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Nonprofits often say they want to “give voice” to the people they serve.
But what happens when those people already have voices—and are simply given control of the microphone?
A 2022 report put that idea to the test and delivered a message the aid sector can’t ignore: letting Africans tell their own stories is not only the ethical thing to do.
It raises more money.
The report, “Who Owns the Story?”, was authored by Nina Houghton, Jo Howard, and Beck Pitt.
It was published by Amref Health Africa UK, in partnership with the University of East Anglia and the University of the Arts London.
Through a live fundraising trial, it showed that authentic, community-led storytelling can outperform the traditional charity-made narrative in donor response and in impact.
What the Report Did
The research focused on a direct comparison of two fundraising methods. Amref sent out two different appeals to its UK supporters.
One was professionally produced by Amref’s fundraising team, using the traditional model: high-quality design, carefully crafted messaging, and curated images.
The second appeal was created by Patrick Malachi, a Community Health Worker from Kibera, Nairobi.
Patrick was trained in storytelling, given tools to take his photographs, and invited to write a letter in his own words.
His story focused on his personal experiences, his daily challenges, and the community he serves.
His pack wasn’t filtered or over-edited. It retained his voice. Amref made only minimal adjustments for layout and clarity.
Both versions were mailed to a test group of around 1,800 donors. The formats were the same. But the source, voice, and tone were radically different.
The result? Patrick’s story raised more money. It outperformed past Amref fundraising packs by 38%, and drew stronger emotional engagement from supporters.
Authenticity That Resonates
The report gathered donor feedback to understand why the participant-led version succeeded. The key reason was authenticity.
Donors responded positively to the honesty and clarity in Patrick’s voice.
“It felt more genuine and less scripted,” said one donor. Another added, “This felt like someone speaking from experience, not someone trying to get my money.”
The photographs used were not professionally staged. The layout was simple. Yet many supporters preferred it.
They saw it as more trustworthy, more transparent, and less filtered.
This is a major finding for nonprofits, particularly those based in Africa. It suggests that what donors value most is not the gloss—it’s the connection.
And that connection comes more easily when the story is told by the person living it.
Stripping Away the Gloss
Patrick’s fundraising letter didn’t use expensive visuals. It didn’t follow the usual branding rules.
It wasn’t framed around a fundraising hook created by marketers. And yet, it worked better.
According to the report, the simplicity of the letter gave it power.
Donors described it as a welcome shift from the usual NGO appeal, which often feels heavily edited and emotionally scripted.
One donor commented, “It didn’t look like a lot of money had gone into making it fancy. That made me more willing to give. It felt like Amref was putting more resources into the work, not the marketing.”
For cash-strapped African NGOs, this is a powerful insight. It shows that high production value isn’t the only way to gain donor trust.
Honest, direct storytelling can carry even more weight, and can be done at lower cost.
Ethics That Don’t Cost the Bottom Line
A common concern in fundraising is that ethical storytelling—stories that respect dignity, don’t exploit suffering, and offer agency—may weaken donor response.
The “Who Owns the Story?” report pushes back against this fear with data.
It shows that ethically grounded storytelling doesn’t reduce donations. It can increase them.
By giving control to a participant, Amref didn’t just do the right thing ethically. They also did the smart thing financially.
As the report states, “Authenticity, ownership, and voice all contribute to a positive donor experience.” That donor experience translated into actual giving.
This result matters especially in an era where the aid sector is under growing pressure to shift power to the communities it serves.
There’s no longer a reason to delay. If ethical storytelling brings better results, then continuing with outdated, top-down narratives is not just problematic—it’s inefficient.
Four Lessons for African NGOs
The report offers clear, implementable guidance that African nonprofits can act on now.
- Involve participants early: Don’t wait until the end of a project to ask someone for a quote. Invite people to shape the story from the beginning.
- Accept imperfection: Authentic images and language may lack the polish of professional marketing, but they connect more deeply. Let communities speak for themselves, even if the result looks or sounds different from typical fundraising materials.
- Share editorial control: This requires trust. It means handing over some creative decisions. But it ensures that the story being told is the one the subject wants told.
- Invest in local storytelling skills: Instead of hiring expensive consultants to craft appeals, train community members in photography, writing, and storytelling. It’s a long-term investment in both communication and empowerment.
These four principles are not about style. They’re about power—who holds it, and who gets to decide what’s said.
The Bigger Picture: Decolonising Communications
The timing of this report is important. Across the global development sector, there is growing momentum to decolonise aid.
That includes funding structures, project ownership, and—crucially—communication.
Too often, stories about African communities are told by outsiders.
Even when well-meaning, these narratives can unintentionally reinforce harmful stereotypes, strip away agency, or present simplified versions of complex lives.
The “Who Owns the Story?” experiment shows that it doesn’t have to be this way. Local storytellers can—and should—take the lead.
Donors, when given the opportunity, respond positively.
It proves that decolonising narratives isn’t just a political or ethical stance. It’s a practical one. It works.
A Blueprint for Smarter Philanthropy
For African philanthropies, foundations, and community-based organisations, this report offers a blueprint.
It encourages a shift from messaging about communities to messaging from communities.
That change isn’t cosmetic. It’s structural. And it can reshape how donors, funders, and partners engage with African development work.
Instead of storytelling being something done to people, it becomes something done by people.
Instead of a charity model where donors are saviours, it fosters partnership—one where those most affected are also those best equipped to explain, inspire, and advocate.
This shift will take time. It will require new ways of working and a willingness to let go of old habits.
But the payoff—both in trust and in funds—is already clear.
A broader Perspective
The “Who Owns the Story?” report is more than research. It’s a call to action. It challenges nonprofits to stop speaking for others and start listening.
It shows that when communities are trusted to tell their own stories, everyone benefits.
For African nonprofits, the implications are direct. There is no need to imitate the messaging styles of foreign donors or NGOs.
As the report’s authors write, “When stories are told with dignity, and by those living them, they become not just narratives, but acts of agency.”
Smart philanthropy starts with trust. And trust begins by letting people speak for themselves.
