What is the purpose of research? Is it to generate academic publications? Is it to catalogue problems? Or is it to create wish lists for donors? We must think carefully about this. Have you ever asked questions that cause more harm than good to the respondent? Consider a young woman who has experienced sexual violence. She already carries trauma. Your research questions can retraumatise her. This is violence. Do you seek proper permission before asking sensitive questions?

What does it mean to truly drink? Not just to swallow, but to receive water as our bodies are meant to receive it? We have traded this essential purity for convenience. We store our water in plastic bottles that can leach chemicals, particularly when we carry cartons in our vehicles, subject to heat that accelerates this process. We cook our food in metallic pots that can leave a faint, sharp taste. Our ancestors chose a different path. They understood the intelligent simplic

A few years ago, I was privileged to evaluate a women’s economic empowerment programme. I will never forget Adanna's face when she handed in her loan repayment. For months, she had been participating in the programme. According to our surveys, she represented a perfect success story - regular attendance and timely repayments. But her eyes told a different story. "Please," she whispered, "do not give me another loan." Later, I learnt the truth. Her husband had forbidden he