Step 1. The selection process
As mentioned in our previous post (‘A two-pronged approach’), our very first step of understanding how to best support orphanages was to gather as much information as possible.
With this in mind, we started curating a list of organizations we wanted to visit and their contact details. This included orphanages but also other organizations which helped empower disadvantaged children. In the beginning phases, we tried a ‘gather everything then filter later’ approach – we didn’t think too hard and wrote down as many as we were able to find. We also added organizations which were headed by people who had been interviewed by the media, who we found inspiring during our research phase. We then planned to reach out to the charities earlier to make contact before we headed to Asia for our on-the-ground research.
While there were many different organizations we could have visited, we came across two major challenges:
- Finding legitimate charities in which our values aligned with
- Contact information missing or inability to make contact the charity organizers at all or in a timely manner
1.1 Finding legitimate charities in which our values aligned with
Since we were now aware of scam orphanages and the high level of corruption in our target areas1,2, we were hoping to find orphanages we believed to be truthful and law compliant. The issue here was that while there were many suggested orphanages and contacts listed online, many famous orphanages were name-and-shamed in 3rd party news articles for abuse, child trafficking or neglect. We therefore tried relying on threads like Quora with personal donor experiences, or asked personal acquaintances for recommendations, which helped the most, but this didn’t provide us with the resolution we wanted. Most donors seemed to be unskeptical about the practices and values of the charities they donated to.
Of course, the ‘values’ of a charity always seem to be good-natured on the surface – e.g. helping abandoned children sounds like the right thing to do for any reasonable person. But behind this first layer of values, we can tease out the deeper values of the charity. The biggest question we should be asking is – “are the priorities of the charity focused purely on the children”? For example, a common method of attracting donations is to have donor visits, where they play with the children for a day, or the children put on a show (usually dancing and/or singing) like performance zoo animals for the donors as a gratuity for their generosity. To us, it almost seemed like a transaction, at the cost of the children’s well-being (due to the reasons we outlined in our ‘A two-pronged approach’ post). Another method is to purposely keep the housing premises for the children in poor condition to attract more donations.
1.2 Contact information missing or inability to contact the charity organizers at all or in a timely manner
Once we started contacting the charities, we noticed that some locally run charities revealed minimal information about the organization, which made it difficult for us to initiate contact or even determine whether we should initiate contact in the first place. The charities that we found contact information for were mainly foreign-run, and we had to use multiple contact streams to finally gain a connection – emails, social media platforms, WhatsApp, direct calling, or even just turning up. Unfortunately, we received no or delayed responsesfrom many of the charities , which meant that we were unable to visit the charities that aligned with our values.
With these challenges, our ‘gather everything then filter later’ approach was practically meaningless. Therefore, we pivoted our strategy and decided to visit any charity we were able to initiate contact with, as we believed that we would learn in any circumstance. We were determined to be vigilant – we were to minimize our contact with the children and make sure that the donations were goods-based so our funds were less likely to be used in corrupt ways.
Step 2. Visits
We define children without parents as ‘orphans’ as if they have lost something that cannot be gained back. As mentioned earlier, we had tried to make sure that we (i) minimized contact with children (ii) did not view performances by the children (except one trial at Hope Children’s Home), (iii) donated goods instead of cash, (iv) took a bottom-up approach of donations by asking what goods the charities needed. To do this, during the contact phase, we tried to make our contact understand that we wished to gather information via speaking to the organizers instead of meeting the children. We had difficulties in making them understand this, as we suppose this was an unlikely request from a donor.
2.1 Visits to orphanages
We were able to visit three orphanages – Chloe Orphans and Hope Children’s Home in Bali, Indonesia, and the orphanage run by the Bo De Pagoda in Hanoi, Vietnam, and three organizations which had a focus on helping disadvantaged children/youths – Bali Kids in Bali, Indonesia, the Humanitarian Services for Children of Vietnam (HSCV) in Hanoi, Vietnam, and Alamba Charitable Trust in Bangalore, India.
We summarize the visitations in the table below:
| Chloe Orphans | Hope Children's Home | Orphanage at Bo De Pagoda | |
| Visitation date | 23rd October 2025 | 25th October 2024 | 19th November 2024 |
| Region | Bali, Indonesia | Bali, Indonesia | Hanoi, Vietnam |
| Religious affiliation | Christian | Christian | Buddhist |
| Children composition | Orphans and children with living parents | Orphans and children with living parents | Orphans (presence of children with living parents unclear due to language barrier) |
| Number of children | 24 | 54-55 | 60 |
| Housing | Church and orphanage in same complex. Rented and need to relocate in 2027. | Due to the recent fire, temporarily housed in a home nearby the original complex. New complex being built currently. | Large orphanage complex within the Pagoda grounds (appears to be owned). |
| Volunteering | Encouraged | Encouraged | ? |
| Caregiving staff | Pastor Victor and his family | 2-3 caregivers on rotation shifts + cleaner | 3 volunteer caregivers |
| Performances | ? | Yes | No |
Here are some generalized observations:
It appeared that some orphanages were receiving donations often. Particularly in Bali, where it is a tourist hot-spot - it appears that many holiday-goers are inclined to give back to the local community. This was identified by a visitor logbook we had to sign during our visit to Hope Children’s Home – where the number of names, the proximity of the visits and the amount of cash or goods donated were shockingly large. As a donor, you may want to ask yourself whether you would be creating more impact by donating to a lesser known charity or donating goods that are in lack at the orphanage. For all three of the orphanages we visited, we asked for a list of items that were in high need. Some orphanages suggested bringing sweets to make the children happy, and we decided to get some sweets which were a little more exciting (i.e. Korean snacks) so that we could give the children a new experience (which was something we wanted to try and explore). Of course, snacks are not so healthy for the children, so other goods like rice and other staples made up most of the donations (see our ‘Budget’ tab for our specific list of donated goods).
We also strongly felt that the number of children mattered. The orphanages with higher child counts (50-60) with such low caregiver to child ratios, felt chaotic and undermanaged. We could imagine that each child was unable to receive the amount of love and care they needed in a co-op housing situation like this and understood why the second arm of our approach mattered so much (i.e. reintegration). However, the children (being children) were able to freely play with the others, whether it be role-playing with made-up characters or chatting, etc.
Despite our request to minimize contact with the children, we found ourselves being pushed to engage with them. Cautiously, we asked one 19-year-old (an amazingly talented musician), whether he enjoyed people coming and going from the orphanage. He replied enthusiastically – “yes!”. And we asked him again – “do you not get sad when people become your friend and then leave?”, where he replied “yes, of course, but it’s important to get funding/donations”. We were so saddened by this although the children seemed to genuinely enjoy visitations, as we could see that the burdens of the orphanage were also on the shoulders of the children.
2.2 Visits to other child-support organizations
We also visited other organizations which were involved with helping disadvantaged children and youths. These visits were extremely helpful in understanding the needs of children and the importance of re-integration (which will be further described in the next post):
| Organization | Bali Kids | Humanitarian Services for Children of Vietnam | Alamba Charitable Trust |
| Visitation date | 23rd October 2024 | 20th November 2024 | 18th January 2025 |
| Region | Bali, Indonesia | Hanoi, Vietnam | Bangalore, India |
| Religious affiliation | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Children composition | Children with HIV or Ichthyosis (genetic skin disorder) | Children from underprivileged backgrounds | Youths with disabilities and large focus on spinal cord injury |
| Number of children/youth | ? | ? | 42 youths (18-50 y/olds) |
| Building | Medical facility with capacity for residential activity | Office in diplomatic complex | 4 housing centers – 1 x women with disabilities, 2 x male youths and 1 x men with spinal cord injuries |
| Volunteering | Not encouraged | ? | Volunteering done in-house |
| Caregiving staff | Co-founders, 3 x nurses, few caregivers, pool cleaner | Founder and ~5-7 paid workers including social worker | Co-founders, one part-time cleaner, all residents encouraged to contribute to the chores of the facilities |
2.3 Pain points of running an orphanage and child-support organizations
After speaking with some of the organization staff members, we identified that some of the pain points of operating an orphanage/child-support organization involve:
2.3.1 Lack of funding – reliance on donations (> 90%) from external donors
This is the most important challenge of a charitable organization. Fundraising events (in or out of the country) and application for governmental grants are common. Without donations, many organizations suffer. Good marketing and social media presence is essential for driving high donation rates. Founders also let us know that large incidents like COVID-19 change the ability of donors to give (e.g. businesses who have gone out of business) or change in government (e.g. in the USA). Also, if you are to be a founder, we recieved recommendations that you should not have any debts remaining (student loans, mortgages) and try to be self-funded (i.e. so that the funds donated can go directly to the cause). Many founders do take salaries from the charitable trust. These points are what led us to confirm that when starting a charity, having your own source of funding would be hugely beneficial.
2.3.2 Long time to establish a charitable organization and bureaucracy
From speaking to the various founders, we noted the incredibly long time to establish a charitable organization, especially when foreign led. For foreign founders, we have received guidance that the trust should be registered in the founder’s home country and only then, the charity should be established in the country of service. Anecdotal evidence shows that it takes approximately a few months to set up a US-based charity, and years in Vietnam and Indonesia. Also, budgets should be carefully monitored and reported to the relevant governmental departments, which often is an arduous task. Another important issue is the residency status of the founder – e.g. if you are a New Zealand founder who has a charity in South East Asia, you should think about how to divide your year in living in each country.
2.3.3 Managing children’s misbehavior
Children have diverse personalities and their own challenges. Some children have trouble at school, or have fights with other children, due to their misbehaviors. We found that some caregivers find it difficult to discipline children in these situations.
2.3.4 The inclination to expand despite being quite at capacity
As with any organization, the charities craved growth. We found that many founders had a plan to expand their services and outreach in the future. We noted that while this was a generous and heartwarming thought, this expansion was heavily dependent on future funding. For altruists, it can be difficult to draw the line – if there was a child in need and this was brought to your attention, it would be difficult to ignore. We also spoke to founders, where the government or other parties had simply asked if they would look after some children. And of course, they had no choice but to take them in. This got us thinking more about whether there was an optimal combination of factors which would maximize the impact of a charity with a given budget. Should charities take in more children even when they are at capacity? What if it severely impacts the existing children’s wellbeing? There are no right or wrong answers here, but we should be asking these questions.
2.3.5 Country or area-specific cultures, nuances, government regulations, language barriers
Having spoken to different founders from a few different countries, we noticed that the founder will need a strong grasp of the local cultures, nuances, government regulations and the language to run an effective charity. This is also why foreign volunteers should be discouraged from volunteering as these volunteers likely lack the local knowledge to deal with these matters which may instead cause unexpected harm to the children.
2.3.6 Requirement for strong mental support for the children
Children are vulnerable and need more careful support than adults. They have different needs and are very impressionable. This is especially the case for children who have lost parents, have been abused and neglected. Therefore, it is extremely important to have local-based professionals who can take care of children. For example, this is why we have pediatricians, and early-childhood teachers who are specialized to take care of children, as they have different skills and training background specifically tailored for children. We noted the importance of having social workers, psychologists and counsellors who can help children navigate the difficult phase of their lives, and to instill strong mental health in these children. There remains a significant shortage of educated professionals, such as social workers, in developing countries. However, new programs are being established, and more professionals are trained each year.
Step 3. Donating support
Orphanages are largely non-governmental and require external funding and support to maintain their daily operations. Forms of donations can include:
- cash donations (direct giving)
- goods donations (e.g. food, clothing, vehicles)
- time donations (volunteering work)
Let’s delve into each method.
3.1 Cash donations
Cash donations are simply as implied – money which can be given directly to the charity of your choice. These funds can be ‘restricted’ – you can have a say in how the funds are spent or ‘unrestricted’ – you leave it up to the organization to spend as needed. Our on-the-ground evidence showed that organizations prefer unrestricted funding (which is not surprising), as the funds can be used as necessary.
Methods of donations are also vary widely by organization and country:
- Bank transfer
- Credit/debit card payments
- PayPal
A foreign-led charity in Southeast Asia will generally have a registration in the founder’s home country or multiple other countries. This means that as a donor, you can transfer funds directly into a charitable trust account in these countries (e.g. USA) with local currencies (e.g. $USD) and receive donation receipts for tax exemptions if you are a tax resident of those countries. The charity will also have an account in the country of the charity where you can also submit your funds. However, this means that you will have to make an international bank transfer and may therefore not be able to claim tax benefits . This method may also incur transfer fees through your bank or payment provider.
Credit card/debit card payments can occur through the charity’s website or an associated website. To ensure transparency, the charity can opt for a payment system through an internationally-recognized charity agency which audits their funding – such as the Global Development Group3. This method does incur a percentage fee commission, so not all the money you donate will go to the cause.
Finally, charities can register for a PayPal Giving Fund account. This is a fee-free donation system for charities. However, on-the-ground interviews we conducted revealed that this method takes the longest time to reach the charity, and charities may prefer donations via other avenues if they have an urgent need.
Foreign donations are generally monitored by the government and charities should have a certification to be able to receive funds. This is the case in India for example, where a charity must have a Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration to receive foreign funding. A good way to know whether a charity is legitimate is to ask for government registrations like this and obtain an invoice/receipt for your contribution.
To summarize:
| Payment method | Pros | Cons | Summary |
| Bank transfer |
|
|
Use if you would like to obtain tax exemptions, but only if you pay in your local currency and are an appropriate tax resident |
| Credit/debit card |
|
|
Use if you would like an easy payment method and ensure transparency of funds |
| Paypal |
|
|
Use if you would like to achieve maximum impact – all money goes to the charity |
Of course, cash donations have the most versatility and usability for charities. However, given the widespread reports of mismanagement and corruption among orphanage organizers, we were hesitant to pursue this approach. To make this process as transparent as possible, we opted for the next best option – goods donations.
3.2 Goods donations
Goods donations are also welcomed by charitable organizations as an alternative to cash donations. However, not all goods are welcomed! Well-meaning donors donate any second-hand goods or purchased goods they believe will be useful for the charities. While this is a generous gesture, charities are often supported by multiple donors who have similar ideas. Therefore, you can imagine an orphanage having piles of donated clothing that can clothe all the children many times over, but not enough food to support the children. They also may have limited space, so sometimes they are physically unable to house some bulky donated goods. Some goods are perishable, or some goods may not be so healthy (e.g. candy). As with any gift, we should think about what the receiver would want. And the best way to do this (an effective altruist would say), is to ask the recipient directly! This is what would be classified as a ‘bottom-up’ approach as opposed to a ‘top-down’ approach, where we listen to and ask the recipients about their needs rather than assuming them. This creates more impact and value for the charity and the donor.
Some charities (like Bali Kids) will have a running list of items they do or do not need (i.e. a “wishlist”4). This is the best and efficient method for both the charity and the donor to understand what is required and most useful for the charity.
If this option is unavailable, the next best method is to reach out via email, phone or social media to ask for their required goods. We have found in our experience that sometimes it can be difficult to contact small and locally-run charities via email or social media as they may not have the ability to use these methods (as mentioned above). In this case, we found WhatsApp most effective for directly contacting the charities (this was the case for India and Bali in our experience).
3.3 Time donations
Time donations involve volunteering your time and energy to a particular cause. This is most effective if you have an expertise which could be very beneficial for the beneficiary, e.g. clinical background for a medical center. However, in the specific case for orphanages, we have anecdotal evidence that it would be best for the children if you decide against a volunteering role which will be child-facing, as much as possible. There are plenty of ways to donate your time without having to directly interact with the children, such as fundraising or working on social media management for the charity.
1https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2gC-UfGRcQ
2https://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/women-arrested-vietnam-orphanage-child-trafficking-063439234.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIAGlxl3YAZjurs58XRBvt2mV2jO1CG6-gGW_cnBiRSeqUaBQAZMIoy2qptw2gkg-moNzYW2VukvJw2x5_OMLoXR7-vmtvpLb77D4NjTzKNpnO-elFcaWny-JmPzFtYTPk_OinObHVpcNvXfOWd_XbmVX72YmYj1GEEw5nDmqV6u
3https://globaldevelopmentgroup.org/
4https://balikids.org/wishlist/