BREAKING NEWS
In March this year FMN Co Founder and Griffith Academic Dr Kate van Doore and Dr Kristen Cheney gave expert evidence at a Dutch Parliamentary Roundtable on orphanage tourism examining what should be done to curb funding and tourism from the Netherlands into orphanages.
The Dutch government has now introduced new travel advice strongly discouraging orphanage volunteering and warning of dangers of orphanage tourism and trafficking.
They have introduced specific advice for 13 countries, including Nepal, Cambodia, Kenya and Uganda. The work is continuing with research on funding streams and Dutch nationals’ participation in such activities!
This is what happens when academia, NGO’s and government collaborate together to form evidence based policy.
Kudos to Patricia Nieuwenhuizen of Better Care Network Netherlands and Rob Oliver and Michelle Oliel of Stahili Foundation for keeping this on the agenda in the Netherlands!