We've worked hard to build policies and best practices to ensure the highest level of protection and well-being for the communities we work with. We are deeply respectful and considered in our approach, and our objective is regenerative: to leave only a positive impact wherever we travel through our partnership with the people we visit.

We have leveraged the expertise of people like an experienced American journalist Steve Burger to create best practices for cultural respect when working with partner communities. While serving as a journalist, Steve spent a week with us in Kenya, providing advice and guidance to ensure we were engaging with communities in a culturally appropriate and respectful way.

We ensure the safety and well-being of minors through our rigorous child and youth protection policy, created in partnership with respected organization Plan to Protect. For example, we never engage in visits or volunteering at orphanages or similar facilities for vulnerable children and youth.

We have a strict photo policy to protect the privacy and dignity of our community partners. We want to ensure that the photos we take are not exploitative and that we are taking photos of solutions—not problems—to share with friends and family. We ask that photos are only taken of people with whom we have a relationship, with their explicit and informed consent.

Integral to The Youth Cafe's development model is the idea that we want to give communities a hand up, not a hand out. Our travelers are not permitted to bring gifts from home to give local children or families.