When we started thinking about this storytelling project, I knew I wanted to do something a little differently.
For years, we have shared stories about the people, organisations and communities we work with. We have written about programmes, challenges, successes and the lessons we learn along the way. But I began to wonder what these stories might look like through the eyes of someone from a completely different generation.
It was at this time that Chris Wei approached us about a summer internship. Chris is a high school student, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to explore what our work might look like through younger eyes. Chris is our first summer intern to take part in this storytelling project. He is also part of the generation that will inherit the communities and societies we are all working to improve.
That matters.
The questions I ask about a project are shaped by my age, my experience and the years I have spent working with nonprofit organisations and communities in different parts of the world. Chris comes to the same work from a very different place. His questions are different. His reference points are different. And, perhaps most importantly, his perspective is different.
If we are serious about creating a better society for everyone, we should not only listen to the people we work with on the ground. We should also listen to the next generation.
Stories are important. They can help us see beyond statistics and headlines. They can give us a fuller understanding of communities and the individuals who live there, while challenging assumptions about places and people we may know little about.
That is particularly important when telling stories about communities affected by conflict and humanitarian crisis. The challenges are real and should not be overlooked, but they are only part of the story
I am very pleased that Chris is the first person to help us explore what this can look like. Chris’s article is not intended to be a definitive account of the Democratic Republic of Congo, NDEGE or the work of BBS. It is one young person’s exploration of a story that made him look beyond the first impression. That is precisely what makes it valuable.
This autumn, we will be publishing a series of his stories, bringing different voices and perspectives to the work we do and the people and communities connected to it.
Chris’s first article, NDEGE: A Closer Look at the Congo, is below and I hope you enjoy reading his story.
Kelly Brantner
CEO, Business for Better Society
