Over the years, the stereotypical image of an NGO expatriate worker has been that of an American or European, with a score of different stamps in their passport, tens of thousands of miles from home.
But this image is outdated, many in the sector say. The modern day NGO expat worker is far more likely to be from the global south, working in their home region but not their home country.
In many cases, these expats would far rather work at home, but they’ve been lured across borders by the far higher wages offered to international workers.