s a profound opportunity to give back to the communities that welcome us with open arms. Traveling abroad offers a unique platform to contribute positively to the places we visit, leaving a lasting impact beyond our footprints in the sand.
Nestled in the heart of Southeast Asia, Laos (officially Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR)) beckons with its serene landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and warm hospitality. This Lunar New Year I was lucky enough to have Laos be the 38th country I’ve visited. As you embark on your journey to explore this beautiful land, consider how you can make a meaningful difference in the lives of its people and the preservation of its natural wonders. This is not an exhaustive list, merely some ways to give back that I discovered while traveling in Laos.
Education and Empowerment:
In rural areas of Laos, access to education can be limited. Consider supporting initiatives aimed at improving educational opportunities and services for local communities. Organizations like the Lao Disabled Women’s Development Center work to empower women through vocational training and healthcare support. While walking around Luang Prabang I happened to meet the owner of a charming boutique shop called Lala Laos. His shirt designs on display were so unique compared to anything else that I had seen, and I had to step into the shop and take a look. I made a purchase and in the process uncovered his story.
The owner, Sithong, pictured above, explained to me that his life’s work is dedicated to helping girls receive secondary education in Laos, with help from donations abroad and through money raised in his shop where he prints his own one of a kind shirt designs. One-third of all girls in Laos are married before they are 18 years old, and few are able to afford to go to secondary school. Girls in smaller villages especially are not expected to finish primary school. Cultural norms that are inclined to males, poverty, racism and discrimination against ethnic groups, and a general lack of attention given to girls’ education all contribute to this. The owner and his wife are putting five girls, and his niece who they are raising along with their own children, through school. They built a dormitory, provide the girls all of their meals, their school fees, and provided them all with bicycles. In 2019 they officially created a non-profit foundation called, Do The Kindness. He hopes they can continue to expand and help more girls in the future, and you can help them by donating here!
Engage in Wildlife Conservation:
Laos is home to beautifully diverse wildlife and ecosystems, but these natural treasures face threats from poaching, habitat loss, and illegal wildlife trade. Support wildlife conservation efforts by visiting ethical sanctuaries and rehabilitation centers like the Luang Prabang Wildlife Sanctuary. Here, you can learn about efforts to protect endangered species such as gibbons and sun bears while contributing to their welfare through responsible tourism. While in Luang Prabang I was able to see some of the bears rescued from the horrific bile farming industry playing together, enjoying the sun, and happily living a life outside of a cage. I purchased a shirt and made a donation to their cause, and you can too!
Remember, it’s never ok to ride an elephant, hug a tiger, visit a circus with performing animals, or support the animal tourism industry in ways that hurt animals. Living the expat life in Asia for the past fifteen I have unfortunately seen just about every form of animal abuse on my travels. If you find yourself somewhere when you are guaranteed you can ride, hug, or take a selfie with wild animals you are aiding that animal’s suffering. The truth is that many of these animals are kept in appalling conditions, beaten to submission, caged, and looked after by (most of the time) inexperienced and poor locals just trying to put food on the table, not a zoologist or scientist. We all want to interact with wild animals, but don’t be that arsehole on social media with a photo hugging a drugged tiger or riding some beaten down elephant.
Contribute to Local Economies:
Support the local economy by purchasing goods and services from small businesses, artisans, and street vendors. Invest in locally-made souvenirs, handicrafts, and artisanal products rather than mass-produced items. By choosing to spend your money locally, you directly support livelihoods and contribute to sustainable economic development within the community. I met a lot of very friendly people in Laos, in fact it was one of the friendliest countries I’ve been to, and the locals I spoke to told me that despite the huge increase in tourism from neighboring China (trains were built connecting the two countries in 2021), Chinese tourists do little to help the local economy. Many Chinese tourists are coming, but the problem is that most of them will not stay at Lao guesthouses or hotels, my local acquaintances informed me. Most of them use their own services, and stay at hotels and use tours run by other Chinese. They even have their own tour guides, and only eat at Chinese owned restaurants, with little benefit seen by Laos residents themselves.
As gifts for friends, while keeping in mind that I was traveling minimally with just a backpack, I purchased many of the keyrings made from the aluminum leftover from the bombs dropped on the country. More than two million tons of cluster bombs were dropped on Laos during the Vietnam war, making Laos the most heavily bombed country in history per capita. Unexploded bombs, which have the power to kill or cause horrific injuries, lurk unseen beneath the ground to this day. NGOs like TaiBaan works with about 15 village crafts groups numbering more than 250 women producers across ten provinces in Laos to produce items like these keyrings, beautiful scarves and throws, and more.
Donate Blood:
I donate often in Taiwan because my blood type is rare in Asia. Taiwan blood banks often don’t have my blood type, A-, in supply, so it’s important to donate every 3-4 months. I have never donated blood outside of Taiwan, not even in the USA where I am originally from, but a friend shared a Facebook post with me from a travel group showing requests for anyone going to Laos to donate. In Laos they are in desperate need of blood donations. People are dying here, literally, for lack of blood.
Lao Friends Hospital for Children treats 38,000 children annually and is the only free children’s hospital in Laos. I was the only person at the blood center the day I came in. They have children who need blood everyday for a variety of illnesses and emergencies. One of the main reasons they need blood is for their thalassemia clinic. Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder prevalent in Northern Laos and Thailand. These children need blood transfusions once a month and they currently treat 200 children per month. (Not to mention all the other reasons why one might require a transfusion!)
As soon as I said I was going to go in to donate (contacted via FB) they lined up my donation to go straight to a sick child. They asked me to tell anyone and everyone who comes to this gorgeous town to donate blood. They were very kind, an English speaking rep from the hospital chatted with me the entire time (I got to tell him about Hawaii and Taiwan, he got to tell me all about his life in Laos!), and I got a lovely goodie bag and transport back into town. It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you’re able to then please consider donating blood. In Laos they are more relaxed about who can donate, so if you’re not able to donate in Taiwan you may very well be able to donate there. Contact them to check! And make sure to rest and hydrate properly afterwards. I’ll be honest, I didn’t take proper care of myself after making a 500ml donation (that’s 10% of our total blood volume!), and I got very ill. It was my fault entirely, and it left me a wreck. But if you take care of yourself before and after the donation process you’ll be just fine!
Volunteer with Local NGOs:
Laos boasts numerous non-governmental organizations (NGOs) dedicated to education, healthcare, environmental conservation, and community development. Organizations like Big Brother Mouse welcome volunteers to assist with English teaching in rural schools, library programs, and sustainable agriculture projects. I had planned on attending one of the two daily English speaking sessions led by Big Brother Mouse, but due to my own negligence and not taking care of my health after giving blood, I was too ill to go. Happily, every time I walked by the head office I saw it was packed with foreigners donating their time to speak with Laotians and help them improve their spoken English! If you’re in Luang Prabang, you can help young adults practice English conversation, daily 7 days a week at 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. They’ve also published over 400 books since 2006, their first batch of books aimed at helping children learn to read. Now they’ve published on a wide variety of subjects, from women’s health to the countries of ASEAN, from traditional fairy tales to the diary of Anne Frank. You can purchase bilingual books in Lao and English to take home as gifts, found at their shop and in the Luang Prabang night market. Find out more about how to volunteer with them here.
Today, as I reflect on my younger self’s indifference towards giving back while traveling, I recognize it as a missed opportunity. But I am grateful for the evolution of my perspective and the realization that travel is not just about where you go, but how you engage with the world around you. And as I continue to explore new destinations and embark on new adventures, I do so with a renewed commitment to making a positive impact wherever I go.
You can use your platform as a traveler to raise awareness about important issues facing Laos, or any country that you visit. Share your experiences and insights through social media, travel blogs, or by supporting advocacy campaigns led by local organizations. I am happy to say that by simply posting in a Taipei based women’s group on Facebook I was able to get three people to go and donate blood while vacationing in Laos. That may not seem like much, but to the children in dire need of transfusions it is quite literally life saving. By amplifying local voices and shedding light on pressing issues, you can inspire others to take action and make a difference in Laos and beyond. With each act of kindness, each moment of meaningful engagement, you will find your travels enriched in ways you never imagined.
The author defying death on a mountaintop in Laos.
Jaclynn Joyce 