Local Lifelines: Participatory Storytelling for Humanitarian Action in Sudan

Discover how Sudanese humanitarian responses are transforming crisis communication through participatory storytelling. This InsightShare and CDAC Network collaboration trains local Emergency Response Rooms to use video, photography and storytelling for faster, more accountable humanitarian action in Sudan.

CDAC Network approached us at InsightShare to support them in the delivery of capacity-strengthening components of the “Local Lifelines” project in Sudan. Local Lifelines project searches to improve the humanitarian information ecosystem and support an enabling environment for greater localised humanitarian action in Sudan. It responds to a gap in coordination and information sharing between local actors and international IASC structures, and aims to strengthen existing local networks for the provision of accurate and actionable information to crisis-affected communities and humanitarian response actors. CDAC works with its members to draw attention to the work they are doing while bridging knowledge and support to local actors and communities.

InsightShare co-designed a participatory storytelling online training for the Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs) in Sudan, alongside key representatives of the ERR. We provided training of trainers to two key individuals in the ERR structure who lead the sessions for their peers, with backstage support from our lead trainer. During two months, the group learnt key concepts in participatory storytelling, including an introduction to peace photography, an in-depth understanding of participatory video and its application in humanitarian response, accountability to affected populations, advocacy and locally-led communications. They had the opportunity to learn from a local organisation in Syria trained by InsightShare eight years ago, who then incorporated PV as an instrumental approach in their response.

The ERRs then embarked on a process spanning multiple locations, volunteer groups and many weeks to co-create collectively this participatory video that makes visible some key aspects of their humanitarian response.