Sphere Training of Trainers (ToT), 26-30th May, Ethiopia

The Dutch Relief Alliance (DRA) was formed by a group of Dutch humanitarian organizations that work in partnership with the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The DRA has been collaborating with over 100 local organizations around the world since 2015. The DRA works on the ground to deliver equitable humanitarian aid: life-saving assistance based on solid humanitarian response plans and best practices. Over the years, the DRA has provided humanitarian aid to more than 4 million people in 22 crises. The 14 members of the DRA work together in closely coordinated joint responses across the world and started several Acute Crisis Joint Responses (of 6 months each) in Ethiopia such as the Desert Locust, COVID-19, Tigray, and Drought Joint Responses, EJR 2022-2023 while having started another Protracted Crisis Joint Response for Ethiopia in 2024 in Oromia and Amhara Regions with 5 DRA members and 7 local NGOs.
SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia is leading the implementation of the Duch Relief Alliance (DRA) – Ethiopia Joint Response program, in collaboration with joint response partners working in hard and volatile security environment. Accountability is the strategic pillar to DRA where Sphere minimum humanitarian is one the global humanitarian commitment to ensure quality and accountability in the JR interventions. On top of this, Sphere helps to uphold the principles of humanitarian fundamentals and dignity. Therefore, this TOT will have participants skills and knowledge in the application of Sphere in the project/program implementation.
While implementing humanitarian projects, adhering to minimum humanitarian standards is a requirement to meet the needs of affected people, ensure quality and accountability as well as dignity. To sufficiently apply these standards, project staff that have been directly involved in the process of project design, implementation and monitoring should be capacitated. Taking this into consideration, SOS CVE plan to provide training of trainers (TOT) on Sphere minimum humanitarian Standards to DRA partners who are in a different range of experience and professional background. The course is expected to develop a holistic/in depth understanding of the rationale and structure of the latest Sphere standards, including enhancing facilitation skill which eventually become listed Sphere trainers in Ethiopia.

The Sphere TOT is designed to provide a clear understanding of the minimum standards, indicators, and key actions to be undertaken in the domains of WASH, Food Security and Nutrition, Shelter and Settlement, and Health. Besides, it deals with the practicalities of implementing Sphere in humanitarian response programs.

The primary objective of the training is to enhance the participants’ capacity to understand and apply Sphere standards in humanitarian decision making and project implementation. Furthermore, the training will better support participants’ knowledge, skills and attitude while in individual and group facilitation.

The Training of Trainers will consist of a 5-day training, for a selection of participants using pre-set criteria from the Sphere network. With the ToT we aim to strengthen the capacities of a minimum of 13 potential trainers in the applications, design, and management of training on Sphere.