Civic labs are community run centers across Sudan focused on supporting youth and women. The lab concentrates on four activities: 1) Civic education: workshops and seminars. 2) Media Labs: practical workshops and community led productions. 3) Technology labs: tech related workshops and activities. 3) Art studios: provide community art spaces for fine and performance arts, drama, theater and music productions.
Currently we have five civic labs: Khartoum, Omdurman, Bahri, Dain (Darfur) and Gadarif with plans to open the next labs in Port Sudan, Kasala and South Kordofan. Most Civic Labs host active artist collectives, these include:
- Milad art collective at Khartoum CL
- Solution is Art collective at Omdurman CL
- Alrifag musical band at Dain CL (The Lab also hosts a drama group)
- G_Artistic collective at Gadarif CL
The labs have been operating since September 2019 and have conducted hundreds of workshops and activities since then.
A glimpse of Dain CL:
The lab provides a space for the neighborhood committees regular meetings and forums . The lab also hosts a weekly forum for peace building called Ganadeel forum. With members from across Daen’s diverse community the CL has played a crucial in preventing violence and supporting different groups to work together. The Dain CL has been one of the most active labs since they launched. Examples of workshops conducted by Daen CL include:
- Violence Based on gender, attendees:180.
- Women and Law, attendees:80.
- Workshop on Folk Art and its Effects on Peace (conducted in collaboration with local artists), attendees:12
Weekly cultural events run by the band and drama group, attendees: varied
A glimpse of Khartoum CL:
The Khartoum CL has a recording studio, a painting and sculpture workshop and multimedia digital lab. The Khartoum civic lab also conducts bi-weekly theater games and a weekly cinema day. Examples of workshops conducted by Khartoum CL include:
- A three day ToT by Hatim Younis on: Leadership, Tolerance, Conflict resolution, Work management and Working diversity, attendees: 30 (September)
- Series of two day workshops by Ezidine Hirika and Ahmed Abuhurira:
- for East Khartoum NCs on non-violent strategies for civic participation, attendees:25 (September)
- for South Khartoum NCs on non-violence resistant, attendees:20 (September)
- for East Khartoum NCs on report writing, attendees:25 (October)
- for South Khartoum NCs on report writing, attendees:20 (October)
- for East Khartoum NCs on nonviolence and developing non-violent strategies for civic participation, democratization and social movements, attendees:30 (November)
- for South Khartoum NCs on: nonviolence and developing resistant tools, democratization and social movements, attendees:30 (November)
- Two days workshop for Bahri and Khartoum NCs on Media and Citizen journalism by Naba and Adil Color, attendees:26 (October)
- Workshop for artists on how to organize big events and festivals by Boyan and Maria, attendees:27 (March)
- ToT Workshop on CoronaVirus community prevention by Ministry of Health, attendees:30 (March)
- Three workshops on Media production and festival organization given to North Kordofan Nuba festival group, attendees: 30 (April)
A glimpse of Bahri CL:
Bahari CL was set up and is managed by the Bahari Neighborhood Committee. The lab aims to increase the leadership and other skills of the Neighborhood Committee members. Examples of workshops conducted by Bahari CL include:
- A three day workshop by Hatim Younis on training young leaders on civic education, attendees:16 (October)
- A four day workshop by Dr. Abdel Rahim Bilal on civil education, number of attendees:8 (January)
- A workshop for the media office of Bahri NC on peace building by Prof. Juma Kinda, attendees:20 (January)
- A three day workshop for media office of Bahri NC on press writing by Ali Aldali, attendees:16 (February)
- Two workshops for lab members and trainers on digital rights and digital security by Abdul Rahman, attendees:12 (February)
- A workshop on strategic planning and civic engagement that brought together members of other communities and civic labs, (Led by Bojan and Marija), attendees:25 (March)
A glimpse of Omdurman CL:
Omdurman CL is a collaboration between various NCs. The lab also hosts the Solution in Arts collective. Their main aim is to organize community activities and events. Meetings by these NCs in Omdurman created the community management structure now being used by all the labs. Examples of workshops conducted by Omdurman CL include:
- ToT by Hatim Younis on: Civic education, attendees:30 (December)
- Civic education freedom=productivity by Baha, attendees:30 (February)
- Rights and duties, Innovation and Managerial System, Power Scales and Negotiation by Baha, attendees:30 (February)
Covid-19 related work:
Starting in early April all the civic labs have become hubs for Covid-19 community activities. They run media campaigns with NCs and different civil society organizations including UNICEF, WFP, the Ministries of Health, Works and Community Development. They are also working to set response centers in their community, and create virus protection materials like masks and sanitizer.
The Khartoum CL initiated a network called Tashbik aimed at resisting the spread of Coronavirus. The network now has over 40 groups that included thousands of members.. Members include grassroots initiatives, NCs and civil society organizations. Tashbik’s work ranges from community awareness campaigns to manufacturing and distributing hand sanitizers and masks, assisting in distributing food packages. We also have a Covid-19 homeless shelter program. Folks from the civic labs are helping in media coverage of various community activities. Milad art collective has created many public educational murals, a viral song and a music video at the Khartoum civic lab. More videos and murals are on the works. Finally the Khartoum CL is collaborating with the NCs, government and WFP on food delivery to poor families during the lockdown.Tashbik’s main activity is networking between the various community initiatives, government, NGOs and various civil society groups.
Bahri CL in association with Bahari NC started the Bahari Youth Coronavirus initiative that is spearheading Covid-19 community led activities in Bahari. The group runs sanitation and educational campaigns throughout Bahari. The group also prepares 500 daily meals for homeless kids. This initiative is the central community led initiative in Bahri.
Omdurman CL is producing hand sanitizers and masks. Sewing machines were set up at the lab for the mask production. The group also set up a homeless assistance program that they ran out of both Omdurman CL and Khartoum CL. The program includes both shelter and feeding the homeless that were affected by Covid-19. The lab is also coming up with different ways to help make social distancing easier for their communities e.g. help end bread lines by setting up home delivery. In addition, ‘The Solution is Arts’ collective in the lab has an ongoing educational murals campaign.
Dain CL has set up the lab as a headquarters for the community emergency response. Currently they are working mainly on educational campaigns using murals, music, posters and loud speakers with collaboration with WFP and ministry of Health.
As the Gadarif CL lab was launching, the members found themselves within the Covid19 crisis. The lab was quickly transformed into a center for planning the Covid-19 community prevention campaign. Activities throughout the state ranged from media awareness campaigns through murals created by G_Artistic and community educational outreach organized by the members. The group also started distributing food packages to needy families to help them to stay at home.
