Telling Better Stories: Where "Compassion Campaigns" Fail

Have you ever faced the challenge of summarizing a very complex issue in a succinct yet engaging manner? I have. When I was visiting home recently, I was asked about my work in counter-trafficking and what is it that I do.  I always appreciate these moments and try to share information on human trafficking and Chab Dai's work in raising the standards of care for vulnerable people and building collaboration. I can think of many examples, such as our support team working on cases of forced marriage in China, the labor cases on Thai fishing boats or the thousands of villagers and community leaders in Cambodia that are now educated on safe migration, human trafficking and/or parenting skills. But these opportunities are also challenging as I try to describe what I've been working on for the past couple of years; a process that has been so challenging and precious that it hard to put into words, let alone a 30 second response.

I found it hard to share these stories in a way that sums up the complexity of these issues in a dignified and non-sensationalist manner. And the more I talk with my peers and colleagues about the reasons for this struggle, the more I realize that others in the field are facing the same challenges. Rachel Kurzyp, the Communications Director at WhyDev, wrote in her blog post, NGOs Need to Tell Better Stories, "When I re-tell these stories and others, I feel conflicted. I want the individuals within the stories to be respected and have dignity. I don’t want them to be viewed as helpless and weak. I try to make sense of their situation the best way I can. But I know the supporters and donors don’t like to read stories without happy endings or pieces that question the world’s inequality and their part in it."

There is almost always an expectation to hear an emotionally charged story with a dramatic rescue and heroic finish. A call to action usually comes through heart-wrenching images such as a powerless woman in a prison cell or a child picking up rubbish at a garbage dump. However, such stories often fall into a narrative of saviors and victims, glorifying images of rescuers during brothel raids while other seemingly more mundane, but equally important, actions go unnoticed. This kind of "compassion" marketing oversimplifies and dilutes the stories of individuals who live in these very complex sets of circumstances.

A proven risk of these "compassion" marketing campaigns is that they end up hurting the very people they set out to help. Many of the people we see in the images and we hear telling their stories end up being re-traumatized from the constant re-living of their experiences or through the stigma they face in their communities if their stories leak out. Another risk of such marketing is that once donors get tired of the same story, they move on to a new one, resulting in a loss of funding that forces projects and cases to close down. 

Many quick-fix campaigns lack a more holistic and long-term solution. They may even misidentify the underlining problems. Even though donations to these programs are given in good faith, the solutions they support in the long run might be creating more dependency rather than true empowerment.

And at the end of the day, the individuals and communities we advocate with and for are the ones who will ultimately either benefit or be deprived.

Still, there are good examples of dignified story-telling and community engagement. Contrary to the scenarios

unpacked above, there are organizations and individuals who are conscious of the complexities of working alongside those who are vulnerable. More often than not, these programs run quietly and steadily with the dedication of a team of committed staff and volunteers. I have friends and colleagues who work very hard to bring change to their communities. This gives me hope. Hope that there are good initiatives to be part of with those that are informed by grassroots strategies and can galvanize a community of well-informed people who are committed to a cause that is sustainable, and one that promotes long term engagement and commitment to maintaining the dignity of the very population they serve.

When Helping does not Hurt … (Paying it Forward)

We have countless conversations in our office on what effective help looks like. For me, it’s never an easy, clear-cut answer. I like to look at the long-term impact. Will this initiative be a sustainable grassroots-driven solution over time? Is it based on a correct understanding of what the problem is? Or is it just a quick fix – a plaster that covers the pain for a while, making one feel useful and helpful, but does not deal with the source of the problem. Does it have the purpose and infrastructure to empower individuals to live independently of the aid once it’s gone and become agents of change in their own communities?

Additionally, how do we measure the impact of aid correctly? Some indicators of change show up fast. To measure a long-term impact, we have to collect data over time and observe the shifts in the environment. Seeing a positive change on an individual and at the community level is not only rewarding, but to me, is truly motivating. This is part of the reason I really enjoy working with Chab Dai. I get to witness the impact both our Khmer and expat teams have in fighting exploitation and human trafficking. I see this impact in the lives of individuals that are empowered by education and in the increase of options that are made accessible to them. I also get to see the awareness that is created within a community and the shifts in policy towards better protection of the vulnerable.

A previous blog post talked about the unsung Khmer heroes that do pioneering work in their own communities. My colleagues, both expat and Khmer, are truly inspiring people in the way they live, work and how they deal with the challenges of either living cross-culturally or as nationals of a post conflict country. One of my Khmer colleagues, Sopharith, recently shared his thoughts on what motivates him to do the work he does. Because his story greatly inspired me, I would like to share it. It points to how long-term effects of good aid impact not only the individual but the community as well.

Sopharith manages Chab Dai’s Doorsteps project and with his team, they work to build the capacity of local grassroots leaders. They offer training on project cycle management and grant acquisition, mentoring leaders and also training on counselling and social work skills. Doorsteps’ work has significant impact in Cambodian communities. Sopharith shared with me that his inspiration to do the work of capacity building comes in part from his childhood experience. As thousands of other Cambodians did, he grew up in a refugee camp during the civil war that followed the collapse of Khmer Rouge. Conditions in the camp must not have been easy but Sopharith has fond memories of the aid workers who administered the aid.

Photo above are members of the Doorsteps Team - Soparith (on the right), Dara & Samedy.

“These people worked very hard,” he said. “They also helped to build up our capacity by providing education to us. They inspired me to do the same, to help the people in my country. I love my job at Chab Dai because I too can now work to build capacity of Khmer people and see them become agents of change in their communities.”

Sopharith’s story inspires me. It shows that effective aid empowers not only independence, but a motivation and ability to empower others. Thank you Sopharith and everyone who works hard to contribute to positive, long term change. 

(A post I wrote for our Chab Dai blog. For more of such inspiring examples, visit our blog page at http://chabdai.blogspot.com/)

"The Air Is Full Of Spices"

This evening, as I was walking the streets of my neighbourhood, the above mentioned line from Jane Austin's Sense and Sensibility came to my mind. In the movie, it comes as a response to a little girl's eager question-Tell me, what is India like? 

If I were to answer this question about Phnom Phnom tonight, it would go like this: 

It's 6 o'clock in the eve- and in November this means Sunset time. Dusk is setting over the hustle and bustle of the market and all its stalls, street food carts, small outside shops and cafes. The smells of BBQ meat of all kinds, little bonfires of burning trash in front of people's houses(seems to be the way to get rid of unwanted garbage), as well as the smell of all types of exotic fruit.. lingers in the hot November night.

Families come to "sit outside." This is one of Khmer habits I am loving loving loving. As dusk is probably my favourite time of day- I love the fact that people come sit outside their houses at sunset on little chairs and chat to their neighbours. The streets are buzzing with mixture of voices and noises- little kids shouting and laughing, running around, kicking a ball or their shoe(yes, this happens often as a substitute for a ball), laughter of adults, a ringing noise of the ice-cream man, the steady, distinct voice of the egg seller.

View of the evening traffick

 It feels like Christmas-with all the bells ringing, lights, laughter and roast meat smell:)

                             Needless to say, I love evenings in Phnom Penh:) 

Link to my Newsletter

Update Time:) Hi guys:) For anyone who is interested to read more about Chab Dai and my role in it and for anyone who would like to partner with me in this work please read my fundraising newsletter on this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bw5f8_TkLufsRV9WbUplVlQwQVU/edit?usp=sharing Akurn Chran:) (thank you very much in Khmer:)

If You Want To Go Far..Walk with Others...

Why am I here in Phnom Penh at this time? Apart from my love of adventure, interest in history and culture of this region and let's be honest- a "warmer" climate then coastal Europe, I came here to continue my involvement with the counter-trafficking movement. I love being part of a Coalition that builds local capacity, produces ground breaking research and connects the anti-trafficking movement (the grass-root organizations, academia, policy makers etc.) in one global online space…Imagine the impact! The photo on the left is taken in our office. Behind me on the wall is a picture with the word "Dignity" written across it. I love this organization's ethos.

Chab Dai Coalition

I work with Chab Dai- a coalition of 57 NGOs working together against exploitation and human trafficking.

Chab Dai literally means “joining hands” in Khmer language. I love its ethos. And it really does what it stands for- it joins organizations that work in different aspects of anti- trafficking movement into a Coalition. Some of them raise awareness about the issue in their communities, some do outreach and rescues, some are involved in the aftercare process, employment training and re-integration back into the community.

Chab Dai also builds capacity through the trainings and forums it runs. Our team trains social workers to better work with survivors of exploitation and it also trains local Khmer leaders in business management so they can run their projects sustainably and effectively. As such Chab Dai fills in the gaps that are created by a still weak social and legal system in Cambodia. Read about our Doorsteps project here:

  http://www.chabdai.org/cambodiaprojects.html#Doorsteps

Working together with our Doorsteps team on documenting the impact of capacity-building trainings

On bigger scale, its cutting edge research on the patterns and shifts in trafficking environment(Journey of Change), or a longitudinal ten year study on  reintegration(Butterfly project), aims to bridge the gap between academia, policy makers and practitioners and encourage the desired and often missing dialogue. Read about our research here: 

http://chabdai.org/trendreport.html#.Um4c9Pkvk1Y

And a very exciting project is the Freedom Registry and Freedom Collaborative-a ground breaking connectivity tool for the counter-trafficking movement. Freedom Registry- an online database provides a platform for agencies, academia, policy makers and practitioners to connect, share information about their services and promote best practice. It also visually maps this information and so allows the gaps in the movement to be seen. This project is already running in the United States and Cambodia's launch is coming soon!!Check out the link below:

http://www.chabdai.org/cambodiaprojects.html#TheFreedomRegistry

The regular power cuts won't stop a dedicated team:) Occupy an airconned cafe! :)

I am very excited to be part of this work here in Phnom Penh.  And I am inviting you now to share this journey with me. Journey to take a stand in our own lives- in whatever capacity we can, against injustice and enslaving of others. Let's take action- and let's do this intelligently. Let's do our research about who does what and whether they are empowering others or just creating dependencies. So let's find out information first and then get equipped and offer our skills. 

If you'd like to learn more about my role in the coalition and how you can partner with me, please see my next post for my Newsletter link

I am looking forward to using this blog to share short updates on my work as well as my little cultural discoveries on Cambodia. I will be posting photos too:)!!

For more information on Chab Dai please visit the website: www.chabdai.org

Thanks for taking time to read :) Keep an eye out for updates on my work 

One Year in Cambodia...

Today is  One Year since I said goodbye to my dear people in the UK and boarded a plane at Heathrow Airport on a cold, drizzly morning. I am moving to Cambodia- for real, I thought to myself. This is really happening, after years of interest in this region and months of planning.

My heart was swelled with anticipation and excitement for the new season ahead. As I watched  the changing landscape from my air plane window, comparing it with the map on the seat screen (flying over places like Caspian Sea, Iran and Pakistan) I knew that I am flying very far and into a different setting. What will it be like? Anything similar to the places I travelled in China and Thailand? Anything like the movies I've watched since young age-Platoon or The Killing Fields?

It's been a full on year for sure. Apart from the heat shock and occasional sickness, the beauty and raw energy of Cambodia, and the friendliness and kindness of its people have made me be very thankful to be here.
.

"The forests of Mondulkiri in the north-east, near Vietnam border."

But apart from the experiencing  life in this beautiful yet still a rebuilding postwar/post genocide country, I came here to continue work against exploitation and human trafficking. I have been involved in social work, community development and counter-trafficking for four years in the UK and coming to Cambodia was the next step in this journey.

I have the great privilege of working alongside very inspiring people here, both Khmer and international and I continue to learn daily about the anti-trafficking movement and how to work with a long term, sustainable development mindset, as opposed to short term "rescue" mindset. That includes working with ethos of preserving dignity, building best practice among practitioners and building of capacity and impact across the globe through collaboration. Check out my next post to find out more...