Changing the narrative in storytelling

SolarAid: Permission To Fail

Images and stories are fundamental for charities to spread awareness about the problem they are trying to solve, to harness support and show impact of the funds they are receiving. These images and stories are being used for campaigning, fundraising and advocacy. But with charities operating in complex environments, and often with people in vulnerable situations, there is debate around the portrayal and representation of poverty and images of suffering.

How can we tell better and more authentic stories and who ultimately owns the story? What are the risks with charity storytelling and can it do more harm than good? And most importantly, how can we learn from past mistakes?

In this episode host Kirst Adams, together with Kondwani Jere (Documentary photographer and Storyteller), Jess Crombie, (Researcher and scholar at UAL) and Sofia Ollvid (Communications Director at SolarAid) explore the topic of storytelling and content for the non-profit sector, looking at the people and the processes who hold the power to form perceptions, and how this can be done better.

Guests’ Bios

Kondwani Jere is a documentary photographer and storyteller hailing from the vibrant landscapes of Malawi. With a profound commitment to ethical storytelling, he preserves the dignity and humanity of his subjects, amplifying their authentic voices in his visual narratives. Driven by the motto "Malawi to the World"; Kondwani challenges prevailing narratives and stereotypes, bringing diverse perspectives to the forefront. Through his lens, he strives to make the voices of the unseen and unheard resonate with truth, compassion, and dignity. His work serves as an enchanting exploration of humanity, empathy, and profound reflection.

Jess Crombie is a researcher and scholar working as a Senior Lecturer at UAL, and as a consultant for some of the leading organisations in the humanitarian sector. In both contexts Jess utilises almost two decades as a senior leader in the charity sector to explore the ethical complexities in documentary storytelling. Her research focus investigates the potential for power shifts in both story gathering and telling by seeking out the opinions and ideas of those with lived experience and co-creating story gathering actions and outcomes, a process that she has coined ‘contributor centred storytelling practice’.

Sofia Ollvid is Sofia Ollvid is the Communications Director at SolarAid. She has over a decade's of experience working with content and communications within the development and humanitarian sector across the globe. Having worked with creative processes both behind the camera, as a storyteller as well as a producer, she has developed a particular interest in power dynamics and perceptions in storytelling and visual communications.

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Find out more about SolarAid here.

Learn how you can support SolarAid here.

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Find out more about SolarAid here.

Learn how you can support SolarAid here.

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