Abandoned boreholes like this one seen in an image taken by Tabitha, a community participant in Dumna-Zerbu, dot the landscapes, bearing testament to the harsh reality of these communities...
A Glimmer of Hope — The Power of Collective Action
Despite the overwhelming challenges, these communities have not given up. In Dumna-Zerbu, Malkohi and Sangere, the people are finding innovative ways to address their water needs.
Amidst the backdrop of fragility and strife in these communities, a Photovoice research project was conducted to amplify the voices of those living in conflict-affected communities. The goal was to highlight their daily struggles for clean water and to spark transformative conversations.
Community members acted as narrators, photographers and storytellers, most of them capturing and sharing their realities with photography for the first time. In partnership with WFP, this work was supported by the Norwegian Government under the project titled ‘Learning Support for a Sub-Saharan Africa Multi-Country Climate Resilience Program for Food Security,’ and by the donors who fund the CGIAR Research Initiative on Fragility, Conflict, and Migration (FCM), through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund.
The Photovoice project, driven by the communities themselves, set out to contribute to an understanding of water system risks in fragile and conflict-affected communities with the aim of using the evidence gathered to address water scarcity.
Photo Credit: ©Dinovate/Joe Bala for IWMI
Engaging directly with community members allows community members to tell their own narratives of resilience, hope and determination.
Photo Credit: ©Dinovate/Chisom Akwuobi for IWMI
Courage in pixels: John, a community participant of the Photovoice project and Chairman of IDPs in Adamawa, is ready to photograph the struggle for water in his community. Camera training was provided by Dinovate Solutions.
Photo Credit: ©Dinovate/Joe Bala for IWMI
Courage in pixels: Halima is ready to photograph the daily struggle for water in her community, thanks to the Photovoice project training.
Photo Credit: ©Dinovate/Joe Bala for IWMI
Courage in pixels: Tabitha is ready to photograph the daily struggle for water in her community.
Photo Credit: ©Dinovate/Joe Bala for IWMI
Nevertheless, community members find happiness even in the midst of scarcity and childhood still runs its course.
Photo Credit: ©IWMI/Abubakar
By building rainwater harvesting systems and adopting sustainable water management practices, these communities are not only addressing their immediate water needs but also laying the groundwork for long-term solutions.
Photo Credit: ©IWMI/Rachael
Photo Credit: ©IWMI/Rachael
United by Water:
the struggle for water forges strong bonds. United by a common pursuit, these young girls have found a companion for the road.
Photo Credit: ©IWMI/Rachael
Through the Photovoice project, these communities have found their voice and are driving change in their local context.
Japhet and other community participants observe a photo he took in his community. These photos collectively tell the lived experiences of his community’s water story.
Photo Credit: ©Dinovate/Joe Bala for IWMI
Photo Credit: ©Dinovate/Joe Bala for IWMI
Amina
Hopefully someday, Amina will not have to walk miles risking her life or that of her unborn child for water that isn't even safe to drink.
Photo Credit: ©IWMI/Japhet
