Dignity in storytelling and photography

Last week we were really interested to read this article about dignity, poverty and international development. In it Jonathan Glennie says of the word dignity: “if understood properly, [it] could mean fundamental changes to our ways of working, and the overall story we are trying to tell.”

Dignity is a word we use a lot at Mile 91 when we talk about our work in developing countries and it’s a value we embed deeply in our storytelling work, especially when telling stories about places like Mulago Hospital in Uganda. We believe that you can maintain the dignity of individuals even when showing the poverty in which they live or the challenges they face in their life. We hope you enjoy these photographs and we would love to get your thoughts in the comments section below.

Above: Jean Paul Ngilimana is playing sitting volley ball. Jean is a member of the National Paralympic Committee.

Above: Balila leaving her home to go to school at Pope John’s Catholic Junior High School, Ghana.

Above: A school girl carrying her school books on her head. Tonga Junior High School, Ghana.

Above: Sister Sulphine Twinomuhangi (in green) helps ladies whist they wait at Mulago Hospital, Uganda.

Above: Dorcas Ikadukan (right) has previously delivered all of her babies at home, but has attended antenatal appointments since a difficult birth with baby number 4.

Above: Harriet Massamula and her newly born baby on the ward at Kitovu Hospital.

Above: Elfnesh Finta, 35, at her home in Boreda, Ethiopia.

Above: Rahab, also known as ‘Mama B”, set up and now runs a tailoring business, designing and making clothes, Tanzania.

Above: At home with Thomas and his children Kenya.

Above: Birhanu Sori, a farmer in Ethiopia, makes horse headdresses in the evenings which he sells for extra income.

Please follow the link to find out more about our story gathering services and don’t forget to sign up to our blog to be the first to hear about our story gathering tool kit, packed with useful information about getting the most out of your stories.

Why not check out our recently launched photo library and see some more of our photographs.