"Children are Not Tourist Attractions" (Reprised)

Tourists in Cambodia have increasingly taken to visiting orphanages in Cambodia. Usually, they go for a day, play with the kids, donate a few toys and some money and leave.



However a campaign underway asks that tourists stay away from orphanages.

Why?

• Over the last six years the number of orphanages in Cambodia has nearly doubled
• It's estimated that there are nearly 269 orphanages in the country.
• During those six years the number of children living in orphanages has sky-rocketed from 5,700 to more than 12,000.
• Almost three-quarters of those kids are not orphans- they have at least one surviving parent.
• It's unquestionable that some kids are traumatized by the constant parade of sightseers; emotional attachments are made and lost within hours. 
• Sebastien Marot, Founder and Chief Executive of Friends International, spoke about the increasing number of scam establishments, set up with little or no interest in child welfare and dedicated to the simple task of soaking up tourist dollars.

Now, undoubtedly there are some fine orphanages in Cambodia. But many others are nothing but profit-making businesses where kids are bought, borrowed or taken to an 'orphanage' solely for the purpose of suckering tourists into feeling pity and parting with their cash.

So don't volunteer for a day- Children are not Tourist Attractions- and if you want to really help, think long-term and do some research.