Innovative Qualitative Methods Workshop for Early Career Researchers

From 10–13 March 2026, we hosted the Innovative Qualitative Methods: New Approaches for Understanding Climate Resilience and Sustainability in Africa workshop in Cape Town, bringing together 13 early-career researchers from across Africa, representing nine nationalities.

Over four days, participants engaged in hands-on training in participatory research methods, with a particular focus on storytelling and Photovoice as approaches to understanding and amplifying the lived experiences of communities affected by climate change.

The programme combined participant presentations, interactive training sessions, and applied learning. As part of this, participants attended the Photovoice Stories of Water and Energy Exhibition at Isivivana Centre, providing an opportunity to engage with participatory visual research in practice.

The workshop also featured sessions led by invited speakers, including Zarina Patel, Suraya Scheba, Mercy Brown-Luthango, and Vanessa Masterson, who contributed insights from their work in participatory and community-engaged research.

This initiative was supported by the Mastercard Foundation and the University of Cambridge Climate Resilience and Sustainability Research Fund. The workshop is structured around a mentorship model, with dedicated sessions before and after the workshop to support participants in applying participatory action research approaches within their own research.

Participants and mentors at the PhotoVoice stories of Energy and Water Exhibition.