CHALLENGE

Being a part of an international organization aimed at addressing real world concerns on health, literacy,  poverty, and sustainable development proved to be challenging at times, despite the fulfillment that  one gets as a catalyst of change. As a member of Manuela Beltran University, I often deal with people from different walks of  life where we share moments that would be mutually beneficial and where we could learn from each  other’s experiences. A big challenge in this is the reality that we do not all share the same privileges and  sometimes, it is hard for us to conceptualize one’s story simply because we weren’t given the chance to  experience what another person has experienced. This explains how storytelling can be so powerful in  this line of work. It enables both parties to somehow allow the other to live the moment through  creative narration.

SELECTION

In carrying out the organization’s mission of serving humanity, one must get out of his comfort zone  literally and figuratively and visit places wherein the said person can make a difference. At first, the  receiving community wouldn’t open that much to you. This is understandable since we all undergo a  process of familiarization when encountering new faces. Story telling will allow you to creatively and  confidently introduce yourself and your advocacies so that you may encourage them to cooperate with  you.

APPLICATION

In one of our humanitarian trips to an island down south, we were briefed by our local government  partners that we should expect that the local community doesn’t get to experience interactions like  these too often, and that we should find a way to soften them up if we want to interact with them.  Fortunately, we share the same language and they understand our casual dialect, which gave us ample  opportunity to get close to them. We told stories of our group’s purpose and what we’ve been able to  accomplish in different communities around the globe for the past few years, and what we intend or  aim to achieve moving forward. You can tell their interest and excitement in our narratives as they  continuously asked questions and inject insights on their perception about groups similar to us. An elder  even shared past experiences wherein they felt as if they were being exploited, and later apologized if  they didn’t warm up too quickly. The exchange of stories led to the bonding of the two groups and  establish a relationship which led to celebrations and a feast later that night.

INSIGHT & APPROACH

Younger members of their community then proceeded to share their experiences on their daily living,  what type of problems they experience in their community, and how they deal with problems. They also  even acted out scenes on some part of their stories just to give us a clear depiction. One person also  expressed her desire to someday, experience living the urban life, just so she could have a glance at both  worlds.

Storytelling has brought immense satisfaction for both parties and this proved to be an efficient tool in  carrying out what both groups meant to convey. The exchange was meaningful and the means of  narration was effective enough to lead to understanding and fruitful collaboration.

By Hugo Mcintyre (jacob59)

