Supporting Sudanese-Led Initiatives: Rapid Response to Strengthen Mutual Aid Groups in Sudan, Phase Two, CBO Response ltpgtSince 2012, Saferworld, with support from donors (including Sida, EU, UN, UK, Dutch and US Governments) has engaged with and supported 50+ CSOs and informal community groups (such as resistance committees and women- and youth-led associations) to enhance their capacities to strengthen peaceful coexistence, social cohesion, and positive conflict transformation across Sudan, including in SPLM-N controlled areas. Since 2021, Saferworld has provided 1000+ microgrants to local initiatives to enable rapid community-led peacebuilding responses through its rushash approach, including after the outbreak of war between SAF and RSF.lt/pgtltpgtSince July 2023, with funding from SHF, Saferworld has worked with 20 Sudanese NNGOs and supported 123 Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs) and initiatives led by youth and women in Khartoum, Sinnar, Eastern Sudan (all three states), South Kordofan (both sides of the conflict divide), West Kordofan and Blue Nile. To date, over USD 1,320,500 has been transferred to mutual aid groups (MAGs), providing life-saving humanitarian support to 19,000+ people, including dignity kits for women, life-saving water, food, essential medicines, and non-food items to internally displaced people (IDPs), and to relocate communities attacked by parties to the conflict to safety, among others. A further USD 874,500 of commitments are due to be transferred to ERRs and initiatives by May 2024 and USD 805,000 is programmed. Saferworld’s staff on the ground have led in coordinating and monitoring project activities, and worked closely with partners to ensure the risk of aid diversion is reduced.lt/pgtltpgtKey successes in the first phase include: establishment of a localisation coordination council which brings together Khartoum, Sinnar, Darfur ERRs and Saferworld partners to strengthen mutual and community accountability. Saferworld has also supported peacebuilding initiatives alongside humanitarian activities, reinforcing community peace in the face of ethnic and tribal divisions.  ltbrgtThe second phase builds on the lessons from the first, providing microgrants as an effective and adaptive way to support local and informal groups to respond to a complex humanitarian crisis, and supporting ERRs and NNGO partners to work effectively together to coordinate local responses that are conflict sensitive, use local resources and meet the needs of project participants. Saferworld will provide small grants to NNGO partners (up to USD 160,000), who will provide microgrants (up to USD 6,000, as recommended by ERRs) to local initiatives and ERRs. In some cases, Saferworld staff will implement microgrants directly. Saferworld staff will continue to play a critical role to oversee this project, support the formation of localisation councils in areas such as Darfur, assess and strengthen capacity of NNGO partners and ERRs in MEL, advocacy, financial reporting, participate in cluster meetings, and ensure donor requirements are met. ltbrgtThe project aims to address the urgent needs of 100,000 conflict-affected women (W), girls (G), men (M) and boys (B) (including IDPs, returnees and people living with disabilities) through an HDP nexus approach across East Sudan, Darfur, Khartoum, Sinnar, South and West Kordofan in Sudan. The project seeks to contribute to the outcomes related to: improved food security and livelihood support for 45,000 ltbrgtwomen (W), girls (G), men (M) and boys (B) provision of emergency shelter and NFIs to 10,000 W, G, M and B improved access to health services for 15,000 W, G, M and B enhanced water, sanitation and hygiene practices for 15,000 ltspangtW, G, M and Blt/spangtltspangt andlt/spangtltspangt improved protection oflt/spangtltspangt 15,000 lt/spangtltspangtproject partilt/spangtltspangtcipants (lt/spangtltspangtW, G, M and Blt/spangtltspangt)lt/spangtltspangt.lt/spangtltspangt lt/spangtlt/pgtltpgt As recommended by ERRs, an emergency fund of USD 30,000 for the localisation hub will be considered to enable them to quickly respond to specific urgent needs that are outside approved action plans. Saferworld will partner with 20 NNGOs from the first phase, while seeking new partnerships with other women-led organisations. ltbrgtlt/pgt