Nepal, June 6 -- In the coming weeks, the newest cohort of Peace Corps volunteers from the US will begin their two-year service in Nepal, after completing nine weeks of 'intensive language, cross-cultural and technical training', according to the US embassy. Volunteers will be teaching English in schools, working on food security projects and supporting environmental initiatives.

The volunteers' arrival resurfaces a difficult but critical question: Can someone from the global north arrive in a country in the global south with the intention of helping and truly do good?

That depends. One cannot 'do good' without a deep understanding of the community and its culture. And that requires far more than learning how to navigate daily life with...