LANGKAWI, Malaysia: Once regarded as a niche travel trend, voluntourism – which combines travel with meaningful volunteering work – is steadily gaining traction in Southeast Asia. In Malaysia, the tourism sector has been actively promoting more inclusive and sustainable offerings that highlight the value of voluntourism. On the island of Langkawi, one woman’s story is inspiring change on both a local and regional scale. The 43-year-old was motivated by her own journey as a mother to two autistic children, who are now young entrepreneurs. Together, they run workshops and skills training for other special needs children – inviting visiting tourists to join in the learning.