Consortium Partners Learning and Project Closeout Convening | 11-13 Feb 2025
Highlights from the XCEPT Consortium Partners Learning and Project Closeout Convening held from 11–13 February 2025 at Lake Naivasha Resort, Kenya. This convening brought together partners from across the XCEPT programme to reflect on six years of collaborative research and impact, share learning and explore ways to sustain locally led research in conflict-affected areas. The […]
Rose Wright | XCEPT
Rose Wright, Conflict Adviser at the British Embassy in Juba, reflects on the role of research and evidence in shaping conflict-sensitive responses across South Sudan and the region. From shifting gender norms to regional instability, she shares why programmes like XCEPT are vital to understanding and supporting peace in complex contexts. She also highlights the […]
Rebecca Lorins | XCEPT
Rebecca Lorins, co-founder of Likikiri Collective and assistant professor at the University of Juba, discusses how researchers can move beyond written reports to engage broader audiences in South Sudan. She highlights the importance of using theatre, live performance, podcasts and multimedia to share evidence in accessible ways, especially in contexts with diverse literacies. She also […]
Mark Bradbury | XCEPT
Mark Bradbury, Director of the Rift Valley Institute, shares the origin story of the Cross-Border Local Research Network and its integration into the broader XCEPT programme. He reflects on why the initiative began — recognising the value of researchers embedded in borderland regions of countries like South Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia. He highlights the programme’s […]
Luga Aquila | XCEPT
Luga Aquila, a local researcher, reflects on his work under the XCEPT-supported SET Project. His research has explored the cultural significance of cassava in marriage and ritual, and the changing realities of child labour and education in rural South Sudan. He shares why training in diverse research methods matters for local researchers, and how integrating […]
Joel Otieno | XCEPT
Joel Otieno, Programme Manager for XCEPT at the Rift Valley Institute, shares how the initiative supports local researchers from concept to final product. At its core, XCEPT is about surfacing local knowledge and equipping researchers with the tools to inform both local and national-level interventions. He explains that while XCEPT is a research programme, it […]
Hon Pia Michael | XCEPT
Hon Pia Michael, Under-Secretary at South Sudan’s Ministry of Peacebuilding, reflects on the value of research in shaping effective peacebuilding strategies. He highlights how evidence-based approaches offer a scientific lens to unpack conflict drivers within and beyond national borders. For Hon Pia, cross-border insights are essential. He points out that many policymakers are not aware […]
Alexander Davey | XCEPT
Alexander Davey, Country Director for the Danish Refugee Council in South Sudan, reflects on the personal and professional impact of the XCEPT research Migrating with Seeds. He shares how its human-centred storytelling, led by South Sudanese researchers, made the work both accessible and powerful—even for non-academic audiences. He highlights how grounding research in lived experience, […]
Elizabeth Nyibol | XCEPT
Elizabeth Nyibol, a researcher and member of the local research network, reflects on her transformative six-year journey with the XCEPT programme. As a young woman from South Sudan, she shares how XCEPT has strengthened her capacity, enhanced her writing and research skills and connected her to a broader virtual network of professionals. Through the programme, […]
Jason Mosley | XCEPT
In this video Jason Mosley, Senior Publications Manager at the Rift Valley Institute, reflects on the vital role of local researchers within the XCEPT (Cross-Border Conflict Evidence, Policy and Trends) programme. He highlights how local researchers and academics have led and contributed to critical research on cross-border conflict themes, and how centring local expertise will […]