As the year comes to a close, we reflect on the courage and resilience of communities affected by the EACOP project. Across the Albertine region, our field teams, youth organisers, and community partners have strengthened the flow of accurate, grounded information, a foundation that is now illuminating new directions for advocacy and storytelling.
In 2025, we expanded our presence in villages and trading centres, gathering more testimonies, photographs, and community evidence than ever before. The trust built through repeated visits and dialogues allowed people to speak openly about displacement, land pressures, livelihood losses, and the emotional toll of ongoing uncertainty.
A highlight of this year has been training youth in media, storytelling, and digital documentation. Equipped with these skills, young changemakers now lead community media hubs, capturing and sharing local stories with confidence and creativity. Their work has not only amplified community voices but also laid the groundwork for community-led documentaries and advocacy campaigns.
Our Observer Project has also entered a new phase, tracking, verifying, and publicizing environmental and human rights impacts with a richer evidence base and clearer community-led direction.
As we celebrate the festive season, we honour the light carried by communities whose stories illuminate paths toward dignity, justice, and environmental stewardship. This year has shown that when stories are told, truth shines, and together we carry the light of justice forward.
