ALNAP Biannual Meeting Brussels 8 th December 2005 John Borton, DERO Learning Support Adviser

1. Accompanying a New Consortium: Learning Support to the ACT/Caritas Darfur Emergency Response Operation (DERO) ALNAP Biannual Meeting Brussels 8th December 2005 John Borton, DERO Learning Support Adviser johnborton@ntlworld.com

2. DERO Salient Points • Arguably the first large joint operation by Caritas and ACT (Action by Churches Together) • Commenced in July 2004 • Expenditures over first 18 months = $31m. ($20million/year) • Funding from 60 ACT and Caritas Members • Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and CAFOD are lead agencies. As registered NGO in Sudan NCA provides legal basis for operation • Single management structure • Working in 8 Sectors in 33 locations in South and West Darfur • 3 National Partner Agencies integral to structure: SUDO (Sudanese human rights organisation); Sudan Council of Churches (SCC) Sudanaid (Caritas Sudan) • Extremely problematic set up – “tried to run before it could walk”. Difficulty in finding and retaining good managers • New management team (and Learning Support Adviser) arrived in January 2005 and DERO “turned around” • DERO now largest NGO operating in South Darfur

3. DERO’s Structure

4. Mechanisms for learning in/from DERO • Learning Support Adviser (me) • Independent evaluation (Health Focus) • Three Learning Reviews • Procurement and Logistics • International Recruitment and Secondment • Financial Management Objective of the Learning Support Adviser • Identify problem areas/bottlenecks and inform/enable mid-course adjustments • Ensure lessons fully captured to enable future joint ecumenical operations

5. What did I actually do? • Began preparing a history of the origins and start up phase, but significantly have not yet written this up as potentially it could damage my relationships with key individuals • Provided “extra pair of hands” in crisis situation in January (writing monthly reports, updating security plan, etc) which overcame staff perception of me as some sort of “outsider” or “evaluator” • Provided advisory support or “neutral sounding board” to DERO Director as she restructured operation around her and a “corrobarative voice” on the critical importance of prioritising the operational needs over agency interests and sensitivities • Undertook review of governance structure that led to creation of a new Board in October 2005 • Relayed information (sometimes filtered) about how key actors/agencies perceived each other. • Was able to put issues on the table that others were concerned about but felt unable to express for fear of being seen to be critical of a partner within the consortium

6. So What Was I? • I was not a Real Time Evaluator – as I understand it RTEs are often regarded as outsiders by the field team and they have to produce reports which requires making and expressing judgements • I was an “insider/outsider”. I was neither ACT nor Caritas, NCA or CAFOD. I was regarded as a trusted, objective, observer, supporter and facilitator • A more accurate term would therefore be “Accompanier” • My sense is that the neutral “accompanier” role is very relevant for new consortia where agencies are having to work together in delivering an effective operation whilst at the same time having to deal with all the difficulties of different organisational and national cultures, approaches, sensitivities, perceptions, etc. • Consortia working in humanitarian operations is being actively encouraged by donors and is increasing