INSTITUTIONAL GROWTH FOR AMPLIFYING AND SUPPORTING VICTIMS’ VOICES
The Tigray Victims Association was founded with a critical mandate: to advocate for conflict victims and support justice, healing and community recovery across the Tigray region. Yet, before engaging with the CSIF II project, the association faced significant institutional weaknesses in governance, financial management, procurement and human resources management. Its leadership recognised that stronger and more transparent internal systems were needed to sustain its advocacy work and engage future donors.
A significant shift began when the association participated in a CSIF II-supported capacity-building training workshop and dedicated mentorship programme. Through this support, the association developed, strengthened and finalised comprehensive organisational policies tailored to its capacity and realities.
The process strengthened governance, staff accountability, financial management and procurement transparency. More importantly, the new systems gave the organisation practical structures to manage its work more effectively and demonstrate greater transparency and professionalism. The value of these changes soon became visible when the association successfully secured a new project supported by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
“The institutional manuals gave structure to our advocacy work. We can now engage donors and stakeholders with greater confidence and professionalism.”
Miss Netsanet, Program Director at Bright Future CSO
The strengthened systems have provided the association with a stronger foundation for its work to amplify and support the voices of conflict victims. The organisation is now better equipped to apply its organisational manuals in practice, including when responding to competitive project opportunities and managing new programmes.
The experience also illustrates that institutional strengthening is not only about developing policies and manuals. For organisations working in complex contexts, effective governance, financial management, procurement and human resource systems are part of what enables advocacy work to continue, build credibility and engage new partners.
Through the CSIF II project, targeted capacity-building and practical mentorship helped the association move from identifying institutional gaps to putting stronger systems in place. The combination of training, tailored support and follow-up enabled the organisation to develop tools that respond to its own needs and realities.
The association will continue applying and strengthening these systems as it expands its work. It also plans to participate in Buku-zega regional hub activities focusing on human rights advocacy, local peacebuilding, civic education and democratic participation.
For an organisation established to represent and support conflict victims, these stronger internal foundations provide an important basis for sustaining its advocacy and continuing to amplify the voices of those it serves.
Partner CSO Name: Bright Future
