Strengthening capacity across West and Central Africa: Humanitarian Operations Programme Core in Dakar, Senegal

Building on preparedness work from November 2023, Save the Children in Senegal together with three local partners fulfilled their commitment to strengthen staff knowledge and skills to respond to children’s needs more efficiently in times of crisis.

17 humanitarians attended the five-day training in January 2024 which included interactive face-to-face workshops and a three-day desk-based scenario. The goal being to ensure that Save the Children and its partners carry out humanitarian action, (including anticipatory action) that is based on people’s needs, including developing risk monitoring systems, understanding when to act, and developing action plans.

The training delivered in French covered sessions which form the standard Humanitarian Operations Programme (HOP) Core package including: an Introduction to Humanitarian Action, Wellbeing in Emergencies, Conflict Sensitivity, Gender Equality in Emergencies, Rapid Needs Assessments, Proposal Writing and more.

Designed and delivered by HLA’s Learning Specialist, Tom Russell leaned on his experience from delivering similar trainings in Ivory Coast and Thailand last year.

The sessions were contextualised to address the specific identified learning needs of the course participants in Senegal. Collaborating with Save the Children’s Humanitarian Department and the HLA WCA regional team ensures that colleagues in the region now have hands-on experience of delivering the HOP Core training and can support the delivery of future iterations across the region.

Participants on the course shared their appreciation for the value gained on the course and the balance of delivery between theory and practice. Speaking on the desk-based scenario, a simulation exercise, one participant said:

“In our day-to-day lives, we don’t necessarily work in groups like in the simulation. The fact that we’re together, in a group, I find enriching, even if it requires a certain amount of adaptation.”

Another participant reflecting on part of the simulation that involved a donor presentation, said: “That was the best part of the simulation. It allowed all the work that had been done to become a reality. And the fact that you were able to present yourself, get feedback from the backers, feel emotions. It was great and should be even more so in real life!”

The variety of activities and methodologies employed to deliver the HOP Core course helped support learning by maintaining learner engagement, attention, and ensuring equitable participation.

Thank you to Save the Children (SCI) Senegal Country Office and the Humanitarian Department, and HLA WCA regional team for organising an impactful workshop.

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