Do volunteer trips to orphanages in low-income countries do more harm than good? I spent two weeks at one in Cambodia last year, and the kids would cling to every new group that arrived—it felt less like care and more like a revolving door of emotional labor. The orphanage relied on foreign donations to stay afloat, but I wondered if that money would be better spent on local foster care or family support instead. Some friends who work in NGO management say short-term volunteers often create dependency and disrupt attachment, yet the kids did seem genuinely happy when we were there. How do we weigh the immediate joy we bring against the structural consequences that last long after we leave?