Key Considerations: Mutual Aid Lessons and Experiences From Emergency Response Rooms in Sudan

The civil war in the Republic of Sudan, which began in April 2023, has fuelled and exacerbated an already severe humanitarian crisis. As of September 2024, over 25 million people – half the country’s population – need assistance. In response, grassroots movements have emerged, drawing on past experiences of collective mobilisation. Volunteer networks, known as Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), in which the ‘room’ refers to the online group chats where they were originally conceived and planned, are one example.

This brief is based on the first case study of ERRs,¹ which was conducted between June and August 2024. Building on interviews with volunteers, the case study highlights the perspectives of ERR volunteers and details the emergence, growth, workflows and partnerships of ERRs. The brief further draws on published research exploring the complexities of the humanitarian response in Sudan and the concept of mutual aid, including ERRs.

The aim of the brief is to describe key considerations for understanding ERRs and how they might be supported. The brief also explores the implications of meaningful and locally impactful partnerships with national and international humanitarian and development actors (IHDAs), even amidst complex humanitarian dynamics and acute conflict. The brief has been written for all actors following or engaged in the Sudan response – local, national and international.