[Applause] everyone so sometime last year I was
everyone so sometime last year I was
everyone so sometime last year I was applying for the student award one
applying for the student award one
applying for the student award one section of the application form was
section of the application form was
section of the application form was titled community service so I wrote
titled community service so I wrote
titled community service so I wrote about my work in helping to organize
about my work in helping to organize
about my work in helping to organize this you summit that gathers young
this you summit that gathers young
this you summit that gathers young people passionate about the environment
people passionate about the environment
people passionate about the environment and empowers them to take on
and empowers them to take on
and empowers them to take on environmental projects in their local
environmental projects in their local
environmental projects in their local community three days later after I
community three days later after I
community three days later after I handed in this application form I got a
handed in this application form I got a
handed in this application form I got a call from the organization that
call from the organization that
call from the organization that coordinates the award the lady on the
coordinates the award the lady on the
coordinates the award the lady on the line told me that her organization was
line told me that her organization was
line told me that her organization was looking for real community service
looking for real community service
looking for real community service experiences I was confused it wasn’t
experiences I was confused it wasn’t
experiences I was confused it wasn’t that what I wrote on my application form
that what I wrote on my application form
that what I wrote on my application form so I asked for a clarification and she
so I asked for a clarification and she
so I asked for a clarification and she told me we are looking for real
told me we are looking for real
told me we are looking for real instances of helping people things like
instances of helping people things like
instances of helping people things like tutoring children building houses or
tutoring children building houses or
tutoring children building houses or visiting elderly homes have you done any
visiting elderly homes have you done any
visiting elderly homes have you done any of these things I realized after this
of these things I realized after this
of these things I realized after this phone call that some people believe
phone call that some people believe
phone call that some people believe charity work means visiting a remote
charity work means visiting a remote
charity work means visiting a remote orphanage halfway across the world and
orphanage halfway across the world and
orphanage halfway across the world and handing out brand-new stationery in fact
handing out brand-new stationery in fact
handing out brand-new stationery in fact that was what a few of my friends try to
that was what a few of my friends try to
that was what a few of my friends try to do so a few weeks back a few months back
do so a few weeks back a few months back
do so a few weeks back a few months back actually some of my friends signed up
actually some of my friends signed up
actually some of my friends signed up for the service trip to Nepal to work in
for the service trip to Nepal to work in
for the service trip to Nepal to work in a local school when they came back I
a local school when they came back I
a local school when they came back I asked him how are they went and they
asked him how are they went and they
asked him how are they went and they told me the most constructive thing they
told me the most constructive thing they
told me the most constructive thing they did in Nepal was actually shopping in
did in Nepal was actually shopping in
did in Nepal was actually shopping in their words it was stimulating the
their words it was stimulating the
their words it was stimulating the Nepalese economy apparently there seven
Nepalese economy apparently there seven
Nepalese economy apparently there seven days service trip was actually a six day
days service trip was actually a six day
days service trip was actually a six day scenic tour across Nepal accompanied by
scenic tour across Nepal accompanied by
scenic tour across Nepal accompanied by half a day of actually visiting a school
half a day of actually visiting a school
half a day of actually visiting a school so for the first six days of their trip
so for the first six days of their trip
so for the first six days of their trip they dined on buffalo meat and splurge
they dined on buffalo meat and splurge
they dined on buffalo meat and splurge on expensive coffee on the last day of
on expensive coffee on the last day of
on expensive coffee on the last day of the trip when they actually went to
the trip when they actually went to
the trip when they actually went to visit a local school they discovered
visit a local school they discovered
visit a local school they discovered that the school they were sent to was
that the school they were sent to was
that the school they were sent to was actually frequently visited by
actually frequently visited by
actually frequently visited by volunteers and as a result the children
volunteers and as a result the children
volunteers and as a result the children in that school were doing quite well and
in that school were doing quite well and
in that school were doing quite well and they didn’t need any help
they didn’t need any help
they didn’t need any help not all trips end up like this and
not all trips end up like this and
not all trips end up like this and sometimes volunteers think they can
sometimes volunteers think they can
sometimes volunteers think they can actually bring on a positive change a
actually bring on a positive change a
actually bring on a positive change a group of boarding school girls went to
group of boarding school girls went to
group of boarding school girls went to Tanzania to help build a library now
Tanzania to help build a library now
Tanzania to help build a library now they did their best at putting bricks
they did their best at putting bricks
they did their best at putting bricks and cement together and two weeks later
and cement together and two weeks later
and cement together and two weeks later voila the children had a new library
voila the children had a new library
voila the children had a new library sounds great right well that’s only part
sounds great right well that’s only part
sounds great right well that’s only part of the story you see every night after
of the story you see every night after
of the story you see every night after these girls went to bed the local men
these girls went to bed the local men
these girls went to bed the local men would sneak out and they would demolish
would sneak out and they would demolish
would sneak out and they would demolish whatever structure the girls had built
whatever structure the girls had built
whatever structure the girls had built during the day because it was about to
during the day because it was about to
during the day because it was about to collapse they would rebuild it and in
collapse they would rebuild it and in
collapse they would rebuild it and in the morning the girls would get up and
the morning the girls would get up and
the morning the girls would get up and believe what was in front of them was
believe what was in front of them was
believe what was in front of them was actually their work so what did these
actually their work so what did these
actually their work so what did these people contribute during this two weeks
people contribute during this two weeks
people contribute during this two weeks not much they effectively failed a
not much they effectively failed a
not much they effectively failed a single task they were doing they were
single task they were doing they were
single task they were doing they were there to do sometimes volunteering
there to do sometimes volunteering
there to do sometimes volunteering doesn’t just fail to bring much good it
doesn’t just fail to bring much good it
doesn’t just fail to bring much good it actually brings more harm than good
actually brings more harm than good
actually brings more harm than good overwhelming international volunteering
overwhelming international volunteering
overwhelming international volunteering has spurred whole new industries in
has spurred whole new industries in
has spurred whole new industries in certain countries in Cambodia the number
certain countries in Cambodia the number
certain countries in Cambodia the number of volunteering are the number of
of volunteering are the number of
of volunteering are the number of orphanages increased by 75% over a five
orphanages increased by 75% over a five
orphanages increased by 75% over a five year period these orphanages are there
year period these orphanages are there
year period these orphanages are there to cater for the number of tourists who
to cater for the number of tourists who
to cater for the number of tourists who are just so enthusiastically trying to
are just so enthusiastically trying to
are just so enthusiastically trying to vine a ball up to find an orphanage to
vine a ball up to find an orphanage to
vine a ball up to find an orphanage to village to visit and the problem is
village to visit and the problem is
village to visit and the problem is there actually aren’t that many orphans
there actually aren’t that many orphans
there actually aren’t that many orphans in Cambodia to fodeez orphanages so what
in Cambodia to fodeez orphanages so what
in Cambodia to fodeez orphanages so what the operators of these orphanages do is
the operators of these orphanages do is
the operators of these orphanages do is that they go visit parents and lure them
that they go visit parents and lure them
that they go visit parents and lure them to send their own children into an
to send their own children into an
to send their own children into an orphanage by promising that they’ll be
orphanage by promising that they’ll be
orphanage by promising that they’ll be better educated better house better fed
better educated better house better fed
better educated better house better fed a study by Columbia University showed
a study by Columbia University showed
a study by Columbia University showed that three out of four children in
that three out of four children in
that three out of four children in Cambodian orphanages actually have one
Cambodian orphanages actually have one
Cambodian orphanages actually have one or more living parent and if you think
or more living parent and if you think
or more living parent and if you think about it the operators of these
about it the operators of these
about it the operators of these orphanages have no incentive to treat
orphanages have no incentive to treat
orphanages have no incentive to treat these kids well they are a profit-making
these kids well they are a profit-making
these kids well they are a profit-making firm and how old forests donate money to
firm and how old forests donate money to
firm and how old forests donate money to orphanages if they see how these
orphanages if they see how these
orphanages if they see how these children
children
children living happily so they manufacture
living happily so they manufacture
living happily so they manufacture appalling living conditions for these
appalling living conditions for these
appalling living conditions for these children just to evoke sympathy in
children just to evoke sympathy in
children just to evoke sympathy in tourists this is not to say that any act
tourists this is not to say that any act
tourists this is not to say that any act of altruism would end up in a disaster
of altruism would end up in a disaster
of altruism would end up in a disaster but these experiences invite the
but these experiences invite the
but these experiences invite the question why why does it sometimes go
question why why does it sometimes go
question why why does it sometimes go wrong when people simply try to help
wrong when people simply try to help
wrong when people simply try to help other people the problem isn’t with the
other people the problem isn’t with the
other people the problem isn’t with the work these people were doing the work
work these people were doing the work
work these people were doing the work these volunteers and millions across the
these volunteers and millions across the
these volunteers and millions across the world are doing was great a lot of you
world are doing was great a lot of you
world are doing was great a lot of you in the audience can probably teach
in the audience can probably teach
in the audience can probably teach English better than someone qualified
English better than someone qualified
English better than someone qualified teachers in rural China libraries if
teachers in rural China libraries if
teachers in rural China libraries if they are well built give kids a refuge
they are well built give kids a refuge
they are well built give kids a refuge and a source for knowledge orphanages
and a source for knowledge orphanages
and a source for knowledge orphanages are often short staffed and having
are often short staffed and having
are often short staffed and having volunteers to visit making these field
volunteers to visit making these field
volunteers to visit making these field children making these children feel
children making these children feel
children making these children feel cared for it does do good for them
cared for it does do good for them
cared for it does do good for them it wasn’t the work that was bad it
it wasn’t the work that was bad it
it wasn’t the work that was bad it wasn’t the volunteering that was bad it
wasn’t the volunteering that was bad it
wasn’t the volunteering that was bad it was a people being there look at me I am
was a people being there look at me I am
was a people being there look at me I am not half a doctor or engineer a teacher
not half a doctor or engineer a teacher
not half a doctor or engineer a teacher or any other profession that would allow
or any other profession that would allow
or any other profession that would allow me to design and implement long-term
me to design and implement long-term
me to design and implement long-term sustainable solutions tailored to
sustainable solutions tailored to
sustainable solutions tailored to communities in developing countries I am
communities in developing countries I am
communities in developing countries I am a person who isn’t really good at
a person who isn’t really good at
a person who isn’t really good at teaching English to a kid who doesn’t
teaching English to a kid who doesn’t
teaching English to a kid who doesn’t speak any of my languages I am not very
speak any of my languages I am not very
speak any of my languages I am not very good at singing songs that are four
good at singing songs that are four
good at singing songs that are four times as old as I am to people in
times as old as I am to people in
times as old as I am to people in retirement homes I can’t really build a
retirement homes I can’t really build a
retirement homes I can’t really build a brick water doesn’t collapse and neither
brick water doesn’t collapse and neither
brick water doesn’t collapse and neither can I paint the wall of a school neatly
can I paint the wall of a school neatly
can I paint the wall of a school neatly imagine if you could spend the money you
imagine if you could spend the money you
imagine if you could spend the money you used on that five day English teaching
used on that five day English teaching
used on that five day English teaching trip to hire local qualified teachers
trip to hire local qualified teachers
trip to hire local qualified teachers whose monthly salary is a third of the
whose monthly salary is a third of the
whose monthly salary is a third of the cost of your trip these teachers could
cost of your trip these teachers could
cost of your trip these teachers could actually implement structured
actually implement structured
actually implement structured curriculums that allow these students to
curriculums that allow these students to
curriculums that allow these students to develop language abilities as opposed to
develop language abilities as opposed to
develop language abilities as opposed to having them learn how to count to ten
having them learn how to count to ten
having them learn how to count to ten again every time a new volunteering
again every time a new volunteering
again every time a new volunteering group arrives
group arrives
group arrives imagine that these kind-hearted people
imagine that these kind-hearted people
imagine that these kind-hearted people use the money they spent the flattest
use the money they spent the flattest
use the money they spent the flattest Hanson area to hire experienced local
Hanson area to hire experienced local
Hanson area to hire experienced local contractors to build that library they
contractors to build that library they
contractors to build that library they would do it so much faster safer better
would do it so much faster safer better
would do it so much faster safer better and of course the income of these
and of course the income of these
and of course the income of these workers would as my friend said
workers would as my friend said
workers would as my friend said stimulate the economy imagine if you
stimulate the economy imagine if you
stimulate the economy imagine if you gave monetary support to organizations
gave monetary support to organizations
gave monetary support to organizations that supported struggling families in in
that supported struggling families in in
that supported struggling families in in Cambodia who are contemplating whether
Cambodia who are contemplating whether
Cambodia who are contemplating whether or not to send their children to an
or not to send their children to an
or not to send their children to an orphanage the parents of these children
orphanage the parents of these children
orphanage the parents of these children could take care of their own kids so
could take care of their own kids so
could take care of their own kids so much more better than a group of
much more better than a group of
much more better than a group of volunteers who only come for three days
volunteers who only come for three days
volunteers who only come for three days ever could people are qualified at
ever could people are qualified at
ever could people are qualified at different things I a 16 year old girl
different things I a 16 year old girl
different things I a 16 year old girl I’m gonna have many things I can
I’m gonna have many things I can
I’m gonna have many things I can persuade an audience how a story maybe
persuade an audience how a story maybe
persuade an audience how a story maybe even start a social media sensation
even start a social media sensation
even start a social media sensation I am insightful about my own community
I am insightful about my own community
I am insightful about my own community as a student I understand how some
as a student I understand how some
as a student I understand how some students in Hong Kong face the problem
students in Hong Kong face the problem
students in Hong Kong face the problem that of a lack in educational tools I
that of a lack in educational tools I
that of a lack in educational tools I would see that when they face a
would see that when they face a
would see that when they face a schoolwork problem they wouldn’t seek
schoolwork problem they wouldn’t seek
schoolwork problem they wouldn’t seek out help from the internet but they
out help from the internet but they
out help from the internet but they might just give up instead I also see
might just give up instead I also see
might just give up instead I also see that whenever I taught these people how
that whenever I taught these people how
that whenever I taught these people how a particular online tool could help them
a particular online tool could help them
a particular online tool could help them clarify a math concept they would use it
clarify a math concept they would use it
clarify a math concept they would use it the next time they had a problem these
the next time they had a problem these
the next time they had a problem these experiences made me realize that the
experiences made me realize that the
experiences made me realize that the problem with educational inequality
problem with educational inequality
problem with educational inequality isn’t that there is a lack of resources
isn’t that there is a lack of resources
isn’t that there is a lack of resources because there are so many of them free
because there are so many of them free
because there are so many of them free and existing and high-quality online it
and existing and high-quality online it
and existing and high-quality online it is that there is a lack of awareness and
is that there is a lack of awareness and
is that there is a lack of awareness and sometimes even the ability to access
sometimes even the ability to access
sometimes even the ability to access these resources which is why I a few
these resources which is why I a few
these resources which is why I a few friends a few friends and I started this
friends a few friends and I started this
friends a few friends and I started this organization called educate that helps
organization called educate that helps
organization called educate that helps young people learn about how they can
young people learn about how they can
young people learn about how they can use these free educational resources
use these free educational resources
use these free educational resources online serving the community and
online serving the community and
online serving the community and contributing to a better world comes in
contributing to a better world comes in
contributing to a better world comes in many forms there are people who work at
many forms there are people who work at
many forms there are people who work at the forefront but there are also people
the forefront but there are also people
the forefront but there are also people who
who
who behind-the-scenes service doesn’t mean
behind-the-scenes service doesn’t mean
behind-the-scenes service doesn’t mean that everyone needs to kid at teach a
that everyone needs to kid at teach a
that everyone needs to kid at teach a kid English or build a library do what
kid English or build a library do what
kid English or build a library do what you’re good at
you’re good at
you’re good at because that is exactly when you will be
because that is exactly when you will be
because that is exactly when you will be able to make the biggest and best impact
able to make the biggest and best impact
able to make the biggest and best impact you can on your community thank you
”
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