If your work involves stories of poverty, crisis, persecution, or cross-cultural ministry, you’ve likely felt the internal pull between “what will raise money” and “what feels ethical.” Many Christian organizations also face the added challenge of serving in restricted or sensitive contexts where names, faces, locations, and breakthroughs cannot be publicly shared. This webinar provides a framework for communicating impact without exploitation or unnecessary security risk – helping nonprofits balance fundraising needs, ethical storytelling, and real-world field constraints.
Participants will learn tools for moving beyond poverty porn, western hero narratives, and sensationalism, and toward messaging that protects vulnerable communities, honors indigenous leaders, and builds long-term donor trust.
This webinar is designed for communications, marketing, and development staff serving global missions, international development, or ministry to vulnerable populations.
It is especially relevant for organizations working in:
-Restricted or sensitive countries
-Relief & development
-Mission mobilization
-Indigenous ministry partnerships
-Persecution & human rights advocacy
-Poverty alleviation
-Refugee/migrant ministries
And for comms teams that are navigating:
-Global audiences
-Younger donor expectations
-Shifts toward indigenous leadership
-Cross-cultural storytelling
-Digital media & long tail record concerns
Participants will learn:
-The common ethical pitfalls in nonprofit storytelling (poverty porn, saviorism, tokenization, donor-centric narratives, sensationalism, etc.)
-How to communicate about suffering, poverty, persecution, or closed nations without exploitation
-The theological and missiological rationale for dignity-centered storytelling
-Messaging frameworks that shift from “we bring Jesus” to “we join Jesus at work”
-How indigenous partners and global audiences can perceive Western messaging
-Ways to maintain fundraising effectiveness without resorting to harm
-Photo, consent, and child-protection considerations for global media
-How to educate donors rather than simply indulge donor appetites
-How to push back or say no to harmful requests from leadership, boards, or donors
-Case studies of improved messaging and ethical storytelling practices
Presenter:
Clarissa Sidhom brings nearly 20 years of communications experience, primarily with nonprofits and ministries serving marginalized and vulnerable communities. She is Director of Communications at VisionSynergy and also provides strategic communications consulting through Tapestry Creative Agency, helping organizations craft dignity-centered narratives that inspire engagement and trust.
Missio Nexus encourages interaction on diverse and difficult topics. Be aware that the information shared in this event may not reflect the views of the Missio Nexus staff, board, or other community members. Virtual events are nsrecorded and the recordings are available as a MEMBER ONLY resource in our Media Library.
