Communicating as a humanitarian worker in a Covid-19 lockdown
By: Cecil Laguardia
Tags: Storyteller, Storytelling, Humanitarian, Pandemic, Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic has thrown us off-balance. Who hasn’t been? My 18-year experience working mostly in global emergencies came in very handy. Not quite but almost. I thought the string of natural and man-made disasters in Asia, and the debilitating hunger in the African continent, already topped the list of challenging workplace environments. Then the coronavirus came with new rules to the ballgame.

How can a communicator keep working safely during a lockdown without missing a beat? Remember, if you are one, your job is to get that information or story out. The news channels are on a 24-hour cycle whether you participate or not. It cannot wait until the pandemic is over. Nobody can even figure out when it will completely release us from our isolation. Your best shot is find a way to do your job while safely confined. Boring and stifling, yes. But necessary. The world has changed as you know it. Plus, It also spares people from taking you on field work that can put you and others at risk. The practice of safety is not just about you. It’s also about others.

Review your available files and resources. What can be used and updated? Find a way. Be creative. Link them up to the current situation. This is the best time to look into what you have, even recycle, and make sure that all the work you did in the past will be of use. It minimizes waste but at the same time allows you to find value on what you have. Think again, every trip in the field has cost your organization money – interviews, photo sessions, filming sessions, research work and a lot more. It’s time you value everything you worked for.

What can be used and updated? Find a way. Be creative. Link them up to the current situation. This is the best time to look into what you have, even recycle, and make sure that all the work you did in the past will be of use. It minimizes waste but at the same time allows you to find value on what you have. Think again, every trip in the field has cost your organization money – interviews, photo sessions, filming sessions, research work and a lot more. It’s time you value everything you worked for. Use technology for interviews, research and gathering information. Putting the pieces of a story together has never been so convenient in the comfort of your favorite couch. Boring, yes. It does not in any way substitute to the excitement of an actual field work where you get to walk for miles on a muddy rice field to talk to a family. But, be realistic, things now took a 360-turn beyond anyone’s control. You’ve got to turn with the wheel – you know what can happen if you won’t.

Putting the pieces of a story together has never been so convenient in the comfort of your favorite couch. Boring, yes. It does not in any way substitute to the excitement of an actual field work where you get to walk for miles on a muddy rice field to talk to a family. But, be realistic, things now took a 360-turn beyond anyone’s control. You’ve got to turn with the wheel – you know what can happen if you won’t. Find like-minded allies in the field. You cannot run out of people who love storytelling or taking pictures. Everyone is a storyteller. Just check out those social media platforms to discover them. Think about those storytelling and photography skills waiting to be tapped to the next level of greater good. People can help, and most have something to contribute that you overlooked. This is the time to give them that chance to be seen and heard, give them the opportunity to share their story – or help you get those stories from where they are (and where you cannot go).

Everyone is a storyteller. Just check out those social media platforms to discover them. Think about those storytelling and photography skills waiting to be tapped to the next level of greater good. People can help, and most have something to contribute that you overlooked. This is the time to give them that chance to be seen and heard, give them the opportunity to share their story – or help you get those stories from where they are (and where you cannot go). Plan the range of topics in your storytelling campaign. They are as vast as the amazing universe that we have but you can always find a link back to your work subject. This pandemic has affected every aspect of our life, no end to stories you can write. From denial to acceptance to adjustment to endurance to inspiration to heroism – there is something to share here. As I keep saying over and over, every person has a story waiting to be told. How many people are you reaching out in your organization? Take the hint.

They are as vast as the amazing universe that we have but you can always find a link back to your work subject. This pandemic has affected every aspect of our life, no end to stories you can write. From denial to acceptance to adjustment to endurance to inspiration to heroism – there is something to share here. As I keep saying over and over, every person has a story waiting to be told. How many people are you reaching out in your organization? Take the hint. Tell stories in many ways. I never thought I’d get to this stage. I always consider myself an old-fashioned, dyed-in-the-wool storyteller. But the writing in today’s wall is clear – evolve, evolve, evolve. Fancy this, you don’t even have to do an 800-word story to get your message accross. Of course, all the discipline starts from there, never miss that. But there are other means. This isn’t mission impossible. A quote for a tweet can slay it. A hard-hitting appeal in a nicely-designed infographic can cross a barrier. A 30-second video clip can rouse a follower to action. Oh, and you’ve heard this before – a picture can help ignite a thousand words. Creativity and resourcefulness are rockstars in today’s communications.

Many people think Covid-19 has shrunk our world to the 4-corners of our rooms. I would like to think it helped us push the boundaries of our creativity and wisdom. Did it ever occur to you that all the technology that we have now, especially the internet, prepared us for a time like this? This will come to pass, and hopefully we will be more grateful and caring with what we have.

Share with us your storytelling tips! We would love to hear and learn from them.

Ciao!