MS Sudan to strengthen partners

As MS Sudan closes down by the end of 2010, the remaining six months of the programme will focus on capacity building for the partners to help them cope on their own.

By Alfred Geri, board chairman, Kajo-Keji Resource Centre

21. May 2010

In MS Sudan’s attempt to secure the sustainability of its partners’ activities, several capacity building trainings have been planned for the coming months. The trainings will be provided to the MS Sudan partners in the period from June to August and they will be followed up by partner visits to ensure impact in each of the partner organisations.

The topics for the capacity building trainings have been identified on the basis of review workshops conducted by the partners. All partners have stated what capacity building needs they have and from there, MS Sudan has developed a plan to ensure that as many of the needs as possible are met. Among the topics covered by the capacity building plans are organisational development and networking, public relations, proposal writing and fundraising and project management and monitoring.

According to programme officer Don Bosco Malish, the capacity building trainings will be tailored to the specific needs of MS Sudan partners and they will be conducted by MS Sudan, inspirators from neighbouring countries and other competent institutions.

Do not despair
Don Bosco Malish expect that the capacity building trainings will improve the partners’ abilities to plan, implement and monitor their programmes effectively as the partners do face numerous challenges. According to Don Bosco Malish, the main challenges include inadequate capacity of the management staff and board and dependency on donor support.

“The inadequate capacity also filters into their capacity in terms of implementing activities and submitting reports in time,” he says.

Most – if not all – of MS Sudan’s partners will likely be worried about their sustainability considering that their main supporter will disappear by the end of the year but Don Bosco Malish gives a wise counsel and advises the partners not to lose hope.

“In life when one door closes, other opportunities open,” he says, adding that the boards of the different organisations supported by MS Sudan should not despair but they should learn to exploit other funding opportunities.

The capacity building trainings for the partners will begin in June.