Feel really conflicted ...

Sums it up perfectly.

In terms of political correctness..... it's incredibly politically incorrect.

voluntourism is the perfect term

Completely get it @SoreHeadInBed I feel the same way. Ds' s school does a similar trip, we received the information and it will be nearly £5k for 17 days, they will be combing charity work (4 days) with some expensive but incredible touristic activities remainder of the time). They have to also help fundraise as part of this but the money won't go towards the cost of the trip, instead it will be donated. Presumably students who are from well to do and well connected families will be able to fund raise lots quite easily. Then there is the white saviour problem, privileged children going on a holiday and also helping a poor community. It sits uneasily with me. I felt very moved and proud when ds said that he had felt uneasy when watching the videos at school as the young poor black children were gazing happily at these European teens. (editing to add this )He said it looked like they had to be grateful and the teens felt probably important and powerful.

We haven't decided yet whether he can go but 5K is better saved for university and making the most of their time there. I think we won't support this trip.

I share all your concerns OP and would not support. It would be more helpful to donate the money to a suitable charity.

An interesting thought experiment is always to reverse it.

African people coming on holiday to do free work building in the West? The response would be half WTF and half, 'coming over here, stealing our jobs".

African teenagers coming to volunteer in UK children's homes? 100% WTF.

Yeah I watched something ages ago about how all these volunteer organisations are de-skilling local populations as well.

Yeah it feels like poverty porn, your son may benefit from seeing how other people around the world live but it does feel exploitative, I’m not sure how the Kenyans benefit apart from the tour operator making a profit from letting western kids gawp at Kenyan kids.

Most of the overeas school trips were out of our financial reach but I did go on one and I really cherish that memory. Theres no way my family would have had that type of holiday so I don’t really agree with withdrawing them.

My school does fundraising for a sister school in a developing country, we have never visited them but we have numerous fundraisers throughout the year and they sometimes send updates. No need to go there.

It's a very good point @User364837 If I'm honest, I wasn't expecting to receive but the experience opened my eyes. We did raise money for the project and took school equipment with us but I get what you're saying about the money. Could the airfare have been used more effectively? I think that really depends on whether someone is there for more than a school trip.

@Willowkins but that’s the thing isn’t it - you gained more than you gave.
I think there is more in it for the volunteers than the recipients normally and in that example would it not have been possible/more cost effective to give all the money to the organisation out there and they contract a local builder to do the work. Then they’d probably still have loads left over.
it’s not cost effective to pay to fly over a bunch of people from the Uk.
ok then maybe some continue fundraising when back home and over their life time send a lot of funds but I suspect most don’t.

I did this - except I was 30 and it was for 4 months. We helped to build the foundations to a church and community centre which is now 3 storeys high and still standing 30+ years later. In all this we gained more than we gave - in terms of self-confidence, kindness from the locals and a better understanding of the world. My point is that this is not a bad thing in of itself but it's important to work in partnership with local people and that means choosing to go with an organisation that already has that connection and ethos. Would I have let my DC do that when they were 14 years old? Absolutely not.

Borneo, that's madness. I've been and it's not particularly poor. They certainly don't need uk school children building schools for them

And yes I was just about to say - just make sure if you do it you don’t ‘fundraise’ the money from friends and family as that super annoying!

Hmmm I’m not sure.
I’d share your concerns about it being a bit white saviour complex, and for the benefit more of the kids from the UK going to visit rather than the kids in the school in Kenya they are visiting. I would’ve thought the school there would be able to do more if they were just given £1800 rather than it paying for flight etc.

Family friends of ours recently sent their DD on a similar trip, although for a lot longer period of time.

I similarly felt quite uneasy - the trip cost several thousand pounds and this was presented as available to everyone because the children going were supposed to raise the money by fundraising.

In fairness, my friend's DD worked incredibly hard and did lots of different things to fundraise such as selling novelties, events nights and doing odd jobs.

However, there was a lot of pressure on family and friends to support the fundraising efforts but in blunt terms, my family's money paid to send their child on holiday.

All the children were from the same school so all the money came from essentially the same communities. 10 children go for £3K each - that's £30,000 sucked out of the community to go to the private company organising the trip. Not to charity or local good causes - £30K to send some kids on a long, posh holiday.

There's also the impact on education - neither of my children could have fundraised that much and kept up with their studies.

Our children have been offered the opportunity but don't want to do it - thank God!

TLDR: I think it's a scam by companies for over-privileged kids.

My kids school once did a 3wk trip to Borneo which was over 3k, and involved helping to build a school. This is a state school. Not sure how many went, not mine!

I agree with everything you have said.

I imagine there is no poverty stricken area closer than Kenya that they could possibly have helped with. Instead they have to gawp at poor Kenyan children. Imagine the good that money could do if it was spent right rather than sending a bunch of 13 year old saviours to bloody Kenya 🤦‍♀️

Imagine how far that money would go it is was actually used for education in Kenya. The books it could buy, the teachers it could pay, the road surface improvements so kids can get to school, the sanitation facilities. All so a bunch of school kids from UK can go on a jolly and feel good about themselves.

I would suggest that if he wants to actually help, he fundraises for a specific charity. Then you can use any money you have to go on holiday as a family.

I wouldn’t send my child on this kind of white saviour voluntourism trip. It’s demeaning to the people of Africa and the money would be better spent on a direct donation.

It will be a profit making set up and of course your kids and the poor kids in the disadvantaged country are the products. It will be a conveyor belt type affair, and as you point out, that could have a bad effect on the children who are confused and maybe told to act in certain ways to maximise the experience/profit.
Plus you say you can't afford it.
I'd honestly say no to this.

I wouldn’t allow my child on this trip for your second reason. The cost objection doesn’t hold as much weight for me - either you can afford it or you can’t, both of which are entirely normal in life. Flights and insurance make this trip more than your typical school trip, and I can’t see much bulk discount for more people attending.

It’s only a small part the government advise against travel to. A strip which borders somlia

For me it would depend on how the money is actually going to the people in Kenya who need it. I would ask for the breakdown, cost of trip and amount going to the project. If it's very little going to the project I don't agree with it, if it's a lot then I would be ok with it because the Kenyan people will be benefiting.

I also think exposure to another life and people can change the views of young people and they can end up making a big difference in the future because of it. I grew up in South Africa and people there are open to receiving help. So it really does depend on whether it's financial help that's being provided (because clearly child labour skills are not going to be useful) or if it is just tourism, and if it's the latter it's a big no.

Sounds a bit 'white saviour' doesn't it? I'd find out more details of what they would actually be doing?