Photo courtesy of Sarah ElRaheb-Dagher
The session
On 17 February 2026, the Resilient Collective held the workshop Narrative for Resilience: Crafting Stories in Urgent Moments, bringing together participants for a two-hour reflective and practice-based session. Led by the Harvard Kennedy School educator and leadership coach, Sarah ElRaheb-Dagher, the session asked participants to explore their stories of self and formative moments that shape their leadership and action.
Why it mattered
Storytelling plays a central role in influencing public attitudes and mobilising action. Effective communication, including survivor-centred and values-driven narratives, is essential to shifting harmful norms and advancing efforts to end violence against women and girls.
Strengthening leaders’ ability to articulate their values, connect personal motivations to collective action, and communicate with clarity is essential to advancing advocacy, strengthening collective action, and sustaining engagement.
The expert
Sarah ElRaheb-Dagher has spent over a decade designing and delivering courses on public narrative and leadership. Her work supports leaders across sectors to strengthen storytelling, leadership, and collective action. She is an Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and a leadership coach focused on education as a tool for personal and social change.
Key takeaways
- Explore personal stories: Reflect on your formative moments to identify how your experiences connect to the communities you are part of and why this matters in the current moment.
- Clarify values: Identify key experiences that have influenced your beliefs, choices, and direction, and consider how these values can inspire collective action and respond to today’s challenges.
- Define purpose: Articulate a deeper “why” that connects your personal motivation to the broader work and shared goals, while grounding it in the urgency and relevance of the present.
Testimonials
“I learned how to use storytelling as a tool for advocacy and resilience. I also learned how to structure personal and community stories in a powerful and ethical way, especially when working with survivors of violence.” – Sadiya Adam Shitu, Niger
“I understood how narratives can build solidarity, shift norms, and motivate communities and networks to act together as well as the technique to quickly identify the core message, structure a story, and communicate with clarity even in fast-moving or crisis contexts.” – Saraphina Ambale, Kenya
