Disillusioning the Sacred Sector: How the White Savior Complex, Mother Teresa’s Misleading Legacy, and Nonprofits Complicate the Effectiveness of Charity Work

As a child, I dreamt of dying a martyr. Growing up the youngest of seven children in a faith-driven family, my evangelical Christian congregation largely shaped my life. I often heard stories of missionaries killed while serving in "unreached" parts of the world (locations that have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ), and I morbidly wished for a similar fate. I imagined that if I proved that I devoted my life to someone or something else, no one could speak ill of my legacy. From the second that I heard about the Minerva Fellowship during my freshman year at Union, I knew that I wanted to become a Fellow. However, it wasn't until this past year that I began thinking critically about all the complexities of the philanthropic sector, and questioned what right I have to travel to a foreign country to "help" the locals. Now that I have secured a Minerva Fellowship placement in Thailand for the 2021-2022 cycle, I want to understand how I can effectively aid the local population without harming the community due to my cultural ignorance.