I have travelled all over the world, and I have seen amazing places. I have also seen poverty and hunger, and it has made me realise that I want to help others when I grow up. In an interview with my friend Molly, she also mentioned that she wants to help children in Thailand when she is older. I decided to do a little research on charitable careers that can be done while incorporating travel. I believe charity would be an amazing long-term occupation, which would benefit both myself and those I am helping.

I knew that hunger, homelessness, and disease are everywhere in the world. Quite a lot of charities are based around poverty in third world countries, but I was surprised to find how many children in my home country, New Zealand, need help. One in four New Zealand children live in poverty today. One in fifty children in America become homeless each year, and 42% of those are under the age of six. Three percent of children in England need support. Children may live in first-world countries, but many still need as much help as others do.

Philanthropy, also called charity in some parts of the world, offers global career opportunities that can either be volunteer or paid, which could take you anywhere. Often, recruitment for overseas charity is based upon experience, and it is a good idea to have some knowledge of the culture beforehand. Being a world traveler will help you a lot in this occupation, as the ability to adapt to environments and become part of everyday live is important. 

“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.”

John Bunyan

Sarah Albom is a member of the Youth Travel Blogging Mentorship Program

All photos courtesy and copyright Sarah Albom