Meet Oricia Makonda, an early career researcher based at the Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford and a member of RVI’s research communities of practice 2nd cohort. 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. It 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. 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. In this video and others to follow, discover how the 2nd cohort is addressing pressing climate challenges in the Horn of Africa and beyond.