Hands down, the most moving of all my travel experiences was a visit to an orphanage in Western Thailand, near the Burmese border. To see children so poor and yet so happy was all at once heart-breaking and life-affirming. I don’t cry often — even The Notebook brought nary a tear to my eye — but that was a day where I tried to hide the tears streaming down my cheeks. I gave them a small donation and they gave me a handmade Christmas ornament. But I wish I could’ve given them something more than money to show how much they had given to me — alas, all I had with me was some stale gum and my passport, which I surely wasn’t giving up.
Stuff Your Rucksack is a website where travellers give tips to other travellers on what to bring to give to local charities. Past travellers can submit information for upcoming travellers to bring with them — things like English books, toys and sporting equipment can all be found around your house, and they’ll make a world of difference to the recipients. So do your part — the look on a child’s face will more than make up for the extra weight you carried in your pack.