The Research Communities of Practice Project (RCoP), run by the Rift Valley Institute (RVI) aims to bridge the gap between scholarly research and tangible impact in the real world. The RCOP is a value-driven project built around a community of practitioners and academics with a common interest in enhancing the capacity and voices of early career researchers in Somalia, Somaliland, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Through a partnership with the Open Society University Network- Hub for connected Learning initiatives, the project has expanded to include refugees in Kakuma refugee camp. Leveraging RVI’s extensive expertise in building research capacity within our region, RCOP brings together networks of local researchers in conflict-affected countries across East and Central Africa. Through this innovative approach, we provide support for the professional development of early-career researchers, offering comprehensive training and valuable mentoring opportunities. This video highlights the first cohort training program, featuring the students, mentors and partners.