Read them here - SOS Sahel

Strategy: 2011 – 2014
Introduction
SOS Sahel UK exists to seek long-term, sustainable solutions to the poverty
experienced by millions of people in the Sahel region of Africa.
For over twenty-five years, we have worked across the Sahel with people whose
livelihoods depend on pastoralism, farming, and forestry. We support their efforts to
secure access to the natural resources upon which they depend, and to manage
these natural resources in ways that are equitable and sustainable.
The story to date
SOS Sahel UK works with a variety of institutions and individuals in Africa and
elsewhere. We have previously run country programmes in Mali, Niger, Sudan,
Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Kenya, thus spanning the drylands of East and West Africa.
Much of our work over the last decade has centred on transforming this UK-based
organisation into a network of independent, African-led NGOs – the Sahel Alliance.
The last remaining UK-managed country programme is Sudan.
Our previous strategic plan (2008 – 2011) had three objectives:
1. To help dryland groups in the Sahel challenge marginalisation and secure
their rights.
2. To build greater understanding among policy-makers, donors, the
development community and the UK public about pastoralism in the Sahel.
3. To strengthen the quality of development practice in the Sahel.
We consider that we achieved a great deal in relation to objectives 1 and 3, in
particular through the continuing development of SOS Sahel Sudan as an
independent, locally registered organisation. We had some success in Sudan in
relation to objective 2; there was less evidence of success in the UK.
As part of the transformation, a new Sudanese NGO – SOS Sahel Sudan – was
registered in Khartoum in January 2010. This new member of the Sahel Alliance is
gradually taking over SOS Sahel UK’s work in Sudan; once this process is finished,
the transformation of our Africa-based programmes will be complete.
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In support of SOS Sahel Sudan, we have developed the capacity of their Board of
Trustees and staff such that they are now recognised as one of the most competent
national NGOs in Sudan.
As the nationalisation of our country programmes has neared completion, we have
transformed SOS Sahel UK from an implementing NGO to a facilitating NGO. We
have striven to work in equal partnership with national NGOs, acknowledging that
relationships between international and national NGOs have, historically, been
unequal.
We have restructured the organisation to focus resources mainly on Sudan, and to
reduce the UK cost base. We have managed our finances reasonably effectively,
although there is still little margin of safety, and the funding of the UK operation has
remained a challenge. The Board of Trustees has restructured itself in response to
these changes.
Context
All of this was done in a rapidly changing international environment.
Globally, despite progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, sustainable
and equitable development is under threat from increased pressure on land and
water resources, climate change, and other challenges.
Moreover, the banking crisis and recession, and declining support for development
spending, have led the OECD donor countries to take a more defensive and shortterm
view of development. In particular, there is now a strong emphasis on results, in
the form of concrete and measurable outcomes, and value for money. This is forcing
civil society organisations to put more resources into monitoring and compliance, at
a time when the total value of development assistance is diminishing.
Regionally, there is continuing political instability. There have been popular uprisings
in Egypt, Libya, and elsewhere, and many countries in the Sahel are regarded as
fragile states. Sudan has remained politically unstable following the secession of
South Sudan in July 2011, and is host to severe internal conflicts. South Sudan is
also experiencing widespread internal violence. There is growing tension between
the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan over unresolved issues relating to the
secession of South Sudan.
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Where do we go from here
We are now well placed to maintain a facilitating role. So what will we do, and how
will we do this
Sudan
The process for independence of SOS Sahel Sudan is continuing, and we wish to
complete this successfully. As part of this process, SOS Sahel Sudan has developed
its own measures of success. These include having:
• effective programmes of work;
• effective local capacity to govern, manage and support the organisation and
its work; and
• recognition as a leading national NGO in Sudan and good relationships with
relevant government departments;
• continuous, and diverse, funding streams.
However, the most important milestones for SOS Sahel UK will be:
• the point at which the formal presence of SOS Sahel UK in Sudan is no longer
required, such that we can deregister as an INGO there; and
• the transfer of remaining employment contracts from SOS Sahel UK to SOS
Sahel Sudan; in particular, the transfer of the contract of the Executive
Director.
We consider that we can reach these milestones no later than March 2014. To
achieve this, we will:
• deliver work against all existing grants effectively, responsively, within
budget and on schedule, and meet the reporting requirements, as far as
is practicable in a fragile and rapidly changing context;
• work together with SOS Sahel Sudan to meet co-financing commitments
related to these grants;
• assist SOS Sahel Sudan to close skills gaps in governance,
management and administration;
• encourage SOS Sahel Sudan to build reserves, through advice and
guidance on fundraising, budgeting, and organisational development;
and
• conclude the transfer of contracts.
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Other countries
Ethiopia: we were awarded funding in 2011 for a joint three-year project with SOS
Sahel Ethiopia from DFID and the Band Aid Charitable Trust. We will:
• support SOS Sahel Ethiopia to manage the project effectively, and
ensure that reporting requirements are met.
South Sudan: SOS Sahel South Sudan is registered in that country as an NGO, and
has obtained funds for start-up. We will:
• assist SOS Sahel South Sudan to establish and run itself competently
and accountably as a national NGO.
Multinational: development issues know no borders. Therefore, we will:
UK
• encourage and support learning and exchange of development practice,
in particular between Sudan, South Sudan and Ethiopia, and more
generally, in sub-Saharan Africa.
We will:
• argue the case in the UK and with donors for continuing support to our
beneficiaries and partners in Sudan and South Sudan;
• maintain appropriate skills in the UK office for its changing role;
• build reserves, so that we can manage uncertainties effectively; and
• ensure that the Board is able to carry out its role effectively.
Review
We will:
• review our performance against this strategy in 2014, and reflect on our
purpose in a changing world; and
• document and share our learning from our experiences over the past ten
years.
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