The Power of Storytelling in Humanitarian Work by Chima Nwankwo anipr

In Humanitarian Work, storytelling is vital.

Storytelling lets your stakeholders, external audiences, the public, know about the quality and impact of the work that your organization is doing in a particular project. It lets people know in the simplest of terms how your organization is making a difference in the lives of beneficiaries. Stories are important as 'if there no story written about it, then it basically didn't happen.'

So for those Communication Officers, Managers, whatever they call you, who are tasked, on pain of death, with telling the story of your organization's interventions, please pay attention.

Note that, even in theatre or movies most stories follow a 3 act structure.

Act 1: The Hero wants to do something.

Act 2 : Someone or something prevents them from achieving it.

Act 3: The hero struggles and finally triumphs against the forces fighting them.

In a Humanitarian setting, things are not much different. Storytelling is basic. I always tell my communication officers that it is basically about 

1. The situation BEFORE your organization intervened in a community.

2. The ACTUAL intervention of your organization.

3. What changed AFTER your organization's Humanitarian intervention.

Storytelling makes the efforts and results that your organization seeks more visible to both internal and external stakeholders like the leadership of your own organization, donors, beneficiaries themselves and even potential partners who may be moved to associate with you once they see the nature of your work and how it aligns with their own interests.

The temptation is to sit down and let stories come to you organically. However, any journalist will let you know that this is a recipe for failure. As stories do not have feet, you must intentionally, deliberately seek out great stories. Narratives that show off the work of your organization in the best possible light.

Also, I know that many non profits want to be humble about their efforts. But believe me when I say that this is not the time for humility. Do you know that there are organizations scouring the Internet searching for partners? These are big and busy organizations. When they get to your website or social media handles, they don't read. They simply skim through pages until they get to the section on success stories. 

In order to get the best stories that really show off the work of your organization, you must engage with community members. If possible, in communities where you work, create a community resilience committee that lets you know what is happening within the community at all times. It is the members of this community who will be locals, that can point you in the direction of the best stories. In fact, depending on your relationship with members of the community, some of them with a little training and support from you could actually do the stories based on your instructions and send to you.

Storytelling is a secret super power that 10Xs the impact of your programmes. There are multinational organizations out there who want to partner with an organization just like yours. Many of these organizations are willing to sponsor the exact kind of work that you do. But unless you showcase your work, they may pass you over and eventually link up with organizations who do NOT even have a fraction your competence but who have great storytelling skills.