Painting a Brighter Future

Volunteering abroad can be a great way to make a positive impact on the world and experience new cultures all in one foul swoop. That been said, if done incorrectly, all the hard work and perseverance put in can all go down the drain. Recently, I had the opportunity to volunteer with Class Afloat in La Jagua, a lower-income community in Las Terrenas, a town in the Dominican Republic. Our mission for the stay was to paint houses for families in need, and for me, the experience brought up all sorts of emotions surrounding the concept of "voluntourism."

Las Terrenas is a beautiful, vibrant community with a strong sense of pride and resilience. That being said, poverty is widespread, and many families live in houses in desperate need of repair. In collaboration between Class Afloat and a local community member by the name of José Bourget, we had the opportunity to disembark the Alex-2 and join local families in the community where we would sleep. We would stay the nights with our homestays and spend the days outside painting houses for those in need. I was eager to help, and after a day of travel we set out with brushes and paint, ready to make a difference.

As we worked, we met many individuals and families and had the opportunity to hear their stories. It was clear that for the most part, this small act of kindness meant a great deal to them. Seeing the joy on their faces as their homes were transformed was incredibly moving. We finished the first day of work off by cleaning ourselves up and going to meet the mayor of Las Terrenas on the beach for a lovely buffet dinner. While beautiful, I found myself wanting to reflect on the stark contrast between the lives that I spent my day immersing myself into and the dinner that I was now so happily enjoying.

The next day started off very similarly to the first, we broke off into groups and began the painting journey. I met a lovely elderly lady who we painted the front of her house a very nice blue. As we moved from house to house though, I started to question the redundancy of this supposedly mundane task. Was it really having as large of an impact as what we would hope for it too?  Later that day, we painted a beautiful new house as requested. This was the first time that collectively we were wondering if the help we were doing was actually needed. The home can’t have been over a year old, and it seemed as if the locals were just trying to find tasks for us to do. We persevered through and once the work was done, I spent some time speaking to one of the locals with google translate as an intermediary. I learned that the homeowner did not know that we were painting their house and that it was both possible and probable that the house would be repainted in the near future. This situation brought up even more emotions and further reinforced the complexity of voluntourism. I think it was then that I realized that it's important to stand with and for the community's needs, but also involve them in the decision-making process and ensure that our efforts align with their priorities. There is no point in doing work that isn’t going to benefit them now or in the future and perhaps there were things that would have been more of value to the community then us painting homes.

On the final day, we packed our bags and said goodbye to our new families before making our way to the coastal region of Las Terrenas to plant saplings in partnership with three public schools, one private school, and the ministry of the environment for the Dominican Republic. Arguably, I would say that this was when I felt I was making the largest impact throughout the experience. I was able to communicate with the local students and I could see the direct correlation between the labour and the outcome.

This experience made me realize the complex nature of voluntourism. While it's important to help and make a positive impact, it's also crucial to understand the context and to ensure that our actions are sustainable and address the root causes of what we are trying to solve. It is also important to identify the privilege that we have in our own lives. As someone who lives in a multi-storey home with electricity, running potable water, and laundry, it was incredibly eye opening to realize that some of these things are not a right but rather a privilege and they should not be disregarded or forgotten.

In the end, our time in Las Terrenas was a journey of many experiences. I learned the importance of taking a step back and critically examining the impact of our actions. At the same time, I was reminded of the power of small acts of kindness and the positive impact they can have on communities in need.

Volunteering abroad can be a truly transformative experience, but it's important to approach it with an open mind and a critical eye. Whether it's painting houses, planting trees, or working on another project, it's essential to consider the long-term impact of your actions and to work towards sustainable solutions. It's also important to involve the community and ensure that our efforts align with their priorities.

As always, I try to find the lesson I should be learning from any experience. What I’ve got for this one is the following: Whether you’re a student, traveler, or just someone looking to make a difference, experiences like this are the perfect opportunity to think critically about the impact of your actions and to consider the long-term sustainability of your efforts. Whatever you are doing though, go into it with an open mind and try to take something from it. Who knows, you may just end up discovering a new passion and, if you’re lucky, a new you! Tomorrow I will be disembarking on the next leg of my journey leaving the Dominican Republic on a ten-day voyage towards Hamilton, Bermuda. Who knows what will come of this next step. All I know is that I couldn’t be more thrilled with where I am at today.