A different narrative that puts people at the center of a story is the first step toward better programming and increased funding for development organizations, according to Moky Makura, executive director of Africa No Filter, and Marshall Stowell, vice president of partnerships, advocacy, and communications at the Conrad. N. Hilton Foundation.
Historically, when discussing the work they do in Africa, development organizations have told stories through a white savior lens that identifies them as the heroes, Makura said. “Therein lies the problem, because without context, without nuance, it becomes this single story of poverty and disease and how rich countries and rich funders are trying to fix us,” she said.
Not just a problem internationally, this is an issue within domestic storytelling as well, Stowell said. “While it's likely more acute internationally, the common thread is the telling of a single story that reduces people to conditions, circumstances, or diseases and has long-term unintended consequences that impact not only dignity but also policy, funding, and impact.”
In a conversation with Devex, both Makura and Stowell outlined the need for more NGOs and aid organizations to include more local context and voices as a first step in the journey to communicating in a more inclusive way.
“The thing that I like about narrative change is that it can be done internally without a lot of permission and relatively quickly,” Stowell said, adding that this is a journey the Hilton Foundation is currently embarking on across its programs. “We’re going to see better impact as a result of it. I firmly believe this 100%.”
As two of the steps in Africa No Filter’s ethical storytelling handbook, Makura said people should check their privilege and embrace diversity, while Stowell said people should be asked whether they want to feature in communications and have the opportunity to tell their stories in their own words.
Watch the conversation.
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