As an NGO leader, have you ever faced a decision where you thought, “This feels right, but I’m not completely sure—who can I check with?

Introduction Video

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Facilitate Real-Time Learning Exchanges: Facilitate tailored, interactive workshops that support real-time knowledge sharing, adaptability, and the better use of tacit knowledge in humanitarian organisations

Identify and Overcome Learning Barriers: Facilitate workshops and exchanges that help organisations pinpoint specific barriers to learning using Tacit Knowledge (such as cultural or operational challenges) and collaboratively explore ways to address them.

Identify and Share Learning Insights: Capture key adaptive learning insights, effective solutions, and lessons learned to help overcome challenges, creating flexible tools and methods for other humanitarian organisations.

Richard, ACTED Somalia

"This training has brought together leaders and decision-makers, providing ample time for us to connect, learn from one another, and reflect on our consortium's new trajectory"

Ibrahim Hassan, Executive Director, MCAN (National NGO)

CHC & THE CONSORTIUM

To support this initiative, CHC partnered with a learning partnership in Somalia, including ACTED, GREDO, SADO, MCAN, and REACH. Through a collaborative, iterative, and experiential learning process, CHC helped the consortium partners explore and strengthen their own learning culture, creating an enabling environment within their operations.

Specific activities included:

CHC facilitated three interlinked workshops in Mogadishu, guiding the partnership in identifying and addressing barriers to adaptive learning, particularly the use of tacit knowledge. Through this process, the partners learned how to apply adaptive learning approaches to strengthen their collaboration and improve joint decision-making.

In addition, Learning Insights that captured lessons learned and offer practical guidance for fostering adaptive learning within consortia were documented using multiple methods such as interviews, videos, opinion papers, among others. The Learning Insights are being disseminated to audiences both in Somali and international contexts.

The Learning Insights, which capture lessons on Collaboration, Adaptation, and Enabling Environment, were documented through multiple methods, including interviews, videos, and observations during the workshops. These insights provide practical guidance for fostering adaptive learning within consortia and will be shared with both Somali and international audiences. The links to these Learning Insights are provided below.

Through a series of three workshops, one-on-one discussions, and continuous engagement, we identified key learning insights, grouped into three core themes:

Collaboration

Examining how collaborative efforts drive adaptive learning, enhance knowledge-sharing, and use tacit knowledge crucial for effective humanitarian response.

Adaptation

Highlighting the necessity of flexibility and adaptability in navigating the ever- changing and unpredictable nature of humanitarian work in Somalia.

Enabling Environment

Exploring practical strategies to foster a learning-friendly ecosystem where humanitarian actors can share tacit knowledge, exchange experiences, and learn from one another.

These themes include insights that provide a framework for strengthening learning and adaptation within humanitarian settings, ensuring more responsive and effective interventions.

Hajir Hussein, REACH Somalia

"When addressing power dynamics within a consortia, it's important to have the mindset that size of the organization doesn't matter but their contributions and expertise is what is most important."

Hafsa, ACTED Somalia (Local INGO Staff)

LEARNING THEMES

COLLABORATION

Collaboration isn’t just about working together—it’s about bringing the right people into the right conversations at the right time to solve complex challenges.

ADAPTATION

Adapting isn’t just about making adjustments—it’s about staying responsive to real-world challenges.

ENABLING ENVIRONMENT

An enabling environment turns individual tacit knowledge into collective action by creating the right conditions for insights to be shared, tested, and applied.

OUR PARTNERS

This project was supported by the UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub (UKHIH) and funded by UK International Development in collaboration with our learning partners in Somalia: GREDO, MCAN, SADO, REACH IMPACT &ACTED SOMALIA