Aristotle once said, “The essence of life is to serve others and do good.” From Bolivia to Botswana, service trips have been utilized across the world so that people have an opportunity to volunteer in a community in need of help. However, some have questioned whether it is worth it for individuals to go on these trips, or more beneficial for them to give money to organizations that send professionals to help needy areas. Some people do not support volunteerism because it can carry a large financial cost. In total, organizations spend over $184 billion dollars annually on service trips for plane tickets, hotel fees, and other daily expenses. That’s nearly two hundred billion dollars that otherwise might have gone directly to those who need the support the most. However, we contend that the benefits of these trips provide an equally important outcome. Service trips allow students and volunteers to broaden their view of the world and see the humanity in places that otherwise might have just been borders on a map. Students and volunteers experience life abroad, forge friendships with and experience the hardships of people in other lands, and share their cultural experiences with others. Service trips better the lives of both volunteers and those in the community being helped.

The benefits of these trips have been well documented and studied before. Kira Goldring, an author at The Perspective states, “Studies show that communities with high levels of voluntary activity are associated with better health, lower crime rates, and greater life satisfaction, so these volunteer-community interactions can be helpful to both parties.” When one partakes in service trips it can lead to healthier lives for the communities and also a sense of satisfaction for the volunteers.

If people witness and spread the message about how much a community needs help, people are then more likely to support the  charity or go on another service trip.
According to The Corporation for National & Community Service, service trip volunteers are almost twice as likely to donate to a charity than those that don’t volunteer.

Volunteers can be a huge help, especially when a community is in dire need of support. Global Vision International states, “Whether it is doing wildlife research in South Africa, or contributing to women’s empowerment initiatives in India, there are important projects around the world that rely on volunteers to ensure consistency and sustainability.” If a community is in need of help, and volunteers are willing to help out, why should they be stopped?

If one just sends money without human contact then organizations will be forced to reduce opportunities for people to get involved in international service trips. These trips are important because they allow volunteers to understand and raise awareness for the problems people around the world are facing.