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New web special devoted entirely to testimonies

In the course of its reporting the Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) has gathered innumerable testimonies from people whose lives have been impacted by crises. IRIN felt compelled to offer up these poignant personal accounts so that the full scope of the experiences they decribe can be felt. Hear Our Voices (http://www.irinnews.org/webspecials/voices) is devoted exclusively to the many people caught up in crises of one kind or another who are often written about, filmed and discussed, but seldom have the opportunity to tell their stories to the world. They come from places as far apart as Pakistan and Cote d'Ivoire. The situations they grapple with range from war and drought to poverty and HIV/AIDS. Some are caught in the middle of crises. Others are in the process of rebuilding their lives, with or without external assistance. Often facing huge odds as they struggle to maintain their physical integrity, they draw on the resources at their disposal, especially hope and resilience. The aim of this web special is to provide members of the global humanitarian community with a window onto their concerns, their fears, their needs and their efforts and to give the people affected by crises in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia an opportunity to tell the global humanitarian family how such crises affect their lives, their families and their communities. A common thread that runs through many of the personal accounts is that they do not want to remain dependant on aid but want help to enable them to rebuild their lives, and to ensure a future free of re-victimization for themselves and for their children. Some of the testimonies also illustrate how local and international initiatives, from large-scale aid operations to the smallest of credit schemes, enable victims to become re-builders, capable of confronting and harnessing the forces that shape their lives. IRIN has put together this web special for those on the receiving end of assistance; the humanitarian community as a whole, and to assist those who seek to promote greater awareness of humanitarian issues through advocacy efforts. All are welcome to reprint part or all of the testimonies and the accompanying photos for this purpose. This web special will be regularly updated with new testimonies from sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia and Iraq.

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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