I spent nine years in South Sudan and the DRC watching people try to turn tragedy into a performance. In the NGO world, you see …
Writing About Children Safely
Why Cholera Spreads Where It Does
I remember sitting in a dusty warehouse outside Goma, staring at a pile of empty IV bags and wondering why the latest situation report was …
Deciding Whether to Publish Something Graphic
I remember sitting in a humid warehouse outside Goma, staring at a stack of unvetted digital files on a cracked laptop screen. The NGO headquarters …
A Caption That Does Not Overclaim
I spent a decade in South Sudan watching people mistake a well-composed photo for a successful operation. I’ve seen donor reports filled with “inspiring” shots …
Choosing a Photograph That Keeps Dignity
I once sat in a humid warehouse in Goma, staring at a glossy fundraising brochure that featured a tearful child looking directly into the lens. …
Responsibility to Protect in Practice
I remember sitting in a humid, windowless office in Goma, staring at a stack of UN resolutions that promised everything and delivered nothing. Everyone in …
Acute Malnutrition in Plain Language
I remember sitting in a dusty warehouse outside Goma, staring at a manifest for a shipment of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) that was stuck three …
The Veto and Its Consequences
I remember sitting in a humid, makeshift warehouse outside Goma, staring at a stack of medical crates that were officially “authorized” but practically useless. We …
Resettlement Places Against Numbers Waiting
I remember sitting in a humid, corrugated metal office outside Goma, staring at a stack of glossy brochures that promised “seamless transitions” and “holistic reintegration” …
Reporting Beyond the Single Story
I once sat in a humid warehouse outside Goma, staring at a stack of colorful brochures sent from a donor headquarters in Geneva. They were …