Give a community free shoes. You just put the local shoemaker pit of business. One thing that most of them need is water. Clean drinking water.

I live in Africa. And is true... Volunteers come thinking they know better and have solutions... But they end up disappointed and disappointing those they're helping.

I've been a volunteer. I did a lot of volunteering in Miyagi after the big earthquake and tsunami in 2011. I was there for months. I never paid money to go there and I never received anything for my work there either. Most of the other volunteers were broken or damaged people in some way; people who had been divorced, lost their kids, messed up in school or became homeless and were living in tents. They had nothing, but they were there for others. To help. No other reason. I almost never talk about it. Even people close to me don't know. When I meet people whose parents have splashed huge amounts for them to go to places like Nepal or Mozambique, they usually can't wait to tell me and have loads of photos of their time there. I don't think I have a single photo from my time in the disaster zone. I don't think I am any better than the people who go on these tourist type volunteer missions, but there seems something fundamentally different. I don't know.

I didn't realize you were a senior in high school until the last few minutes of your talk. That took me by surprise because you sounded like a professional. Good job!

I think a LOT of white people need to watch this. There’s an enormous uprise in White Savior mentality, and it does far more harm then good. Some are even competing against each other! Kayley seemed nervous (UNDERSTANDABLE). She did a great job, and public speaking is very tough, especially in front of a large audience on a large stage. Nice work, Kayley! Thank you for sharing your experiences with us!

This young woman does an incredible job!!!! To those of you who’ve focused on her nervousness, SHE’S IN HIGH SCHOOL!!!! Even if she weren’t, she does not speak for a living! You try getting up in front of a group of (mostly) strangers and speak into a microphone - and know your being filmed for a talk that can reach global audiences- and then criticize her for the mild shake in her voice! My knees would be shaking so bad I wouldn’t be able to stand - I’m 65 and have spoken in front of community college classrooms, and it took me quite awhile to do so without being nervous! Now, back to the topic. This speaker does an excellent job of organizing her points for why and how this type of volunteering can go so wrong. She also talks about what people who want to volunteer in developing countries can do to truly help! She couldn’t be more right about doing research before committing your time or your money to organizations in need. I’ve talked to people who’ve done it wrong and people who’ve done it right. The ones who’ve done it right know they are going to these countries as a guest - not a savior who goes mainly for the praise and gratitude they EXPECT both from the people in that developing country and the people who they tell about their volunteering when they get home. They know why they’re there and know a lot about the organization they’re volunteering for! They also go with the intention of helping people get back on their feet, so they can continue on their own once the volunteers have left.

When the white man came to Africa, the white man had the Bible and the Africans had the land. When the White man left Africa, the Africans had the Bible and the White man had the land.

People in developing countries have been saying this for decades. Fascinating that it takes a white girl in ted for people in the western world to start being aware of it. Most volunteering is about organizations (international and local) making money out of naive volunteers. This is true even of the largest organizations in the UK and USA. For developing countries, it is worse as the peopel they claim to address are far more deprived of basic necessities of life. Source: Personal experience of a few years of working in local and international NGOs. Including at UN level. I was reminded of this when I saw Malala in the Allen show, and saw the latter giving her laptops, when that is the last thing that the youngsters in NW Pakistan need (think electricity - most parts of the Indian sub continent do not have the electricity to charge laptops! Books woudl have been a far more sensible and useful idea. And peace - away from the bombs that keep exploding even week.)

Everything said is so important! I wanted to join the peace cor as a teenager and had no idea how disillusioned I was. I think a more critical look at these type of volunteer trips is so important, and even an introspective look at why we feel compelled to take these trips. I'm proud of you girl ❤ Keep making a difference!

She seemed very nervous and it detracted from her talk, but her points are well thought out and she got her point across.

This was an excellent presentation. Good job! Thank you for bringing forth such eye awakening information.

Wow... Thank you. This really made me think

You're only in high school? Thank you for bringing this topic to the younger generation. Well done. Critique for next time : maybe use more antidote or site sourced facts from big business. It may make this less power point like and more relatable for the average person. Thank you a million times for talking about privilege. This will be shared. 😊

This one needs to be shared. Great talk.

When a homeless person asks you for money and you give them food instead, you do make a choice for them and act like a saviour by implying that they Will "misuse" the money for drugs and alcool when in fact, it could be to pay for a room in a hotel, for menstruel pads, clothing or whatever...

This woman talks about white savior complex or any savior complex in terms I could understand. Everyone else who talks about this just comes off ingrateful, not correct in what white saviorism is or about the context they label it on, or presumptuous about the "saviors" mindset. But this, pants a clear picture and this woman makes excelent points on what is wrong and talks about the fine line between compassion and pity and other faults that are easy to fall into.

There is a big difference between doing something to feel good or out of pitty instead of doing something out of love and compassion, when you feel love for others it's like taking them as a part of yourself, therefore you can actually SEE what their best interest is and what is really helpful for them. Thank you for this great subject and your talk, so much appreciation ♥

It is so awesome that she used this platform to talk about something so important. I’m glad I found this video!

amazing

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

And what do the saviours do, when the community realizes they don't need saving?

This young lady has a virtuous, and promising future ahead of her!

It’s not about helping the hopeless It’s taking and we need to address that too.

This really opened up my mind!

👏🏻 Very good points.

White savior complex of individuals is magnified in terms of scale and impact by organizations that fly into countries with donated money to fix problems they perceive with solutions they think is right. If we really want to make a difference support verified local initiatives on the ground, they always know better what's needed and how things can be done without negatively affecting the dynamics of local communities. Professional humanitarians (those that are paid to do the work instead of pay to volunteer) always say that they know what they're doing, but again that's just the world according to them.

This does exist in our local communities. Like the other side of the tracks. It makes me sick and tired of being sick and tired. We need people who have gone through similar experiences all the way around. Stop putting people of privledge to help disadvantaged youth! STOP.

Amazing job. Such good information. I’ve shared and will continue to share. People throw around the term white savior complex which illicit a defensive response or feeling (myself included) until it was explained. We still have a long way to go as a society but rigid was one solid step forward. Thank you.

You have courage!..thank you for your courage..

Good points bro

i love this!! go change the world, girl ♥️♥️

Before next person write shes nervous i just want to tell you, you are exceptionally good observer consider working for FBI.

Wonderful talk. I guess some people need to hear this more than others..

Such a well spoken young lady. Very good talk adresses a real problem and it was interesting to watch.

Not americanised...but Westernised.. its a global outset...

Good Job

I've wanted to do a volunteertrip for a long time, but this certainly made me think. What I feel would probably be the best volunteertrip for me, with my skillset, would be to possibly help a village get drinkable water, or help with education, using knowledge no local have, thus not taking a local's potential job.

Hi, thanks. I have a short story that pertains to this topic that has a different perspective. I have white skin, and was unfairly accused me of being a White Savior when I sued a bar for loud music in my Puerto Rican neighborhood. The white person who accused me of this and gossiped about this, had a personal self-interest. She wanted to open a business that played loud music. I was protecting my own health and well-being, and if this helped my colored Puerto Rican neighbors out, that is great. My point is to be careful about unfairly labeling people.

Strong point...the reality we live👏👏

Came here for a comedy show, Enjoyed this video even more!

You are so wise! Great talk! Wishing you the best! :)

She is 100% right because that savior complex leads to victimhood.Another thing that I agree with her is that you got to teach unprivileged people how to uplift themselves.Unselfish people are great people,but you got to. volunteer your time the right way.

Remember that story of that religious guy who wanted to “save” an island of people who were off the grid? Then that guy got killed as a result? He died from savior complex. GGs.

The same goes to all actions, political as well as taking action! Very well said!! Christopher Columbus definitely NEVER consulted the natives & literally recked havoc and death for centuries. Can we PLEASE start learning from our past?! Only TOGETHER and with our Understanding and Reasonable Voices, I have a sliver of hope! Speak Out, Educate Others, and Above All, LOVE!

She sounds so innocent and gentle 😂😂😂❤

Being a Christian and having been brought up in the church, my biggest concern with volunteering in other countries has been why are you doing it. Are you doing this because if you don't you'll feel guilty? So you're not doing it organically, you're doing it so YOU don't feel bad. Now if a community is genuinely in need and you help them, they still benefit regardless of your motives. So that's good. But the whole "I wouldn't do this if I didn't love them" thing is hogwash. You can do something to be seen by others. You can do something because its what you ought to do. Fellow Christians, remember what Paul told the Corinthians "Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." Even though I'll never truly know as I cannot see into a person's heart, I feel like I've come across more Christ-like nonbelievers than believers in this regard. I have great admiration and respect for those of you (who are not religious) that have the drive to help others out of sincerity, and not a kind of "I better do this or else".

Her nervousness has nothing to do with the message. Focus on the message.

Go Kayley! My favorite volunteer for SVDSN. So proud of you!!

I can say she's wrong, but I can say she was very nervous. She deserves credit for working through the talk even though it goes against people of her on ethnic group. We do need to help people in our in country.

Came here expecting to disagree with most of it. Found it was actually very balanced and we'll put together.

My problems with alot of these people Saving animals Minority groups Give them the tools to survive not make them useless

Her dress looks like an invisibility cloak for half the video

I like ted talks

Kayley did a wonderful presentation even though through the nervous voice....why do I only see this now 2022. However I agree 100% with her

What about other smart people that go into villages and educate a group of people on how to run their own solar power and water pumps so they create jobs and run their own village by themselves so they no longer need to relay on outsiders or aid? Intervention is necessary but the type that teaches them HOW TO FISH not just giving them a fish to eat for the day, because come next day and they will be hungry again. You need to really really emphasize the point about NOT GIVING THEM MONEY is what you are talking about - but going to poor villages where kids cant learn and people are unemployed and starve do need help from others in order to START the initial catalyst - Its like saying NEVER TEACH a person anything so he doesnt feel useless! No you need to go to villages if you have resources and introduce them to SELF SUSTAINING technology that THEY THEMSELVES CAN RUN, and continue to develop and help themselves Never mix the two and fall into the trap of WOKE-NESS and just trying to sound smart - There are MANY MANY NGO'S that are SUPERRR CORRUPT that is a fact - so just remember never give a man a fish, but instead teach him

Engineers don't BUILD houses. (Engineer speaking)

The people who do the least will be the same people to somehow have done the most when bragging

im not against God's work but i believe this is true, this is a way to take advantage and profit from poeple

What iv learned is not just this kind of work but al kinds of volunteering work is a waste of time because people are ungrateful and horrible and honestly the causes of their problems are due to their own failures in life. I hate animals so i dont do anything with them, old people are a pain and to much hard work and most ofther work just isnt worth the strain or stress without pay.

Ok, i’ve now decided I will do my final thesis research about this topic. Super interesting and a lot to learn. If anyone has any valuable source, please....👇🏻

Hare Krishna!

Rafa Kalimann

Arms and a head 😊

Justin Wren said this on Joe Rogan he said sometimes charities are doing more damage

Please include sources for statistics. It's incredibly hard to believe you without concrete sources.

She spoke the truth even if her voice shook. I don’t think the not trusting homeless people on the streets with cash because they might spend it on drugs or alcohol was a great example though…but I feel like she probably learned that after this talk.

As an African, a teacher working at an impoverished school, the first world countries have and always will be needed in third world country. Whether it's sustainable or not, every meal, pair of shoes, clothing and housing projects helps. Even if you help someone for one single day, I promise, it made a difference. Then, to say "white people" need to stop is the epitome of hate speech. Not all volunteers are white, but I'm more disappointed in the fact that people look down on white people for trying to help. Lastly, I don't see any liberal POC doing anything for impoverished areas in Africa, just stopping people from helping.

Gives Africans a few water bottles and it helps them for a day. Give them a water pump and it helps them for life.

There's some good things about this thinking but it fails to see the larger issue with the psychology behind it. Namely, that of attachment style theory. A lot of these sciences are old and rehashed and support the issue that has grown in America: toxic individualism. It has reached it's pique and has shown how unsustainable and unsound these ideologies behind our system is.

🤔👀

It's complicated and it will always be.

Tourist volunteers are not the same with disaster or emergency response volunteers who trained so hard. Invest on equipment and development. Giving up their jobs just to help. Risking lives… The problem with some charity organizations they use volunteers to make a profit or dominate countries. Volunteers are used to evade taxes or political agenda.

Ironically,* one of the most sustainable ways to develop a country is among the more self-interested ways to help. Invest in it. 30 of the countries have opened a stock market in the past 32 years, so there's reason for optimism.

White savior complex also happens in our society and not just 3rd world countries.

She did an amazing job explaining that mentality! But it's ironic she sounded a bit like a white savior herself.

Important subject but, the presentation style which is shaky, flustered, and nervous spoils the depth of the topic.

I personally know a doctor who has devoted her life to providing medical care to people in The Republic of the Congo. I personally know Africans who have praised her work. Is she "white" someone may ask? I would say that question is irrelevant. Humans can help other humans; humans can also unintentionally hurt other humans; "race" has absolutely nothing to do with it.

The most nervous speaker on Ted talk. Poor girl needed to practice breathe more because her message was important but she seemed to be chocking in stress.

The problem with charities is that they are inherently hierarchial due to the binary of rich and poor from the top-bottom. Now when talking about mutual aid, that is horizontal as it is the poor helping the poor, especially in local communities from the bottom-up. The former is repressive, while the latter is progressive.

Stop meddling where you aren't wanted.

Isn't that just a saviour complex? I noticed she said "people", not "white people", implying that non-whites could do the same thing. Why not use correct language rather than weighing the argument with loaded, divisive language? Just a suggestion for people who want this argument taken seriously -- drop the "white" part. The term "saviour complex" existed before it became racialized, and adding the racial element is distracting.

Honesty to, the simple answer is mind your own business and dont "help" others because most people dont want it. Put your efforts into making money for yourself.

Check out Xela Aid! Over 20 years of hand up vs hand out. An amazing sustainability project.

Interesting talk, except that as a high school student she seems strangely obsessed by race. Maybe it's was she was taught in school. But she needs to realize you shouldn't bring race into conversations where it really has nothing to do with the subject.

I knew some of that work was bull just didn’t trust it

Not gonna watch all of this, I just wanna know if she is based or cringe

It’s very self serving

If they have a problem with the color of some one skin simple answer dont go?

If you like ted talks like here....

I dont think there is anything wrong with people wanting to help in other countrys, white savourism might be seen as the flip side of the white exploitation that their country likely has participated in the past like examples of colonialism which have disadvantaged the countrys to begin with.

This makes me laugh in a way I can’t explain

why does she sound like she want to cry?

What I find devastating is using the "white" colour of skin as a generalisation what typically stands for people from Western Europe and North America. There are white people who were enslaved or who are less developed but yet again people are putting labels for the sake of sounding more intelligent than they actually are. This is creating separation between people with different colour of the skin. We are all the same species- human race. You're putting words in other people's mouth and creating communities with an opinion of a minority, yet due to over tolerance once put in the media stays there. Stop creating damage for the future generations!

She has white saviour complex.

Sad to label this as white.

Why can't it just be called the savior complex we need to quit labeling things with race