Key achievements and lessons from CSRF NNGO mentoring in South Sudan

 Launched in 2019, the CSRF mentorship programme aims to make NNGO institutions more conflict-sensitive, given their key role in a conflict-affected context.[1] The CSRF selects NNGO mentees by sending out an expression of interest, shortlisting, and recruiting (onboarding). Once an NNGO is selected, it will attend a 6-12-month mentorship programme, with the CSRF Capacity Strengthening (CST) Team providing guidance, advice, and financial support or preparing acquisition materials. This process involves conducting institutional assessments and reviewing NNGO policies and strategies.[2]  Since 2019, a total of 31 NNGOs have been mentored.

Results from the CSRF learning event in May 2025 showed that the NNGOs that participated in the mentoring programme made significant progress in integrating conflict sensitivity into their organisations and programmes over time.[3]

Achievements of the Mentorship Programme

• • Integrating conflict sensitivity into organisational policies: This is key to ensuring the legitimacy and accountability of an organisation. For instance, the CSRF former mentee, the Agency for Women’s Initiative Network (AWIN), has developed its internal policies, especially its Human Resource Polices, in line with conflict-sensitive practices and concepts. Other key policies that several of the mentee NNGOs has developed or reviewed during the period included financial management policies, which had resulted in increased transparency and responsibility with management of organisational resources; and procurement policies, where mentees had made considerable progress in strengthening value for money commitments. Meanwhile, other mentees had undertaken significant steps in strengthening reforms in enhancing protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) policies, by putting in place mechanisms to protect vulnerable people and groups in their areas of operation.
  • Strengthening the hiring process and management: A selection of mentees have developed strategies to mitigate risks and conflict in the recruitment processes. For example, by the time of the learning event, Amani South Sudan had developed a conflict-sensitive guideline and a checklist for its recruitment processes across the organisation. It is worth noting that recruitment has been an area of conflict that a lot of agencies struggle with, given the pressure from kinship especially amidst a context where viable employment is deemed to be with the aid sector. Finding ways to stay professional in recruitment processes was viewed as an important stride for a national organisation.
  • Improvement in communication and conflict resolution skills: During the 2025 learning event, the communication and conflict resolution skills were found to have improved significantly among the mentee organisations, and their staff and volunteers. This was observable in their integration of conflict sensitivity in their daily engagements or communications, using conflict sensitivity principles in aid delivery and in resolving conflict in the communities and among their workforce.
  • Strengthened Partnership with Stakeholders: As a result of the CSRF mentorship, mentees have improved their policies. For instance, AWIN has improved its policies, maintained contact with stakeholders, and encouraged regular context and conflict analysis in its areas of operation. These changes to their policies have not only made the organisations’ work better, but they have also made programmes more effective, increased confidence among stakeholders, including donors, partners, and local communities in South Sudan. As a result, AWIN secured projects. Many other mentee partners also acknowledged that they had become better at analysing the context and integrating conflict sensitivity into their policies, strategies, and programmes, which has enhanced their reputation and improved their profile in the eyes of the partners, donors and local communities in South Sudan.
  • Visibility of conflict sensitivity in organisational branding: In addition to making changes or improvements to policies, the mentees have actively promoted their commitment to conflict sensitivity, making it a key part of their organisations’ identities. For example, Amani South Sudan displayed a banner at their office to demonstrate their dedication to programming and policy integration that considers conflict sensitivity lenses and approaches. Visible branding serves many purposes, including creating awareness, building the organisation’s credibility, and promoting internal accountability within an organisation.

Lessons learned from the mentorship programme

• • Policy changes need leadership commitment: To make sure that conflict sensitivity is integrated into organisations’ policies, leaders need to be involved in, and committed to, making changes and getting staff and stakeholders to agree on the management and implementation strategies. A previous CSRF study found that a leadership commitment is key to championing conflict sensitivity in any institution.[4]
  • All levels of the organisation should be aware of and follow conflict sensitivity principles. This includes all departments, projects, and activity levels in the organisation, from HR and procurement to those implementing projects.
  • Visibility matters: Making conflict sensitivity a part of an organisation’s culture strengthens its identity and dedication to ethical programming and policies. The organisation needs to come up with conflict sensitivity rules or guidelines and hang them up on the walls of the office, showcasing them to the staff, partners, and donors for implementation.
  • Learning and adapting should be regular: Organisations need to keep learning to adapt their policies and branding efforts to new challenges and opportunities that come up in the changing environment. A CSRF review concluded that the integration of conflict sensitivity in institutions requires some level of adaptation and learning.[5]

Overall, the progress made by the mentees in integrating conflict sensitivity into their programmes and working to institutionalise it in their organisations has been really positive. The Mentorship programme has led to tangible improvement in policy, stakeholder engagement, and operational efficiency.

Despite the success story, the recurring conflict and insecurity in the country continue to hinder the integration of conflict sensitivity principles into their programming. The challenges include limited institutional capacity and localised violence has led to the displacement and disruption of aid operations and programmes.[6]

To maintain this momentum, ongoing leadership engagement, applying conflict sensitivity across all areas, and fostering a strong learning culture are crucial within the organisations. In embedding these principles, NNGOs in South Sudan are not only transforming themselves but also contributing to the broader goals of peace, development, and stability in one of the world’s most complex regions.

[1] CSRF (2019a), ‘’Our voices, our power’: Support conflict-sensitive humanitarian action in South Sudan,’ March 2019.

[2] CSRF (2019b), ‘Strengthening institutional capability to adopt conflict-sensitive approaches‘, September 2019.

[3] CSRF (2025), ‘NNGO Mentorship Learning Event,’ May 2025.

[4] Ibid., CSRF (2019a)

[5] Ibid.

[6] CSRF at el., (2024), ‘Conflict-Sensitive Returns and Integration in South Sudan,’ March 2024.