Introduction
Across the African continent, grassroots initiatives are documenting oral histories, archiving local sources, and producing policy-relevant analysis that challenges external narratives and centres local agency.
Community Documentation Efforts
From West Africa to the Horn, civil society organizations are partnering with communities to record and preserve histories that were previously marginalized or omitted from official records. These efforts serve multiple purposes: strengthening cultural heritage, informing policy advocacy, and building institutional memory.
Impact on Policy
When communities control their own narratives, policy conversations shift. Local perspectives on resource governance, security, and development become evidence-based and difficult to dismiss.